“We couldn’t have them both”: Cillian Murphy’s ‘Oppenheimer’ Suffers Another Crushing Defeat to Margot Robbie’s Barbie in the Theatres
Christopher Nolan assembled the likes of , Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr. to document a three-hour long drama on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer. The star-studded cast and the promise of never-seen-before visuals led many to believe Oppenheimer would go on to dominate the box office from the 21st of July.
But that was certainly naive, as such predictions failed to take Barbie into account. The seemingly simple plot of Barbie and Ken meant Greta Gerwig’s directorial was always seen as the side-kick of Oppenheimer in the newly coined term Barbenheimer due to its decision to release on the same day.
However, early numbers for both movies point to Barbie’s colors overshadowing the impact of Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb at the box office.
Read more: Margot Robbie’s Barbie Proves Hollywood Wrong as the Movie Beats Across The Spider-Verse Opening Day
Margot Robbie’s Barbie Leaves Oppenheimer Stunned in the Theatres
The box office generally only experiences any significant trembles when a male-centric movie arrives at the spot. As such, Oppenheimer, which reunites acclaimed actor Cillian Murphy with Nolan, was expected to garner staggering numbers and leave Margot Robbie lead Barbie collecting residuals in its wake.
But the three-day weekend has seen female-driven Barbie open to a historic $155 million domestically, vindicating Warner Bros. decision to back Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s plot of Barbie Land against the much-hyped and complex plot of Nolan’s Oppenheimer and release their movie on the same day.
The early reactions in the USA and Canada are also expected to influence the overseas numbers, with the majority of cinemas across Scotland – who are not in a position to accommodate both films – opting to screen Barbie ahead of Oppenheimer.
“If you take a big flagship film it has to play on all the bigger screens all day. So we had to pick one. We couldn’t have them both at the same time. So I went for Barbie, because all of the international predictions are that it’s going to be bigger,” Hamish McIntyre from Fort William’s Highland Cinema said.
Not just the numbers from Stateside, but Barbie’s family-friendly theme is also influencing the decision of independent cinemas in Scotland.
Historical Inaccuracy Found in Oppenheimer That Is Being Left Behind by Margot Robbie’s Barbie
Considering the Barbie brand which has been a big part of the childhood of millions in the past decades and the light-hearted nature of the movie’s script, it’s understandable why families are being lured toward Barbie Land.
But Nolan’s R-rated drama still has its own audience that has helped Oppenheimer collect $80.5 million in its opening weekend. Considering the biggest selling point of Murphy’s movie is its historical depiction, it’s vital every detail is on point.
However, eagle-eyed fans have found a mistake in one of the scenes, where the genius scientist is being applauded by several people, who are also waving the US flags in a room. The issue is that the flags in the scene contain 50 stars, while in 1945 the US flag had only 48 stars.
Although such a small historical inaccuracy is unlikely to make a much difference. For now, Nolan’s biggest concern is Barbie Mania.
Source: The National
