Barbie vs Oppenheimer: Both films majorly exceed expectations as box office frontrunner emerges

Cinemas around the world are busier than ever thanks to the arrival of two films that have rapidly become blockbusters.

Excitement for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has been in overdrive in the run-up to their simultaneous release, which has finally arrived.

While Oppenheimer’s critical ratings have blown past Barbie with a near-perfect Rotten Tomato score, the latter, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is now expected to double the Cillian Murphy-starring biopic’s box office takings.

However, both releases have shot past their expectations in a huge way, perhaps proving that audiences are tired of sequels and superhero films.

Barbie was estimated to earn $110m at the US box office during opening weekend, with Oppenheimer‘s total was projected to sit around $50m. Impressively, Barbie is now on track to take $150m, with Nolan’s drama set to amass $75m.

Speaking in a new interview with The Independent, Nolan described Oppenheimer as “the biggest film I’ve made”. Meanwhile, Murphy admitted to struggling to watch the film due to seeing his face projected on the screen, but acknowleged that the film is “designed” to be “watched with an audience”.

Oppenheimer’s London premiere was cut short, however, as the cast left early in preparation for the SAG-AFTRA strike order, which was initiated hours after the event.

Key points

• ‘Life in plastic, it’s fantastic!’: Barbie gets five stars from The Independent

• Read The Independent’s four-star review of Oppenheimer

• Is Barbie child-friendly?

• The horrifying true story behind Oppenheimer

• Oppenheimer star Matt Damon says kissing We Bought a Zoo co-star Scarlett Johansson was ‘hell’

Christopher Nolan says Oppenheimer is ‘the biggest film I’ve ever made'

08:40 , Jacob Stolworthy

The Independent sat down with both Nolan and Cillan Murphy to discuss Oppenheimer.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan interview: ‘There’s nothing bigger than Oppenheimer’

Was Oppenheimer really the ‘father’ of the atomic bomb?

08:13 , Tom Murray

“It is always too easy to fall for the great man – or great woman – theory of history,” Guy Walters writes in a long read for The Independent.

“But the problem with the great man theory is that it seldom holds water, and nowhere is it more leaky than with Oppenheimer.

“To regard him as the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ is to ignore not only that the Manhattan Project was the result of a historically unprecedented level of teamwork, but also those others who are equally deserving of atomic fatherhood status.”

Read more:

Was Oppenheimer really the ‘father’ of the atomic bomb?

Margot Robbie says she faked her own death because she hated her babysitter

07:15 , Tom Murray

Appearing on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 show on Thursday (20 July), Robbie, 33, recalled how she had once pretended to be dead as part of an elaborate prank she played on her adult babysitter.

“We got a new babysitter,” the Wolf of Wall Street star recalled. “I wanted my old babysitter back, Talia, who was like 16 and I thought she was so cool. And then we got this much older lady in and I was just not happy about it.”

Robbie said she then hatched a plan to fake her own death and went to extreme lengths to convince her new babysitter it was real.

Read more:

Margot Robbie says she faked her own death because she hated her babysitter

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing?

06:16 , Tom Murray

That’s the question explored by my colleague Louis Chilton in his comment piece for The Independent.

The 52-year-old filmmaker’s work has long prompted speculation over his political views, from the supposedly pro-conservative Dark Knight to the anti-war messaging of Tenet. Does his nuclear biopic Oppenheimer hold any answers?

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing? Oppenheimer finally suggests otherwise

The true story behind ‘the father of the atomic bomb’

05:17 , Tom Murray

Oppenheimer is partially based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer written by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin over a period of 25 years.

“Celebrated in 1945 as the ‘father of the atomic bomb,’ nine years later he would become the chief celebrity victim of the McCarthyite maelstrom,” Bird wrote in a recent opinion piece for The New York Times.

The film is the first to properly tackle the scientist and his legacy, which was marred by a controversial 1954 hearing that resulted in his security clearance being revoked.

Read here for the true story behind J Robert Oppenheimer:

The horrifying true story behind Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

Barbie manufacturer accused of ‘stealth marketing’ in schools

04:17 , Tom Murray

Mattel has sparked criticism for “stealth marketing” to children after a new programme gave away free Barbie dolls in schools, a move that health experts are claiming reinforces damaging gender stereotypes.

The toy manufacturer launched the “Barbie School of Friendship” programme this year, in which free Barbie dolls were given to an estimated 150,000 students in 700 schools across the UK to teach social skills.

However, in an investigative piece published in the British Medical Journal on 20 July, many experts have questioned the programme’s potential negative effects of gender stereotyping, as well as companies freely marketing their products in schools.

Read more:

Mattel accused of ‘stealth marketing’ after giving away free Barbie dolls in schools

America Ferrera points out ‘revolutionary’ detail in Barbie Dreamhouse

03:18 , Tom Murray

In a new interview for the Harper’s Bazaar UK Summer issue, Barbie star America Ferrera, 39, discussed Barbie’s progressive but “inelegant” history since its creation in 1959.

Ferrera said that growing up, she was “never a Barbie girl” but there have been “revolutionary” moments in Barbie’s history when Mattel has made subversive statements about womanhood.

Ferrera pointed out that there was no kitchen in the first Barbie Dreamhouse, which freed the doll from expectations of domesticity.

Read more:

America Ferrera points out ‘revolutionary’ detail in original Barbie Dreamhouse

Voices: The real reason behind the Barbie movie backlash

02:19 , Tom Murray

“In the days leading up to the release of the Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, the film has endured various attacks by right-wing figures, whose issue with the movie lies in what they say is a ‘woke’ and ‘feminist’ agenda,” Nylah Burton writes for The Independent.

“No one has to like the Barbie movie, and I’m sure intelligent criticism of the film’s messaging and quality will emerge. However, attacking it because it doesn’t address ‘any notion of faith of family’ is not only ludicrous but untrue.”

Read more:

The real reason behind the Barbie movie backlash

Will ‘Oppenheimer’ be released in Japan?

01:22 , Tom Murray

For obvious reasons, some fans are wondering whether Oppenheimer will have a theatrical release in Japan.

The Independent understands that plans for the film’s release have not yet been finalised in all markets. Japan also tends to release later than other markets with Barbie coming out 11 August there.

Read more here:

Will Oppenheimer be released in Japanese movie theatres?

Greta Gerwig on track to break record for the biggest domestic opening for a female director

Friday 21 July 2023 23:58 , Tom Murray

Barbie is reportedly on track to earn over $150m dollars in its opening weekend. If it achieves this feat, Gerwig will break the record for the biggest domestic opening for a female director in Hollywood history.

Emily Blunt says she was distracted by Cillian Murphy’s ‘ocean eyes’

Friday 21 July 2023 22:35 , Tom Murray

Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have admitted to finding co-star Cillian Murphy’s blue eyes to be a “real problem” on the set of Oppenheimer.

“It’s a real problem when you’re doing scene work with Cillian,” Damon said. “Sometimes you find yourself just swimming in his eyes.”

Blunt compared Murphy’s eyes to Billie Eilish’s 2016 hit “Ocean Eyes”. “We just hum it all day,” she said.

Read more:

Emily Blunt says Cillian Murphy’s ‘ocean eyes’ were distracting on Oppenheimer set

Video: Brian Cox says AI is 'real scare' at SAG-AFTRA and WGA rally

Friday 21 July 2023 22:04 , Tom Murray

‘Are You there God It’s Me Margaret’ director calls ‘Barbie’ ‘truly a thing of genius'

Friday 21 July 2023 20:54 , Tom Murray

Barbenheimer fans warn others not to watch Barbie after Oppenheimer

Friday 21 July 2023 19:37 , Tom Murray

There has been much discussion about the proper order to watch the Barbenheimer double feature. The actors themselves have even weighed in on the discourse.

But take it from fans who appear to have made the mistake of watching Oppenheimer before Barbie. The former is heavy, and while some have argued that that’s exactly why you would want to end on the joyful Barbie – as a palette cleanser – “I can’t imagine wanting to do anything after Oppenheimer,” one viewer tweeted.

“Oppenheimer completely emotionally devastated me and then I watched the movie about a Toy,” they added.

Barbie doubles Oppenheimer’s earnings in box office previews

Friday 21 July 2023 19:13 , Tom Murray

Warner Bros and Universal Pictures have announced the box office preview earnings for Barbie and Oppenheimer, respectively, and there’s a clear winner.

Barbie earned $22.3m (£17.3m) in the US across 3,900 cinemas while Universal says Oppenheimer collected $10.5m (£8.2m); though, it was previewed in fewer theatres than Barbie (3,150).

Read more:

Barbie doubles Oppenheimer’s earnings in box office previews

Margot Robbie says she faked her own death because she hated her babysitter

Friday 21 July 2023 18:01 , Tom Murray

Margot Robbie has admitted that she once faked her own death to play a trick on a babysitter.

The Australian actor stars as Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated film about the popular Mattel doll line. One trailer for the film sees Barbie ask her other doll friends about death.

Appearing on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 show on Thursday (20 July), Robbie, 33, recalled how she had once pretended to be dead as part of an elaborate prank she played on her adult babysitter.

Read more:

Margot Robbie says she faked her own death because she hated her babysitter

‘Barbie’ star told Zoe Ball about the incident in a new interview

Oppenheimer star Matt Damon makes surprising revelation about kissing Scarlett Johansson

Friday 21 July 2023 17:35 , Tom Murray

During the promotional trail for Oppenheimer, Damon (who plays Lt Leslie Groves Jr in the movie) played a game for LadBible, where he and co-star Emily Blunt had to say whether they agreed or disagreed with a statement.

The topic of kissing co-stars came up when the actors were posed with the statement, “You should tell someone if they have bad breath.”

Damon then went on to tell the story about kissing Johansson while shooting the 2011 drama We Bought a Zoo, joking that it was “hell” having to kiss her.

“Can you image how horrible that was for me?” he said.

“We went to lunch and she and I both thought it was over. She ate an onion sandwich for lunch and she came in and Cameron Crowe had set the camera up and it was a tight shot of the kiss, and she goes, ‘Oh shit, I literally just had an onion sandwich!’”

Read more:

Matt Damon says kissing co-star Scarlett Johansson was ‘hell’

Friday 21 July 2023 17:30 , Inga Parkel

Margot Robbie’s stylist reveals six barely-seen outfits for Barbie press tour

Margot Robbie gave show-stopping performances on every hot pink carpet of the Barbie press tour, but a few of her planned Mattel-inspired outfits weren’t officially unveiled due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes cutting the world-wide event schedule short.

To give the missed looks the recognition they deserve, Robbie’s stylist Andrew Mukamal debuted six never seen photos in an 18 July Instagram post.

Read more:

Margot Robbie’s stylist reveals six barely-seen outfits for Barbie press tour

Robbie wore vintage Versace, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, and Valentino

Is Barbenheimer actually good?

Friday 21 July 2023 17:00 , Inga Parkel

Ahead of Barbie and Oppenheimer’s respective releases in cinemas on Friday (21 July), both films have received rapturous praise from critics.

But now that they have officially opened to a majority of general audiences, you may be wondering if the films are living up to the initial hype or if it has all just been one big marketing campaign.

And wouldn’t that be an absolute shame?

Luckily, we’ve been saved from living that reality. Barbie has debuted with an audience score of 90 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, while Oppenheimer currently sits at an astounding 94 per cent audience score.

“I just watched the Barbie movie and HOLY S***,” one fan tweeted. “That was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen like what the hell.”

“#Oppenheimer is arguably Nolan’s magnum-opus, a terrifying look at one of the most daunting aspects of our history. It’s suspenseful, anxiety-inducing and told in a way that’s absolutely breathtaking. Murphy is flawless and RDJ stuns along with a masterful score. I’m astounded!”

Margot Robbie ‘really flattered’ by internet’s obsession with her feet

Friday 21 July 2023 16:30 , Inga Parkel

Margot Robbie has said she is “really flattered” by the attention her feet have received in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated Barbie movie.

In the film, which was released in the UK on Friday (21 July), several closeup shots reveal Robbie’s perfectly arched feet. In one scene that went viral after the official trailer released in April, Robbie slips out of a pair of fluffy pink heels. However, instead of standing normally, Robbie’s Barbie stays on her tiptoes in a nod to how the toy doll appears.

While fans have praised Gerwig for the film’s attention to detail, it appears that others have become obsessed with Robbie’s feet.

Read more:

Margot Robbie ‘really flattered’ by internet’s obsession with her feet

The Australian actor has been praised for her perfectly arched feet in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated ‘Barbie’ movie

Barbie earns astounding $22.3m in Thursday previews

Friday 21 July 2023 16:00 , Inga Parkel

Barbie’s’ box office reign has officially begun. On Thursday (20 July), the movie quickly outshined all other summer blockbusters in previews, making $22.3m (£17.3m).

Oppenheimer earned $10.5m (£8m) in Thursday previews.

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Friday 21 July 2023 15:30 , Roisin O'Connor

Some have argued that the lighter tone of Barbie would make it a good pallette cleanser after the intensity of Oppenheimer, while others have claimed that the heavy content of Nolan’s film would overshadow the levity of Barbie, should you watch it in that order.

Many people, including actors and critics, have weighed in on the best order to watch “Barbenheimer”.

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Barbie review: A near-miraculous achievement from Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie

Friday 21 July 2023 15:00 , Roisin O'Connor

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie gets the five-star treatment from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey:

Barbie is a near-miraculous achievement – movie review

Oppenheimer review: Clever, imaginative and Christopher Nolan at his best

Friday 21 July 2023 14:30 , Roisin O'Connor

Oppenheimer is clever, imaginative and Christopher Nolan at his best – review

Barbie: The Album review – Billie Eilish leads a soundtrack that’s as erratic as the movie that inspired it

Friday 21 July 2023 14:00 , Roisin O'Connor

“Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, the inescapable Margot Robbie movie inspired by the Mattel doll, which arrives in cinemas this week, ties itself in knots as it goes along – parodying itself, critiquing itself, and eagerly attempting to justify its very existence just in case anyone asks. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a child’s toybox – there’s colour, joy and imagination, yet it’s a total mess. Its soundtrack – which features everyone from Sam Smith and Nicki Minaj to Ryan Gosling doing an impression of Freddie Mercury by way of one of the lesser *Nsyncs – appropriately follows suit.”

Read Adam White’s review:

The Barbie soundtrack is as erratic as the movie that inspired it – review

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing? Oppenheimer finally suggests otherwise

Friday 21 July 2023 13:30 , Roisin O'Connor

The 52-year-old filmmaker’s work has long prompted speculation over his political views, from the supposedly pro-conservative ‘Dark Knight’ to the anti-war messaging of ‘Tenet’. Does his nuclear biopic ‘Oppenheimer’ hold any answers, asks Louis Chilton

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing? Oppenheimer finally suggests otherwise

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Friday 21 July 2023 13:00 , Roisin O'Connor

With the two films out on the same day, many people have committed to seeing them one after the other, as part of a self-curated double bill.

The radically different tones of the two films has, however, provoked some debate regarding the optimal order in which to view the films.

My colleague Louis Chilton has sought out some expert commentary, from actors to critics:

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

ICYMI: Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy reacts to Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later sequel update

Friday 21 July 2023 12:30 , Peony Hirwani

Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy has reacted to the news that a new 28 Days Later sequel appears to be happening.

In June, the film’s director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland revealed plans to make a follow-up to their hit 2000 horror film 28 Days Later, in which Murphy played the lead role of Jim.

During a conversation with The Independent’s Jacob Stolworthy, the actor said news of the sequel was “great to hear”, and responded to a question of whether he’d like to be involved.

Full story below:

Cillian Murphy addresses Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later sequel update

The true story behind Christopher Nolan’s biopic about ‘the father of the atomic bomb’

Friday 21 July 2023 12:00 , Peony Hirwani

Ahead of Oppenheimer’s release, Tom Murray has investigate the life of the man at the centre of the film.

Robert J Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan’s movie, was an American scientist who played a crucial role in the invention of the atomic bomb.

Read more below.

The horrifying true story behind Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

Don’t be late to Oppenheimer 70mm IMAX screenings!

Friday 21 July 2023 11:30 , Peony Hirwani

There’s been a lot of talk about seeing Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX, which refers to viewing screen size. But it’s important to note that you should expect there to be no advertisements or prior trailers before the movie. Therefore, the movie will begin promptly at your listed showtime.

This is apparently due to the size of the film print: 70mm is much larger than the standard size.

Barbie’s impressive Rotten Tomatoes score revealed

Friday 21 July 2023 11:00 , Peony Hirwani

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has scored an impressive 89 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film which debuted on the review-aggregation website on Wednesday (19 July) stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken.

Read more:

Barbie’s impressive Rotten Tomatoes score revealed

Barbie filmmaker Greta Gerwig on art, commerce and embracing the mess

Friday 21 July 2023 10:30 , Peony Hirwani

Q&A: ‘Barbie’ filmmaker Greta Gerwig on art, commerce and embracing the mess

Barbie movie merchandise: From Barbie dolls to a Zara collaboration

Friday 21 July 2023 10:00 , Peony Hirwani

Outside of buying a ticket to watch the movie, there are plenty of ways for us real-life folk to be a part of the Barbie fun.

From branded shoes, t-shirts and, of course, the dolls themselves, here is a guide to the merchandise on-sale to join in the Barbie (and Ken) party.

Barbie movie merchandise: From Barbie dolls to a Zara collaboration

Comment: Oppenheimer finally puts speculation about Christopher Nolan’s politics to bed

Friday 21 July 2023 09:30 , Peony Hirwani

The 52-year-old filmmaker’s work has long prompted speculation over his political views, from the supposedly pro-conservative Dark Knight to the anti-war messaging of Tenet. Does his nuclear biopic Oppenheimer hold any answers, asks The Independent’s, Louis Chilton.

Oppenheimer finally puts speculation about Christopher Nolan’s politics to bed

Barbie: The Album review – Billie Eilish leads a soundtrack that’s as erratic as the movie that inspired it

Friday 21 July 2023 09:00 , Peony Hirwani

“Unusually, the bigger names here – including Dua Lipa and Sam Smith – are the most underwhelming,” writes The Independent’s Adam White.

The Barbie soundtrack is as erratic as the movie that inspired it – review

Ted Cruz keeps attacking the Barbie movie as ‘Chinese communist propaganda’ even though he hasn’t seen it

Friday 21 July 2023 08:30 , Peony Hirwani

Ted Cruz once again accused the upcoming Barbie movie of pushing “Chinese communist propaganda” – even though he hasn’t seen it.

For weeks, the Texas senator has zeroed in on a scene from a trailer showing a world map of a contested area in the South China Sea.

Read more:

Ted Cruz keeps attacking the Barbie movie as ‘Chinese communist propaganda’

Inside the Barbie-inspired dream houses in the UK

Friday 21 July 2023 08:00 , Peony Hirwani

Unicorns, disco balls and vanity mirrors: Inside the real-life Barbie dream houses

Google delights fans with sparkly special effect for Barbie movie: ‘This is so cute’

Friday 21 July 2023 07:30 , Peony Hirwani

The devil works hard, but the Barbie movie’s marketing team works harder. Now, search engine Google has got on board ahead of the live-action film’s hotly anticipated release on Friday 21 July.

This week, fans noticed that if they typed in the term “Barbie” into the search engine, they were treated to a visual feast of pink sparkles. The screen will also change into a pink hue and some of the text and icons on the search page will turn pink.

The same effect happens when users search for the terms “Margot Robbie” and “Ryan Gosling”, who both star in the film, and “Greta Gerwig”, the director of Barbie.

Read more:

Google delights fans with sparkly special effect for Barbie movie

Barbie: The Album review – Billie Eilish leads a soundtrack that’s as erratic as the movie that inspired it

Friday 21 July 2023 07:15 , Peony Hirwani

“Unusually, the bigger names here – including Dua Lipa and Sam Smith – are the most underwhelming,” writes The Independent’s Adam White.

The Barbie soundtrack is as erratic as the movie that inspired it – review

Oppenheimer yet to receive theatrical release date in Japan

Friday 21 July 2023 07:00 , Peony Hirwani

As the release date for Christopher Nolan’s new epic Oppenheimer approaches, rumours have begun circulating that the film is banned in Japan.

Read more:

Will Oppenheimer be released in Japanese movie theatres?

Oppenheimer review: Clever, imaginative and Christopher Nolan at his best

Friday 21 July 2023 06:30 , Peony Hirwani

“Cillian Murphy allows the light to dim from his eyes in every subsequent scene, but it is Robert Downey Jr who is titanic here,” writes The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey.

Oppenheimer is clever, imaginative and Christopher Nolan at his best – review