Credit: Warner Bros.Barbie (2023) producer and actor Margot Robbie recently revealed that Barbenheimer, the theatrical event of the summer, almost didn’t happen because of a Warner Bros. producer.
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Overall, 2023 has been a disappointing year at the box office, especially if you’re a fan of Disney or Marvel Studios. However, two movies worked together to create a cinematic event that had never been seen before: Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Directed and written by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is a biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man credited as the “father of the atomic bomb.” The film stars Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as Katherine Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, and Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss.
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A complete tonal opposite, Barbie was directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. The movie follows Barbie as she ventures into the real world with Ken to learn what is causing her to change. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, America Ferrera as Gloria, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Issa Rae as Presiden Barbie, Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel, and Rhea Perlman as Ruth Handler.
Both of these films combined to create Barbenheimer: a theatrical double feature that saved the 2023 box office from being one of the most disappointing of all time. And it almost didn’t happen.
‘Oppenheimer’ Producer Tried To Make Margot Robbie Push ‘Barbie’s Release Date
During Variety’s Actors on Actors (2014-present), Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy had a discussion about their movies and their unbelievably successful 2023. During this time, Margot Robbie, who also produced Barbie, revealed that one of the Oppenheimer producers asked her to change Barbie’s release date.
“One of your producers, Chuck Roven, called me because we worked together on some other projects,” said the Wolf of Wall Street (2013) star. “And he was like, ‘I think you guys should move your date.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving our date. If you’re scared to be up against us, then you move your date.‘ And he’s like, ‘We’re not moving our date. I just think it’d be better for you to move.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving!'”
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The Harley Quinn actress continued, “It’s a perfect double billing… Clearly, the world agreed. Thank God. The fact that people were going and being like, ‘Oh, watch Oppenheimer first, then Barbie. I was like, ‘See? People like everything.’ People are weird…I think they were also really excited by the filmmakers. People were itching for the next Chris Nolan film and itching for the next Greta Gerwig film.”
It’s hard to argue against her since both movies are two of the highest-grossing films of the year, with Oppenheimer almost raking in $1 billion and Barbie making $1.4 billion. Now, we only have to wait until awards season truly kicks off to see which film comes out on top there.
What is your favorite cinematic double feature? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!