So, during the pandemic, Warner Bros infamously decided to release their entire 2021 theatrical slate to HBO Max, with each movie that year releasing on the platform the same day each movie also released in theaters, in attempt to drive subscriptions during an incredibly turbulent period. The thing was, Warner Bros didn't tell a single actor/director/writer/etc that they were doing this, it caused all kinds of financial headaches, they had to make all kinds of new deals with talent in the wake of this announcement, and massively pissed off two of their top directors, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. The former ultimately left the company over it, a company he'd had a deal with for well over a decade. Nolan took his next movie, Oppenheimer, to Universal Pictures instead, preemptively claiming a July 21, 2023 release date in the process, Nolan's go-to, late-July, release slot since The Dark Knight in 2008.

In the meantime, Warner Bros. was developing a Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken respectively, written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, and directed by Gerwig. Gerwig/Baumbach are a famous indie couple (both professionally and romantically), with Gerwig responsible for writing/directing the incredibly well-received Lady Bird and Little Women, while Baumbach has written/directed such indie favorites as Marriage Story, Frances Ha, While We're Young, Greenberg, and The Squid and the Whale. Needless to say, they were an out-of-left-field choice for a Barbie movie, but with Margot Robbie producing, the three of them came up with a take so unique and fun, that Warner Bros not only decided to make it a huge summer blockbuster, in an effort to screw with/spite Nolan (a fact I have on very good authority), they decided to slot Barbie in Nolan's old late-July slot... on July 21, 2023.

And thus was born *the* multi-meme-generating movie battle of 2023... the colorful, uber-happy Barbie vs. the dour, uber-serious Oppenheimer. The scorned studio taking on their former golden boy in a movie-going weekend for the ages.

Personally, I think Barbie is going to be a massive box office success, partly because I know a bit about what they have planned, but more so based on the sheer online buzz/excitement so far. I really do think it has the potential to be the Top Gun: Maverick-like phenomenon of summer 2023 (though obviously not *that* big), except for the ladies/young girls, but will draw in all four quadrants as well. Which could be unfortunate for Oppenheimer, even though it looks like it has the potential to be one of Nolan's best yet (and one I'm beyond stoked for).

Either way, we win, and if both dates hold, what an incredibly great weekend at the movies...

Also, just FYI, both of these hit just one week after Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One, and just one week before The Marvels. In other words, July 2023 is going to be INSANE.

if you do the double feature, what order do you go in?

I'm leaning Barbie first

Same. I'm thinking Barbie around 4 PM, then Oppenheimer around 7 PM. Will probably just end up seeing them on different nights, though, unless I end up trying to get a group together to make an event out of both.

My daughter is 16 and no longer has any interest in Barbie dolls or movies like that. Will not be seeing.

Will be seeing Oppenheimer on opening night, and probably a time or do additionally.

I think there is a very good chance Barbie is just a bad movie. We'll see, good directing/writing team but anyone can have a bad idea.

I would be shocked if Margot and Ryan signed on and stayed with it if it was going to be bad. They are two of the biggest names in the industry right now and have their pick of roles.not that things can't happen between script and screen of course.

Oh I agree that it could happen..
I am just saying when you look at the works of Gerwig Robbie and Gosling over the past decade misses are rare. Odds are this will be good. Question is whether it will have broad appeal.

I get the feeling a lot of people will absolutely love to hate Barbie without ever seeing it.

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Personally, I think Barbie is going to be a massive box office success, partly because I know a bit about what they have planned, but more so based on the sheer online buzz/excitement so far. I really do think it has the potential to be the Top Gun: Maverick-like phenomenon of summer 2023 (though obviously not *that* big), except for the ladies/young girls, but will draw in all four quadrants as well.

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I know nothing, but I'm curious what the audience is that you see?
Will it appeal to girls currently young enough to play with Barbie? Looks to old maybe for them.
Will it appeal to older girls who outgrew Barbie? Maybe if meta enough to dig into nostalgia, but also makes fun of the dolls.
I do think a lot of women will see this.
Boys will shun anything Barbie.
Older boys will too, unless Robbie is enough of a pull to their hormones.
I doubt many men will see this unless dragged by a daughter or wife/girlfriend.
Is it a family movie?

I'll probably see both if Barbie gets good buzz but Oppenheimer is my clear fave

Claude! said:

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From the trailers, Oppenheimer looks to be beautifully shot and acted. On the other hand, Barbie clearly has Margot Robbie in a bathing suit.

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It's a problem as old as time:

The Porkchop Express said:

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DUH

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Did she sign her initials WR? Because there's no way that's an M.

She probably thought no one would notice a sloppy signature given the picture itself but we must be vigilant.

You're such a critic.

Big fan of gosling. Won't go to theater for it but will absolutely rent it. I'm assuming it's going to be like the Lego movie.

Want to see Manhattan as well especially since we just went to Los Alamos this year and checked out the atomic museum that tells this story. Great little museum if you are ever there.

Just hope Nolan bounces back from his last endeavor which was a bit painful.

btw, not saying it will suck for sure
Just a vibe I'm getting, I'll be seeing it for sure

Whatever I Am A Critic said, I'm sure it's nothing that hasn't been said to me at least a dozen times before. Except the others at least stand by their words and don't cowardly delete them without some kind of explanation.

I missed it so no idea.

Quad Dog said:

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Quote:

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Personally, I think Barbie is going to be a massive box office success, partly because I know a bit about what they have planned, but more so based on the sheer online buzz/excitement so far. I really do think it has the potential to be the Top Gun: Maverick-like phenomenon of summer 2023 (though obviously not *that* big), except for the ladies/young girls, but will draw in all four quadrants as well.

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I know nothing, but I'm curious what the audience is that you see?
Will it appeal to girls currently young enough to play with Barbie? Looks to old maybe for them.
Will it appeal to older girls who outgrew Barbie? Maybe if meta enough to dig into nostalgia, but also makes fun of the dolls.
I do think a lot of women will see this.
Boys will shun anything Barbie.
Older boys will too, unless Robbie is enough of a pull to their hormones.
I doubt many men will see this unless dragged by a daughter or wife/girlfriend.
Is it a family movie?

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I think you're over-analyzing it. Forget the actual Barbie doll and who does/doesn't play with it. It's not like only people who were playing with Transformers in 2007 saw Transformers in 2007. It was a lot broader than that, and this will be too. Except this is going to be a big, bold comedy (The Lego Movie comparison above is a somewhat apt comparison, not mention Will Ferrell is in this too, if that tells you anything) that girls/women will not only drag their significant others too, I really do think after word-of-mouth gets around, boys/men will start showing up too. It's a four-quadrant movie for the whole family (not to say it'll be rated PG, though), that will have late July and all of August to play, build buzz, make bank, etc.

Basically it was something to the extent of your post reads like a wannabe Hollywood insider who thinks his words are more important than everyone else's.

It was pretty bizarre to read that from your post. Probably some deep-seeded resentment and hatred there I gather.