The anticipated box office showdown between Barbie and Oppenheimer might exceed initial expectations. Releasing on the same day, these two highly anticipated movies, with contrasting themes and scales, have been dubbed "Barbenheimer." Initially, it was projected that Margot Robbie's Barbie would open at double the revenue of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, with $80 million compared to $40 million.
However, recent box office projections suggest that the Barbie and Oppenheimer battle could be even more significant than anticipated. According to Deadline, Barbie is now expected to open with earnings ranging from $90 million to $125 million, while Oppenheimer is projected to open with $50 million domestically. Worldwide projections indicate Barbie bringing in $165 million, with Oppenheimer opening at an impressive $100 million globally.
Breaking Down The Barbie-Oppenheimer Box Office Projections
The combination of Barbie and Oppenheimer is expected to have a significant impact at the box office, with an estimated opening of $260 million worldwide. This falls towards the lower end of the initial projections, but the "Barbenheimer" craze, evident through memes, fan art, T-shirts, and more, has unquestionably heightened their box office potential. To illustrate, AMC has already sold over 40,000 tickets for double features of Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Looking at Barbie's projected opening specifically in the United States, estimates range widely from $90 million to $125 million. Warner Bros. is taking a more conservative stance with a projection of only $75 million, whereas independent experts believe that Barbie, with its iconic intellectual property, considerable marketing hype, and star-studded cast, will surpass these expectations and open closer to the range of $90 million to $125 million.
Oppenheimer is expected to have a considerably smaller opening, ranging between $40 million and $50 million. Despite being overshadowed by Barbie, Oppenheimer's projections are astonishing for an R-rated, three-hour drama targeted at adult audiences. With the arrival of the final projections, the highly anticipated box office showdown between Barbie and Oppenheimer is nearing its conclusion.