Barbie director Greta Gerwig explains movie’s ‘mic drop’ ending after record-setting box office debut – latest

Greta Gerwig has broken the domestic box office record for a female director, with Barbie debuting at $155m in North America and $337m globally.

The film surpassed the $103.3m domestic opening of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and the $153m weekend opening of 2019’s Captain Marvel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cinemas around the world were busier than ever over the weekend, thanks to the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer, with excitement for Gerwig and Christopher Nolan’s respective blockbusters going into overdrive.

The latter made $82.4m at the domestic box office, slightly higher than its projected $80.5m. It earned $98mm at the international box office, bringing its global takings to $180m.

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, has surpassed the Cillian Murphy-starring biopic’s box office takings.

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

Key points

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

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

• Mission: Impossible struggles at box office against record-breaking might of Barbenheimer

• Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘Taking that risk on behalf of us all – there’s nothing bigger than that’

• Oppenheimer’s women: the true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind the famed physicist

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘Taking that risk on behalf of us all – there’s nothing bigger than that’

04:00 , Inga Parkel

Read The Independent’s Jacob Stolworthy’s wide-ranging conversation with Oppenheimer’s director and lead actor

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘Taking that risk on behalf of us all – there’s nothing bigger than that’

The blockbuster director and ‘Peaky Blinders’ star talk to Jacob Stolworthy about bringing to life the man who masterminded the creation of the atomic bomb

Barbie release delay in Pakistan province faces severe criticism

03:30 , Inga Parkel

The release of Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated film Barbie has reportedly been delayed in a province in Pakistan and the move has come under harsh criticism from the country’s social media users.

According to local reports, the country’s Punjab province has halted the release of the film over “objectionable content”.

Read more:

Barbie release delay in Pakistan province faces severe criticism: ‘World is progressing, we’re regressing’

Several social media users enraged after hearing news of delay

Christopher Nolan reveals genius reason he was gifted Ugg boots by Emily Blunt

03:00 , Inga Parkel

“[Emily Blunt] gave me a pair of Uggs boots – Ugg slippers, actually – as a wrap gift,” Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan said on The View. “For people who have been on a set, people know how it works – we're there, losing the light, ‘Okay, we need the actors to come in,’ and sometimes they'll come straight from wardrobe, but they'll have these big coats on top and they'll be wearing these big Ugg boots, because the shoes of the character are uncomfortable. You know, 1940s shoes.”

However, Nolan explained that every time Blunt showed up wearing Uggs, it would “drive me crazy”.

“I’d immediately say to her, ‘Can you please just get rid of the boots, put the shoes on, and get ready to go?’” he recalled, before quipping: “And she got so sick of me saying that time after time, she thought I should join the cult of Ugg boots.”

Greta Gerwig explains Barbie’s ‘mic-drop’ ending

02:30 , Inga Parkel

Greta Gerwig has explained Barbie’s “mic drop” ending, revealing that its one-liner took inspiration from her personal experience as a teenage girl.

The director’s much-hyped movie, which has already broken box office records during its opening weekend, stars Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll. In the film Robbie’s Barbie ventures out of Barbieland into the real world to repair a rift between the two.

*Barbie spoilers below – you have been warned*

Read more:

Greta Gerwig explains Barbie’s ‘mic-drop’ ending: ‘I knew I wanted to end on a joke’

Director’s much-hyped movie is out in cinemas now

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

02:00 , Inga Parkel

“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.

Read more:

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

Cillian Murphy allows the light to dim from his eyes in every subsequent scene, but it is Robert Downey Jr who is titanic here

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

01:30 , Inga Parkel

With the two films out in the same week, 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.

Louis Chilton writes.

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Many people are attempting to take on the ‘Barbenheimer’ double bill, with both films out now

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

01:00 , Inga Parkel

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.

Read more:

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

Health experts have claimed Mattel-sponsored school programme ‘reinforces damaging gender stereotypes’

The story behind Greta Gerwig’s doomed How I Met Your Mother spin-off

Tuesday 25 July 2023 00:30 , Inga Parkel

Before Greta Gerwig rose to greater acclaim as a director, she acted in projects including Noah Baumbach’s comedy-drama Greenberg in 2010, and in the title role of his 2013 film Frances Ha, which she co-wrote.

Off the back of these critical hits, Gerwig was cast in a spinoff of the hit comedy series How I Met Your Mother, which intended to follow a woman named Sophie (Gerwig) as she recounts the story of how she met her son’s dad.

Sadly, the project was doomed to fail, with Gerwig’s pilot sadly never manifesting into a full series order.

Read more:

The story behind Greta Gerwig’s doomed How I Met Your Mother spin-off

Gerwig takes full responsibility for the project’s failure

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

Tuesday 25 July 2023 00:00 , Inga Parkel

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

During the chat, Nolan discussed his new film as well as his directing future while Murphy admitted: “I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

The blockbuster director and ‘Peaky Blinders’ star talk to Jacob Stolworthy about bringing to life the man who masterminded the creation of the atomic bomb

Woman goes viral with custom-made ‘Barbenheimer’ outfit for double-feature: ‘Flawless’

Monday 24 July 2023 23:30 , Inga Parkel

A woman has stunned movie-goers after she showed off her custom-made outfit for back-to-back screenings of Barbie and Oppenheimer.

This weekend, the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on 21 July made around $235.5m at the domestic box office. Ahead of opening weekend, many fans affectionately nicknamed the double-billing “Barbenheimer” and shared their plans to see one movie right after the other.

Such was the case for one fan, who went viral on Twitter after she shared her two-in-one look, fitting for both the pink-filled Greta Gerwig movie and the Christopher Nolan biopic. The Twitter user – who goes by Danielle – posted a video of herself standing in front of an Oppenheimer movie poster, dressed in a black sleeveless jumpsuit with a black studded belt.

Read more:

Woman goes viral with custom-made ‘Barbenheimer’ outfit for double-feature: ‘Flawless’

The ‘Barbenheimer’ craze had fans seeing both ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ during opening weekend

Margot Robbie’s friends outraged she didn’t kiss Ryan Gosling in Barbie: ‘What’s wrong with you?’

Monday 24 July 2023 23:00 , Inga Parkel

Margot Robbie has admitted that her friends were very disappointed by her lack of kissing with Ryan Gosling in the Barbie movie.

The pair play Barbie and Ken in Greta Gerwig’s comedy smash, which in its first weekend has broken the domestic box office record for a female director.

While the two dolls are boyfriend and girlfriend in the film, they never kiss, due to the innocent nature of their relationship. In the trailer, Ken asks Barbie if he can stay over at her place. When she asks him: “To do what?”, he replies: “I’m actually not sure.”

Read more:

Margot Robbie’s friends outraged she didn’t kiss Ryan Gosling in Barbie: ‘What’s wrong with you?’

Acting pair play Barbie and Ken in Greta Gerwig’s new comedy

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing?

Monday 24 July 2023 22:30 , Inga Parkel

“Nobody knows what you believe. Do you?” So asks scientist Edward Teller (Benny Safdie), in a scene from Christopher Nolan’s nuclear epic Oppenheimer. The question is posed to J Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the so-called “father of the atomic bomb”, whose disavowed communist past clung to his reputation like stepped-on gum. But the question might just as well have been addressed to Nolan himself.

Read more:

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

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

Monday 24 July 2023 22:00 , Inga Parkel

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

Unusually, the bigger names here – including Dua Lipa and Sam Smith – are the most underwhelming

Oppenheimer received major box office boost because Barbie tickets sold out

Monday 24 July 2023 21:30 , Inga Parkel

Any fears that the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer would hurt the films’ returns have now surely been put to bed as both movies smash box office records.

In the build-up to the 21 July release date, it was reported that Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was upset that Warner Bros had scheduled Greta Gerwig’s Barbie for the same day.

However, according to film-data research company The Quorum, Nolan actually received a significant box office boost thanks to the commercial success of Gerwig’s picture.

Read more:

Oppenheimer received major box office boost because Barbie tickets sold out

‘Oppenheimer’ benefitted from ‘Barbie’s’ ‘leftovers’, data research company says

Two A-listers who missed their Barbie feature

Monday 24 July 2023 21:00 , Inga Parkel

Greta Gerwig has named the two celebrity cameos she tried and failed to achieve for her star-studded Barbie film.

The director’s much-hyped film stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the main doll and her partner Ken.

Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, and Hari Nef are among the actors playing other Barbies, while Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa and Kingsley Ben-Adir are among the other Kens.

However, in a new interview, Gerwig revealed that two of her previous collaborators slipped through the net.

Read more:

‘Annoying’: Barbie director Greta Gerwig names two A-list cameos she failed to secure for film

Director tried to get two former collaborators into film – to no avail

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for ‘behemoth’ Oppenheimer role

Monday 24 July 2023 20:30 , Inga Parkel

Robert Downey Jr has showered praise on his Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy for his level of commitment to his portrayal of the film’s lead character.

Murphy plays the real-life physicist J Robert Oppenheimer in the new Christopher Nolan-directed epic, about the man who is credited with creating the atomic bomb.

The movie has received critical acclaim and emerged as a box office hit, with particular praise reserved for Murphy’s performance.

In a recent interview, Downey Jr took the opportunity to commend Murphy for his hard work and dedication to perfecting the role.

Read more:

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for ‘behemoth’ Oppenheimer role

Downey Jr said the Irish actor had the ‘humility’ that was needed ‘to survive’ playing the lead role in Christopher Nolan’s biopic

Oppenheimer viewer spots blunder in background of new Christopher Nolan movie

Monday 24 July 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

An eagle-eyed viewer has spotted an apparent blunder in the background of Christopher Nolan’s new film Oppenheimer.

The film is told across three timelines, with scenes of Oppenheimer’s early life and work on the A-bomb being intermixed with scenes set during his 1954 security hearing, and the US Senate confirmation hearing of Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr) in 1959.

While Oppenheimer has been praised for its meticulous recreation of its mid-20th century setting, one fan seemingly spotted an error in a scene set in 1945.

Read more:

Oppenheimer viewer spots blunder in background of new Christopher Nolan movie

Film stars Cillian Murphy as nuclear physicist J Robert Oppenheimer

Barbie on track to earn biggest ever box office opening for non-superhero film

Monday 24 July 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

The Barbie and Oppenheimer excitement has resulted in one of the most lucrative box office openings of all time.

Both films opened on Friday (21 July), with their opening weekend box office tally across the world looking set to top the $400m (£311m) mark, which is a rare occurrence reserved for cinematic events.

Read more:

Barbie on track to earn biggest ever box office opening for non-superhero film

Both ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ have exceeded projections in a huge way

Oppenheimer viewers react as ‘CGI dress’ covers nude Florence Pugh in some countries

Monday 24 July 2023 19:00 , Inga Parkel

Oppenheimer viewers in certain territories are learning that Florence Pugh actually appears nude in a sex scene with lead actor Cillian Murphy.

Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock in the Christopher Nolan epic, which was released in cinemas on 21 July, with Irish actor Murphy playing the eponymous “father of the atomic bomb”.

Tatlock and Oppenheimer were in a relationship and later had an affair while the physicist was married to Katherine “Kitty” Puening (portrayed by Emily Blunt in the movie).

For Western audiences, Pugh, 27, appears nude in multiple sex scenes with Murphy, 47. However, in countries including India and Indonesia, she is reportedly seen wearing a black dress that appears to have been added using CGI.

Read more:

Oppenheimer viewers react as ‘CGI dress’ covers nude Florence Pugh in some countries

Pugh plays Oppenheimer’s mistress Jean Tatlock in the Christopher Nolan blockbuster

Greta Gerwig explains Barbie’s ‘mic-drop’ ending

Monday 24 July 2023 18:30 , Inga Parkel

Greta Gerwig has explained Barbie’s “mic drop” ending, revealing that its one-liner took inspiration from her personal experience as a teenage girl.

*Barbie spoilers below – you have been warned*

Read more:

Greta Gerwig explains Barbie’s ‘mic-drop’ ending: ‘I knew I wanted to end on a joke’

Director’s much-hyped movie is out in cinemas now

Monday 24 July 2023 18:00 , Inga Parkel

WATCH: Cillian Murphy reveals to The Independent’s own Jacob Stolworthy which Christopher Nolan film he’d double bill with Oppenheimer.

Monday 24 July 2023 17:30 , Inga Parkel

Barbie’s marketing campaign will surely be studied for years. In a new interview with Variety, Warner Bros president of global marketing Josh Goldstine spoke about how they managed to pull off one of the most successful marketing campaigns in recent years.

Goldstine credited the leaked footage of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling rollerblading along Venice Beach last year as one of the moments they first saw the “material electrify the culture”.

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

Monday 24 July 2023 17:00 , Inga Parkel

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.

In a group interview with People ahead of the film’s cinematic debut on Friday (21 July), the two were joined by Blunt, 40, who plays Oppenheimer’s trouble wife, Kitty Oppenheimer.

Speaking about what it was like acting alongside Murphy, the A Quiet Place star teased that she was often distracted by his eyes while filming.

Read more:

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

‘Sometimes you find yourself just swimming in his eyes,’ Matt Damon said of Irish actor

Pavement react to surprise reference during Ken’s ‘mansplaining’ scene in Barbie

Monday 24 July 2023 16:30 , Inga Parkel

The Barbie soundtrack is jam-packed with tracks from artists such as Lizzo, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, and Dua Lipa – but there is one band reference that has surprised a number of fans.

Barbie has managed to live up to the hype that its worldwide marketing campaign drummed up, winning over audiences with its bubblegum pink aesthetic and clever script.

One element of the film that viewers did not expect, however, was a reference to Pavement. The California indie rock band is best known for hit tracks such as 1991’s “Debris Slide” and 2002’s “Here”.

Read more:

Pavement react to surprise reference during Ken’s ‘mansplaining’ scene in Barbie

Fans of the band were delighted at the seemingly random reference from one of the Kens

Oppenheimer’s women: the true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind the famed physicist

Monday 24 July 2023 16:00 , Inga Parkel

Oppenheimer’s women: the true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind the famed physicist

In Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s new film about the inventor of the atomic bomb, Florence Pugh is the messy mistress Jean Tatlock, Emily Blunt the alcoholic wife. Annabel Nugent talks to historians and discovers the women’s true story to be worthy of a three-hour film of its own:

Incredible behind-the-scenes look at Barbie’s transportation sequences

Monday 24 July 2023 15:30 , Inga Parkel

Greta Gerwig said Barbie’s transportation sequences, which show the characters’ transition between the Real World and Barbieland, were intended to “look like a diorama in the Natural History Museum”.

Without the use of CGI, Ryan Gosling said they were able to use “old silent movie film techniques”.

Oppenheimer sex scene sparks controversy among India’s Hindu right-wing groups

Monday 24 July 2023 15:00 , Peony Hirwani

A sex scene in Oppenheimer involving Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh has sparked controversy among Hindu right-wing groups in India.

During the scene, Pugh’s character Jean Tatlock stops during intercourse and picks up a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, one of Hinduism’s holiest scriptures, and asks Murphy, who plays the lead role of Dr J Robert Oppenheimer, to read from it.

The scene has caused outrage among the Hindu ring-wing groups, with a politician from India’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling the film a “disturbing attack on Hinduism”. He accused it of being “part of a larger conspiracy by anti-Hindu forces”.

Read more:

Oppenheimer sex scene sparks controversy among India’s Hindu right-wing groups

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for ‘behemoth’ Oppenheimer role

Monday 24 July 2023 14:30 , Peony Hirwani

Robert Downey Jr has showered praise on his Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy for his level of commitment to his portrayal of the film’s lead character.

Read more:

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for Oppenheimer role

Pavement react to surprise reference during Ken’s ‘mansplaining’ scene in Barbie

Monday 24 July 2023 14:00 , Peony Hirwani

The Barbie soundtrack is jam-packed with tracks from artists such as Lizzo, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, and Dua Lipa – but there is one band reference that has surprised a number of fans.

Read more:

Indie band react to surprise nod during Barbie ‘mansplaining’ scene

Barbie release delay in Pakistan province faces severe criticism: ‘World is progressing, we’re regressing’

Monday 24 July 2023 13:30 , Peony Hirwani

The release of Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated film Barbie has reportedly been delayed in a province in Pakistan and the move has come under harsh criticism from the country’s social media users.

According to local reports, the country’s Punjab province has halted the release of the film over “objectionable content”.

Read more:

Barbie release delay in Pakistan province faces severe online criticism

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

Monday 24 July 2023 13:00 , Peony Hirwani

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

During the chat, Nolan discussed his new film as well as his directing future while Murphy admitted: “I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

Oppenheimer sex scene sparks controversy among India’s Hindu right-wing groups

Monday 24 July 2023 12:45 , Peony Hirwani

A sex scene in Oppenheimer involving Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh has sparked controversy among Hindu right-wing groups in India.

During the scene, Pugh’s character Jean Tatlock stops during intercourse and picks up a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, one of Hinduism’s holiest scriptures, and asks Murphy, who plays the lead role of Dr J Robert Oppenheimer, to read from it.

The scene has caused outrage among the Hindu ring-wing groups, with a politician from India’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling the film a “disturbing attack on Hinduism”. He accused it of being “part of a larger conspiracy by anti-Hindu forces”.

Read more:

Oppenheimer sex scene sparks controversy among India’s Hindu right-wing groups

Mission: Impossible struggles at box office against record-breaking might of Barbenheimer

Monday 24 July 2023 12:30 , Peony Hirwani

Tom Cruise seems to be facing his very own Mission: Impossible as the latest movie in the action franchise, Dead Reckoning, continues to struggle at the box office against the dual releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer.

In its second weekend, Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One fell by 64 per cent to $19.5m (£15m) when going up against Barbie and Oppenheimer.

Read more:

Mission: Impossible struggles at box office against record-breaking Barbenheimer

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for ‘behemoth’ Oppenheimer role

Monday 24 July 2023 12:15 , Peony Hirwani

Robert Downey Jr has showered praise on his Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy for his level of commitment to his portrayal of the film’s lead character.

Read more:

Robert Downey Jr praises Cillian Murphy’s ‘great sacrifice’ for Oppenheimer role

The story behind Greta Gerwig’s doomed How I Met Your Mother spin-off

Monday 24 July 2023 12:00 , Peony Hirwani

Before Greta Gerwig rose to greater acclaim as a director, she acted in projects including Noah Baumbach’s comedy-drama Greenberg in 2010, and in the title role of his 2013 film Frances Ha, which she co-wrote.

Off the back of these critical hits, Gerwig was cast in a spinoff of the hit comedy series How I Met Your Mother, which intended to follow a woman named Sophie (Gerwig) as she recounts the story of how she met her son’s dad.

Sadly, the project was doomed to fail, with Gerwig’s pilot sadly never manifesting into a full series order.

Read more:

The story behind Greta Gerwig’s doomed How I Met Your Mother spin-off

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

Monday 24 July 2023 11:30 , Peony Hirwani

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.

Read more:

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

Too gay, too weird, too pregnant: The most controversial Barbie dolls in history

Monday 24 July 2023 11:00 , Peony Hirwani

Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie features cameos from a host of surreal dolls quietly discontinued by Mattel – among them a pregnant plastic woman and Rob Brydon’s ‘Sugar Daddy Ken’. Believe it or not, all of them are ripped from reality, writes Ellie Muir.

Too gay, too weird, too pregnant: The most controversial Barbie dolls in history

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

Monday 24 July 2023 10:30 , Peony Hirwani

“While it’s impossible for any studio film to be truly subversive, this Mattel-approved comedy gets away with far more than you’d think was possible,” writes The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey.

Barbie is a near-miraculous achievement – movie review

The true story of the complex female figures behind J R Oppenheimer

Monday 24 July 2023 10:00 , Peony Hirwani

In Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s new film about the inventor of the atomic bomb, Florence Pugh is the messy mistress Jean Tatlock, Emily Blunt the alcoholic wife. The Independent’s Annabel Nugent talks to historians and discovers the women’s true story to be worthy of a three-hour film of its own.

The true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind Oppenheimer

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Monday 24 July 2023 09:30 , Peony Hirwani

With the two films out in the same week, 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.

Louis Chilton writes.

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

Mission: Impossible struggles at box office against record-breaking might of Barbenheimer

Monday 24 July 2023 09:15 , Peony Hirwani

Tom Cruise seems to be facing his very own Mission: Impossible as the latest movie in the action franchise, Dead Reckoning, continues to struggle at the box office against the dual releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer.

In its second weekend, Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One fell by 64 per cent to $19.5m (£15m) when going up against Barbie and Oppenheimer.

Read more:

Mission: Impossible struggles at box office against record-breaking Barbenheimer

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

Monday 24 July 2023 09:00 , 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

Greta Gerwig makes domestic box office history with biggest opening for a female director

Monday 24 July 2023 08:31 , Peony Hirwani

Barbie director Greta Gerwig has made box office history by breaking the opening weekend record for a female director, solo or otherwise.

Gerwig’s movie opened to an estimated $155m at the North American box office and a whopping $337m at the global box office over the 21-23 July weekend.

The film easily surpassed the $103.3m domestic opening of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and $153m opening of 2019 Captain Marvel.

‘Barbie’ release delay in Pakistan province faces severe criticism

Monday 24 July 2023 08:30 , Peony Hirwani

The release of Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated film Barbie has reportedly been delayed in a province in Pakistan and the move has come under harsh criticism from the country’s social media users.

Read more:

‘Barbie’ release delay in Pakistan province faces severe online criticism

Margot Robbie cast Rob Brydon ‘as a priority’ in Barbie

Monday 24 July 2023 08:00 , Peony Hirwani

One particular Barbie cameo that is particularly surprising for cinemagoers in the UK is Rob Brydon – and it turns out Margot Robbie was instrumental in ensuring the Welsh actor appeared in the film.

Read more:

Margot Robbie cast Rob Brydon ‘as a priority’ in Barbie

Watch: Cinemagoers flock to see ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’

Monday 24 July 2023 07:00 , Peony Hirwani

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

Monday 24 July 2023 06:30 , Peony Hirwani

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

During the chat, Nolan discussed his new film as well as his directing future while Murphy admitted: “I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

Rishi Sunak has seen ‘Barbie’

Monday 24 July 2023 06:00 , Peony Hirwani

Getting in on Barbenheimer this weekend was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who wrote: “The family vote was only ever going one way… Barbie first it is #Barbenheimer.”

Although it seems if he was planning on double billing with Oppenheimer, which has a 15 age certificate, he would have had to send his nine and 11year-old daughters home first.

Barbie release delayed in Pakistan over ‘objectionable content’

Monday 24 July 2023 05:30 , Peony Hirwani

The release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was delayed in Pakistan’s Punjab province over “objectionable content”.

Officials said the film would be reviewed and need clearance from the provincial boards that censor scenes violating the country’s social, cultural, and religious values.

“There will be a full review of the film, and it will be censored where deemed necessary,” Farrukh Mahmood, secretary of the Punjab Film Censor Board, told AFP.

The board did not clarify which content was “objectionable,” or why.

Barbie and Oppenheimer beat global box office records

Monday 24 July 2023 05:00 , Peony Hirwani

Warner Bros’ Barbie and Universal’s Oppenheimer have delivered massive global debuts of $337m and $174.2m, respectively.

At the international box office, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, collected $182m from 69 markets.

On the other hand, Christopher Nolan’s Cillian Murphy-led Oppenheimer in 78 markets earned a whopping $93.7m overseas.

Speaking of the result, Andrew Cripps, Warner Bros president of international theatrical distribution, told Deadline: “The incredible worldwide results we’ve seen are a testament to the filmmakers’ singular vision to provide a fun and engaging experience that audiences of all ages are responding to in a fun and powerful way.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of distribution for Universal Pictures International, added: “We couldn’t be happier for Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, the phenomenal cast and crew, and our partners at Imax and exhibition around the world.”

‘Barbenheimer’ leads box office with $235m opening in North America

Monday 24 July 2023 04:33 , Peony Hirwani

The films Barbie and Oppenheimer attracted cinemagoers in record numbers for their opening weekend in North America, earning a combined sum of $235.5m.

Warner Bros’ Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, generated $155m in ticket sales while Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer bagged $80.5m.

Quentin Tarantino has Barbenheimed

Sunday 23 July 2023 23:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, a noted champion of cinema, has found himself caught up in Barbenheimer.

According to one Twitter user, the Pulp Fiction director saw Oppenheimer first in Los Angeles before heading over the road to see Barbie.

In a meta twist, the cinema he’s seen getting a ticket from here (the Bruin) is the one Sharon Tate – played by Barbie star Margot Robbie – goes to in his latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The women of ‘Oppenheimer’

Sunday 23 July 2023 22:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Oppenheimer might be about the inventor of the atomic bomb, but the film features two characters who are worthy of their own three-hour film: Florence Pugh’s Jean Tatlock and Emily Blunt, who playes Oppehenimer’s wife Kitty.

Annabel Nugent spoke to historians to find out more about their lives.

The true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind Oppenheimer

Why Rob Brydon is in ‘Barbie'

Sunday 23 July 2023 21:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Rob Brydon himself announced before the release of Barbie that he had a role in the film – and sure enough, he does!

It turns out that Margot Robbie cast him “as a priority” for a rather touching reason.

Read more here.

The sweet reason Margot Robbie cast Rob Brydon in Barbie

Box office update

Sunday 23 July 2023 20:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

The Barbie and Oppeheimer excitement has resulted in one of the most lucrative box office openings of all time.

Both films opened on Friday (21 July), with their opening weekend box office tally across the world looking set to top the $400m (£311m) mark, which is a rare occurrence reserved for cinematic events.

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is storming ahead with the lion’s share of those takings.

The film is estimated to amass $300m (£233m) internationally, which will see it earn the most successful opening of an original non-superhero film ever.

Read more here.

Barbie set to earn biggest ever opening for non-superhero film

America Ferrera points out ‘revolutionary’ detail in Barbie Dreamhouse

Monday 24 July 2023 04:54 , Peony Hirwani

In a an 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

Will ‘Oppenheimer’ be released in Japan?

Monday 24 July 2023 04:52 , Peony Hirwani

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?

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

Sunday 23 July 2023 19:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

“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?

‘Oppenheimer’ technical faults hit cinemas

Sunday 23 July 2023 18:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Christopher Nolan has made it very clear his preferred way to watch Oppeheimer is in IMAX 70mm.

In fact, the film is the longest one to ever be projected in this format.

Due to the fragile nature of projecting in 70mm, though, many cinemagoers around the world have been experiencing faults – one of which may or may not have been a nod to Barbenheimer.

Rishi Sunak has seen ‘Barbie'

Sunday 23 July 2023 17:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Getting in on Barbenheimer this weekend was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who wrote: “The family vote was only ever going one way… Barbie first it is #Barbenheimer.”

Although it seems if he was planning on double billing with Oppenheimer, which has a 15 age certificate, he would have had to send his nine and 11year-old daughters home first.

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

Sunday 23 July 2023 16:14 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

During the chat, Nolan discussed his new film as well as his directing future while Murphy admitted: “I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

‘The verdict on ‘Barbie'

Sunday 23 July 2023 15:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

Barbie is a near-miraculous achievement – movie review

Sunday 23 July 2023 14:28 , Jacob Stolworthy

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing?

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

‘Barbie’ viewers are reacting to a ‘jump scare' cameo in the new film

Sunday 23 July 2023 13:17 , Jacob Stolworthy

Barbie stars many recognisable faces in smaller roles as different versions of Barbie and Ken, one of which is none other than Welsh comedy srtar Rob Brydon.

It turns out Margot Robbie was instrumental in ensuring he appeared in the film.

Read more here.

Barbie viewers react to ‘jump scare’ cameo in new film

‘Barbie’ is set to enter the history books

Sunday 23 July 2023 11:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

The Barbie and Oppeheimer excitement has resulted in one of the most lucrative box office openings of all time.

Both films opened on Friday (21 July), with their opening weekend box office tally across the world looking set to top the $400m (£311m) mark, which is a rare occurrence reserved for cinematic events.

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is storming ahead with the lion’s share of those takings.

The film is estimated to amass $300m (£233m) internationally, which will see it earn the most successful opening of an original non-superhero film ever.

Read more here.

Barbie set to earn biggest ever opening for non-superhero film

Sunday 23 July 2023 10:15 , Jacob Stolworthy

Oppenheimer might be about the inventor of the atomic bomb, but the film features two characters who are worthy of their own three-hour film: Florence Pugh’s Jean Tatlock and Emily Blunt, who playes Oppehenimer’s wife Kitty.

Annabel Nugent spoke to historians to find out more about their lives.

The true story of the brilliant, complicated female figures behind Oppenheimer

Quentin Tarantino is getting in on the action

Sunday 23 July 2023 09:10 , Jacob Stolworthy

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, a noted champion of cinema, has found himself caught up in Barbenheimer.

According to one Twitter user, the Pulp Fiction director saw Oppenheimer first in Los Angeles before heading over the road to see Barbie.

In a meta twist, the cinema he’s seen getting a ticket from here is the one Sharon Tate – played by Barbie star Margot Robbie – goes to in his latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

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

Saturday 22 July 2023 22:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

“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?

America Ferrera points out ‘revolutionary’ detail in Barbie Dreamhouse

Saturday 22 July 2023 21:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

Are Christopher Nolan’s films right-wing?

Saturday 22 July 2023 19:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

Barbie manufacturer accused of ‘stealth marketing’ in schools

Saturday 22 July 2023 18:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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.

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

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

Saturday 22 July 2023 17:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

During the chat, Nolan discussed his new film as well as his directing future while Murphy admitted: “I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them.

Read the full interview here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

Will ‘Oppenheimer’ be released in Japan?

Saturday 22 July 2023 16:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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 on 11 August there.

Read more here:

Will Oppenheimer be released in Japanese movie theatres?

‘Oppenheimer’ technical faults hit cinemas

Saturday 22 July 2023 15:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

Christopher Nolan has made it very clear his preferred way to watch Oppeheimer is in IMAX 70mm.

In fact, the film is the longest one to ever be projected in this format.

Due to the fragile nature of projecting in 70mm, though, many cinemagoers around the world have been experiencing faults – one of which may or may not have been a nod to Barbenheimer.

Barbie’s fun cameo

Saturday 22 July 2023 15:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

In the run-up to Barbie, film fans were left confused after seeing Rob Brydon at the UK premiere.

The Gavin & Stacey comedy star then wrote on Twitter that he had small role in the film – and sure enough, he’s there!

Many are lovingly calling his sudden, and brief, appearance in the film as a “jump scare”.

Our verdict on ‘Barbie’

Saturday 22 July 2023 14:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

Barbie is a near-miraculous achievement – movie review

Saturday 22 July 2023 14:02 , Jacob Stolworthy

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 agreed. “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 quipped.

Read more here:

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

Cinemagoers flock to see ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’

Saturday 22 July 2023 13:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

On Friday (21 July), London’s famous Leicester Square was packed full of cinema fans first day of the Barbie and Oppenheimer screenings.

Both films have exceeded box office predictions are just one day of release.

Scores on the doors

Saturday 22 July 2023 12:55 , Jacob Stolworthy

Review aggregate site Raotten Tomatoes is a good gauge for how each film is being received.

Barbie is being received exactly the same by critics and audiences – it currently has a 90 per cent score for each.

Meanwhile, Oppeheimer is going down slightly better – it has a 93 poer cent critic score and has a 94 per cent audience score.

Cillian Murphy admits why he might struggle to watch ‘Oppenheimer’

Saturday 22 July 2023 12:00 , Jacob Stolworthy

The ‘Peaky Blinders’ actor sat down with The Independent ahead of ‘Oppenheimer’ where he reflected on what it’s like to watch himself on screen.

“I love watching Christopher Nolan’s films when I’m not in them,” he said. “You don’t have to freak out about the size of your ears or whatever. I don’t make films so I can look at myself. I really don’t.

“Having said that, I did want to watch this movie with an audience, as that’s how it’s designed.”

Read the full interview with Murphy and Nolan here.

Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on Oppenheimer: ‘There’s nothing bigger’

Voices: The real reason behind the Barbie movie backlash

Saturday 22 July 2023 11:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

“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

Saturday 22 July 2023 10:56 , Jacob Stolworthy

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

Barbenheimer fans warn others not to watch Barbie after Oppenheimer

Saturday 22 July 2023 10:30 , Jacob Stolworthy

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.

So if you’re planning on seeing both in one day, this is how you should do it:

What order should you watch Barbie and Oppenheimer in?

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

Saturday 22 July 2023 09:37 , Jacob Stolworthy

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.

Margot Robbie responds to internet’s obsession with her feet after Barbie trailer

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

Saturday 22 July 2023 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?

Saturday 22 July 2023 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

Saturday 22 July 2023 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?

Saturday 22 July 2023 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’

Saturday 22 July 2023 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

Saturday 22 July 2023 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

Saturday 22 July 2023 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

Saturday 22 July 2023 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?

Saturday 22 July 2023 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

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website