- Emily Blunt believes the Barbenheimer phenomenon was a positive celebration of film and wants it to happen again.
- The simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer boosted the profile and box office earnings of both films.
- Other studios have attempted to replicate the Barbenheimer phenomenon, but none have been as successful.
Emily Blunt, the star of Oppenheimer, recently expressed her belief that the Barbenheimer phenomenon created by the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer should happen again. This cultural event happened in July 2023 when both movies were released on July 21 and attracted much enthusiasts’ attention, leading to a dubbed ‘Barbenheimer’. Some theaters even held double features of the films back-to-back, fully embracing the phenomenon.
Speaking with The Playlist, Blunt stated how positive the phenomenon was for cinema and that she wants it to take place again. She said, “We have to make it happen again. We have to because look what it did for cinema. Look what it did for people. It was joyous and such a celebration of the diverse range of movies out there. And why do they have to be pitted against each other? Just go see both. I want it to happen more and more and more. It’s fantastic.”
The Barbenheimer phenomenon helped to boost the profiles for both Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The simultaneous releases made it into an unmissable occasion, leading Barbie to gross $162 million dollars in its opening weekend, while Oppenheimer took in $82.5 million – almost double its original projection. To date, Barbie has grossed a staggering $1.4 billion dollars, and Oppenheimer has earned $954 million, making it the second-highest grossing R-rated film ever, behind the 2019 Joker.
Since the Barbenheimer event, other studios tried duplicating its success, but none succeeded. The most notable attempt was the ‘Saw Patrol’ crossover, involving Saw X and Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie from Lionsgate and Paramount. However, combining two different film genres did not appeal to audiences. While there aren’t any upcoming films in 2024 with the same release date that could organically duplicate the Barbenheimer phenomenon, marketing experts are undoubtedly analyzing the event to generate box office dollars in the future using a similar strategy. Fans can also look forward to a Barbenheimer movie in the works from legendary B-movie producer Charles Band.