Barbenheimer

Bright pink and jet black.

Barbie’s pink paradise and Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb.

Two movies, one date. 

On July 21st of 2023, two blockbuster films Barbie and Oppenheimer were released. While Barbie followed the adventures of a popular fashion doll brought to life, Oppenheimer was a biographical drama film that focused on the work of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a physicist who helped develop the atomic bomb. So how did two opposite movies come together as Barbenheimer, and what does this mean for their reception? Though it may seem like a competition between the movies, this is not entirely true

Counterprogramming

Counterprogramming is a term for two movies scheduled to be released on the same day while being geared to very different audiences. This can be seen by the cheerful, happy themes of Barbie versus the dark, melancholy themes of Oppenheimer. By appealing to a larger audience, the box office numbers would be expected to rise greatly. This is not a form of competition but is instead more like giving civilians double the motivation to go to movie theaters.

Contrast Effect

Besides appealing to a larger audience, Barbenheimer also uses contrast to its advantage. By having viewers compare these movies to each other, small differences can be more striking and noticeable. For instance, the size of an item would appear more prominent when placed next to a much smaller item. When Barbie and Oppenheimer are placed together, both movies seem more intense and striking, compelling audiences to watch them. The name Barbenheimer itself represents the contrast between the two movies united as one.

Fanbases

Barbie and Oppenheimer’s fanbases, though very different, became intertwined when Barbenheimer came to social media. Many fans are racing to create memes or mashups of the two movies, creating even more popularity. There is also some competition between fans, as they strive to support their favorite new movie.

There is no doubt that these two movies are taking the internet by storm. With a box office of 853 million for Oppenheimer and 1.38 billion for Barbie as of September 3, it is obvious that both movies are doing extremely well.  So, which movie will you support, the enchanting world of Barbie or the thought-provoking world surrounding Oppenheimer? Or even better, both?

References

“Barbie.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1077904129/.

“Oppenheimer.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt15398776/?ref_=bo_se_r_1.