Barbenheimer

Barbenheimer was a cultural phenomenon which preceded and surrounded the simultaneous theatrical release of two studio tentpole films, Warner Bros. Pictures's Barbie and Universal Pictures's Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023. The stark contrast between Barbie—a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie—and Oppenheimer—an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific director of the Manhattan Project during World War II— prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes, merchandise and memorabilia. Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites", and Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year".