While Christopher Nolan is not planning to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Nolan did praise the Barbenheimer movement, which is all about the fact that Barbie and Oppenheimer are opening on the same day (next week). Nolan praised the fact that the Barbenheimer buzz has led to audiences returning to movie theaters, saying: “I think for those of us who care about movies, we’ve been really waiting to have a crowded marketplace again, and now it’s here and that’s terrific.” Meanwhile, Cillian Murphy has been much more engaged with the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Several days ago, he spoke to a Spanish outlet about how he “loves” Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and he “can’t wait to see Barbie.” Well, the Oppenheimer junket has started and Cillian is still fielding questions about Barbie. YES!
Cillian Murphy isn’t letting a little competition put him off seeing the new Barbie film. The 47-year-old actor said he is “100%” going to see Barbie — which will be battling it out against his film Oppenheimer over opening weekend later this month — and thinks “it’s great” that the movies are being released on the same day.
“I mean, I’ll be going to see Barbie 100% — I can’t wait to see it,” Murphy said in an interview with IGN published Tuesday. “I think it’s just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day.” He added, “Yeah, you can spend the whole day in the cinema — what’s better than that?”
Murphy’s excitement over the two films has mirrored that of fans, as there has been a mass number of bookings to see Oppenheimer and Barbie as a double feature in theaters. It was revealed earlier this week that more than 20,000 tickets have been sold at AMC Theaters for viewers to not only see both films over opening weekend, but on the same day, after they both open on July 21.
In a statement shared with Variety on Monday, the movie-theater chain’s CCO and executive VP of worldwide programming, Elizabeth Frank, said, “That more than 20,000 moviegoers have already made plans and purchased tickets to see Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day is a great sign that the growing online conversation around seeing both of these incredible films is turning into ticket sales.”
It’s gotten to the point where there’s an ongoing debate on social media about which order you should see your Barbenheimer double-feature. I understand the idea behind seeing Barbie second, to end your day with some lightness and positivity, but I also feel like people seeing Oppenheimer first might be too depressed to go to watch Barbie on the same day? Like, I’ll need to process both films. Anyway, I enjoy the fact that the Barbie and Oppenheimer casts are getting involved and openly discussing both movies. Originally, this double-booked premiere date was meant as a screw-you to Nolan from Warner Bros, but it’s ended up working out in everyone’s favor. I don’t remember the last time that happened.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Oppenheimer Premiere held at Grand Rex in Paris, France. Featuring: Cillian Murphy When: 11 Jul 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Oppenheimer Premiere held at Grand Rex in Paris, France. Featuring: Cillian Murphy When: 11 Jul 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Oppenheimer Premiere held at Grand Rex in Paris, France. Featuring: Cillian Murphy When: 11 Jul 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Oppenheimer Premiere held at Grand Rex in Paris, France. Featuring: Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Christopher Nolan When: 11 Jul 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I’m not doing barbenheimer but I have one friend doing both on the same day and she’s barbie first. I’d rather other way but I’m physically not able to sit in a cinema for more than 2 hours (and that’s with drugs) so for me going to the movies isn’t a question.. Sadly
I found I have a heck of a time any more trying to sit in the movies. I start squirming after a while, trying to get comfortable. I miss the theaters in the city where I used to live, they all reclined! Those I could handle.
Same! I have a lot of pain issues and cinemas were the first thing to go (along with shopping trips that aren’t essentials). Travel is now gone too. I’ll wait till I can see them at home. Pain makes me very cranky!
I can’t do both because the preschool drop offs and available screen times don’t gel! Had to privilege Barbie.
No way I could do a double feature…too long. I am not into watching dark things right now so definitely Barbie FTW.
But wow, this is more about WB’s beef with Nolan. No wonder he’s a bit salty about it. Glad everyone else involved is being super gracious about it.
I am an Oppenheimer lady all the way through. I am a huge Nolan, Cillian, Emily, Robert Downey and Florence fan. That is the only movie I am going to see this summer and might be multiple time with different group to have a conversation after. No Barbie for Me! I am not a fan of Greta and her husband as a matter of fact.
A movie double – header? 5+ hours in a movie theater in 1 day?
No. No.
I hope both movies are hits, but not me.
I just saw the news. With the heat dome phenomenon–not a term I recall from childhood–there may well be lots of people willing to spend the better part of the day in an air-conditioned movie theater.
I’ll probably see them both, but at matinees in a few weeks. Or maybe the last show of the day. I’m going to movies, but not when there are crowds.
I think it’s straight up rude that he’s not going to see Barbie. In protest I will not be seeing Oppenheimer until it ends up in pieces on TikTok. But seriously am I the only person who doesn’t care about the Oppenheimer movie and is that some sort of shortcoming? Because I don’t.
It’s not the movie for me, it’s when it is opening.
This film is a straight up fall or winter movie.
You would think Nolan would have learned after what happened with Tenet.
I studied Oppenheimer at uni and will not be going. I’m glad that people will be learning the story! It’s an important story, but too depressing for me to revisit. I’d probably have a week of bad dreams if I watched it.
Barbie seems like the epitome of a summer movie and will probably bring in more people on opening weekend, but if Oppenheimer is good it may do just as well over the longer term. I really do hope a lot of people see it.
I can’t do a double feature so my good friend and I are making a weekend of it. Oppenheimer on Friday. Book club on Saturday. Bruch and mimosas followed by Barbie on Sunday. Barbie-book-enheimer!
That is a great way to spend the weekend!
Just to be clear I’m referring to Christoper Nolan when I say it’s rude he’s not watching Barbie. Like it’s just weird. I’m sure Greta Gerwig will probably watch Oppenheimer. And furthermore she didn’t say she’s not going to watch his movie. It’s just poor form on Nolan’s part.
I am doing the blowout party early screening of barbie on July 19th! I considered doing both on the same day but i was able to secure barbie tickets.
So excited about both 🙂
Cillian Murphy, I’d really love to be seated next to Cillian Murphy watching Barbie!
I think it would be very fun to see the cast of each movie in line at the theater to see the others movie.
Good for all these actors being cheerful and supporting both movies publicly. 💕
Btw, how is Tom Cruise going to spend his time if no publicity tours are happening now that SAG is on strike?
Tom Cruise was very publicly supportive of both movies and said he was going to both when they opened. Is he still doing publicity? MI is open everywhere I would have thought. We don’t know if the people who say they are going do, but he publicly said all the right things.
I’m not really excited about Oppenheimer at all. I think Christopher Nolan is OK but I feel like he has a serious problem with compelling female characters. IMO there have been so many dark, heavy movies lately that I’m kind of over his schtick. It’s Barbie all the way for me!
I love the Barbenheimer cross promo but I’m doing a Barbie double feature and buying a ticket to Opp (but not watching it, too dark/heavy) as a show of support because Cillian Murphy is lovely.
It’s funny that the casts are supporting each other’s movie. It’s nice to see since sometimes it gets competitive.
While it nice it’s also calculating by the studios because of the strike to get people in the movies to support them.
The funny thing is that I think a certain segment of people are ONLY planning to see Oppenheimer in the theater BECAUSE Barbie is coming out the same weekend. I know if I had to pick just one, it would be Barbie.
Honestly, I think Barbie looks super fun and enjoyable, but I’m going to prioritize seeing Oppenheimer in the theater. I just think Nolan’s movies need to be seen in a movie theater, I don’t think Barbie does, and its unlikely I’ll get to see both with our summer schedules. I was hoping to make it work, but I don’t think so at this point. So Oppenheimer will win out for me (but I’m not seeing either on opening weekend.)
I convinced my Mom to do the double feature with me! Oppenheimer in the morning, break for lunch, and then cocktails for Barbie! My sister, brother, and brother’s girlfriend are meeting us for Barbie. Going to spend the entire day at the theater, haha! Can’t wait!