The 2023 summer season appears to be brewing with Hollywood’s blockbuster rivalry, as the film community awaits the two competitors. Pitted against each other Greta Gerwig’s comedy Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s drama epic Oppenheimer, witnesses an unexpected box office face-off. With both movies set to release on July 21, 2023, outlets offer early box office projections for the films.
Based on word-of-mouth and critical response, box office projections stand in favor of the mass market Warner Bros movie Barbie. And, while Christopher Nolan purposefully kept himself out of the mess, all this while, even he appears to admit his defeat amid projections of a clear win for Greta Gerwig’s movie.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Set To Win The Box Office War
It is a thrilling spectacle for the audience to witness two highly anticipated movies gear up to hit the big screen on the same day. Considering the rivalry between Warner Bros and Christopher Nolan, Barbie, and Oppenheimer‘s release date clash appears to be merely coincidental. However, as the epic box office showdown approaches, Warner Bros’ attempt to humiliate the acclaimed filmmaker starts winning favor.
Early opening weekend box office projections suggest Greta Gerwig‘s comedy Barbie as the clear winner with an opening projection of $45-$55M. Narrating the story of the titular doll Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, the PG-13-rated movie evidently outshines Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Stirring a social media buzz after opening itself to a wider audience, Barbie witnessed an unexpected surge in popularity with its pink trademark.
Although both the movies have garnered considerable attention, boasting stellar casts and respective production budgets, Barbie appears to offer a surprising twist by surpassing Oppenheimer. Despite Nolan’s reputation for delivering critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, the winds seem to have shifted in favor of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer Faces Competition
The collision between the two box office Titans is something that Hollywood hasn’t witnessed in quite some time. Given Warner Bros’ subtle act of defiance towards Christopher Nolan and Universal, the film industry witnessed an intentional rivalry between Barbie and Oppenheimer. And now, although early projections suggest a clear win for Barbie, only the ultimate box office performance will reveal if it was a strategic masterplan or a costly miscalculation.
Although the impending battle between two movies to become a potential blockbuster has gotten many excited, it is also the reason why studios meticulously avoid release date clashes. Amid the nail-biting situation, while Warner Bros publicly appears to be interested in mending fences with Nolan, they still pin their hopes on Barbie to outperform the epic drama, Oppenheimer. Well, the early box office projections that suggest Christopher Nolan‘s R-rated biographical drama to open with $30-35M, appear to be on Warner Bros’ side.
The indication of a surprising twist from Barbie to be commercially more successful compared to Oppenheimer eventually appears to have gotten the best in Nolan. Although the acclaimed director kept himself out of the entire drama, he appears to be silently admitting his defeat, while Barbie creates an uproar. However, in the end, regardless of the forthcoming battle’s outcome, the audiences stand with both movies as they wish to enjoy high-quality cinema.
Barbie and Oppenheimer are set to release in theatres on July 21st, 2023.
Source: Coming Soon
