Two of this year’s most highly anticipated films are here: Barbie and Oppenheimer both hit the big screen on Friday, July 21.
Collectively known as “Barbenheimer,” the two movies have sparked endless internet memes in the months leading up to their joint release date due to the stark contrast between them.
Directed by Greta Gerwig, fantasy-comedy Barbie stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken as the pair embark on an adventure of self-discovery in the “real world” after leaving Barbieland.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a physicist who played a pivotal role in the development of the first nuclear weapons during World War II. The biographical thriller stars Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, with Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. in other leading roles.
But which flick is set to top the box office this weekend?
According to Box Office Pro, Barbie is set to take home the crown.
The film is set to rake in $140 million to $175 million at the box office during its opening weekend, against Oppenheimer’s projected range of $52 million to $72 million.
This would break the record for the largest opening weekend for a female-directed film, beating out Captain Marvel ($153.4 million), Frozen II ($130.3 million) and Wonder Woman ($103.3 million), Box Office Pro noted.
The studio behind Barbie Warner Bros. has been more conservative in its projections, expecting a $75 million domestic opening weekend, below the consensus projection of $90 million to $125 million.
Oppenheimer’s debut range puts it on track with director Nolan’s career-best domestic openings, excluding the Dark Knight franchise, of Inception ($62.8 million) and Dunkirk ($50.5 million).
Combined the two films are set to deliver one of the biggest moviegoing weekends since Spider-Man: No Way Home’s release in December 2021 which saw the domestic box office rake in $283 million.
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