- US analysts expect
Barbie to gross at least $100 million in the opening weekend in the United States alone, while Warner Bros’s estimate is more conservative at $75 million. Oppenheimer has already seen bookings of more than 90,000 tickets across four major chains, namely PVR, IMAX, INOX, and Cinepolis.- Meanwhile leading multiplex chain PVR Inox hopes to cash in on the craze and has recently launched food combos priced from ₹99.
Nolan's Oppenheimer and Gerwig's Barbie will clash this weekend at the box office and the hype around the weeknd is unprecedented on social media with
While Barbie is about the existentialist crisis of Mattel’s famous fashion doll, and her adventures in the world of humans, Oppenheimer is the dark and harrowing life of a man who made a bomb that would change the course of human history.
While the movie names have been melded to coin the term Barbenheimer, an organic effort by fans of both the franchisees, the question on every cinephile's mind is which one should one watch first? The other question on people’s minds is which movie will win when it comes to box office collections.
Early estimates say that Greta Gerwig’s movie is likely to beat Oppenheimer in the opening weekend fight. US analysts expect the Ryan Gosling,
Currently the record for the highest opening in the US by a female director is held by Patty Jenkins who helmed Wonder Woman which made $103 million.
Oppenheimer, on the other hand, is expected to open to $50 million this weekend in the US but it's global collections might outshine the Barbie dazzle.
Oppenheimer, available for advance booking since nearly two weeks, has received an impressive response from the audiences. The movie, starring Cillian Murphy on the protagonist's role, has already seen bookings of more than 90,000 tickets across four major chains, namely PVR, IMAX, INOX, and Cinepolis.
With such a strong pre-booking demand, the film is expected to achieve a significant first-day box office collection in India. Also, Barbie, which has opened bookings very recently, has sold 16,000 tickets in multiplex chains on the opening day itself.
A quick check for a Saturday evening show reveals that both Barbie and Oppenheimer shows are almost full at the PVR theatres in Mumbai with the latter's tickets priced above ₹2,000 for recliner seats and selective Imax screen shows.
Meanwhile leading multiplex chain PVR hopes to cash in on the craze and has recently launched food combos priced from ₹99, which can be availed on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) between 9 am and 6 pm. On weekends, customers can enjoy unlimited refills of popcorn and Pepsi, enhancing their movie experience, as per the company's announcement. The drop in prices is due to a GST reduction on food and beverage across cinema halls from 18% to 5% recently.
While Oppenheimer is not for kids as it tackles violence and bombs, Barbie also has a PG-13 rating which means some material may be inappropriate for the preteens.
Oppenheimer is R rated in the US, since it contains harsh language, and nudity. In India, the film has been granted an 'A' certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), indicating that it is suitable for viewers aged 18 years and above only.
Many moviegoers have purchased tickets for both the movies on the same day. While we have to wait to know which movie trumps the other when it comes to box office collections, one thing is for sure. The overall collections are going to be huge as Hollywood starts its redemption arc this weekend.