One movie is bursting with life-size doll houses and blowout parties and so, so much pink. The other tells the origin story of the deadliest weapon in human history.
On July 21, with the opening of two of the most anticipated films of the year, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” thousands of fans will head to theaters to watch both movies on the same day — relishing the irony of seeing two star-studded films with such incongruous themes.
“It’s a juxtaposition to show the brightest and darkest sides of the human imagination,” said Eden Schumer, a paralegal in Manhattan, who plans to wear a T-shirt featuring both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” designs to the theater. “You’re creating worlds and also destroying worlds.”
This double feature — branded “Barbenheimer” by the internet — promises to be a cultural event, a movie buff’s dream and a magnet drawing people back to theaters even as the movie industry struggles to compete against streaming services and recover prepandemic engagement.
More than 20,000 people have already purchased tickets to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the same day, according to Elizabeth Frank, the executive vice president of worldwide programming and chief content officer for AMC Theaters. From July 7 to July 10, AMC saw a 33 percent increase in the number of guests buying tickets for the double feature.
Even one particular celebrity with his own high-profile movie is getting in on the action.
Kevin Sabellico, a political consultant from Carlsbad, Calif., said he used to see movies multiple times a month, but stopped going during the pandemic. He hasn’t been to a theater in more than a year.
“This is the event that will bring me back,” Sabellico said. “I don’t know why, but the duality of these films happening on the same day just has me captivated and wanting to see both on the big screen.”
Like Sabellico, Jackson Kennedy, a graduate student at Stanford University, is ending a theatrical hiatus for the double feature.
“I haven’t been to the theater this entire year, and now I’m going to spend all day in one,” he said.
In which order should the movies be seen? The consensus seems to be “Oppenheimer” first: Take in the strong stuff, then end the night with a party.
“My friends and I in Chicago are spending our day at the Alamo Drafthouse and seeing the films the way the Lord herself intended: ‘Oppenheimer’ at 10 a.m. with a black coffee / ‘Barbie’ at 4:20 p.m. with a big Diet Coke,” Andrea Ledesma, a marketing operations manager, wrote in an email.
Rita Wenxin Wang of Brooklyn, who is also starting with “Oppenheimer,” decided to purchase tickets for the double feature after seeing dozens of memes and jokes juxtaposing the two movies online.
“It feels more fun to end the night on a fun light movie than a serious movie where someone builds an atomic bomb,” Wang said.
Many other double-feature moviegoers are putting their outfits together accordingly. Thomas Cuda, from Jacksonville, Fla., said he plans to dress with a subdued style for “Oppenheimer” in the morning, perhaps wearing a suit. For the afternoon “Barbie” showing, he has something flashy planned. For the past year, he has had a pair of pink jeans — a gift from his wife — sitting in his closet.
“I haven’t ever had the courage to give them a try, but I will be busting them out for ‘Barbie,’” he said.
Cuda couldn’t believe it when he found out the movies were both opening on July 21, a week and a half after his birthday. He decided to postpone his birthday celebration until next week.
“We’re not going to spend any money. We’re going to save it all. We’re going big on release day,” he said. “For me this is probably the third most important day of the year behind my anniversary and Halloween.”
