The very online showdown between and all started with a date: July 21.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not uncommon for studios to counterprogram films in different genres on a big weekend, but the stark differences between an intense, serious-minded picture about of the atomic bomb and a lighthearted, candy-colored anthropomorphizing of quickly became the stuff of viral fodder.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 even some disagreement over whether itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淏arbieheimerB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址淏arbenheimerB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址淏oppenheimerB次元官网网址� or yet another tortured portmanteau B次元官网网址� a phenomenon on which the AP Stylebook has yet to offer guidance, but for the purposes of this article will be B次元官网网址淏arbenheimer.B次元官网网址�

It didnB次元官网网址檛 hurt that both Nolan and Gerwig have very passionate and very online fandoms eager to join in. Never mind that many of those fans overlap B次元官网网址� the memes, allegiances, and T-shirts were just too fun.

Both movies often trend on social media when the other releases a new asset B次元官网网址� a trailer, a picture, an interview. On one level, itB次元官网网址檚 a marketing departmentB次元官网网址檚 dream. Awareness could not be higher, the conversation couldnB次元官网网址檛 be louder, and neither film even has official reviews out yet.

B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址橞arbenheimerB次元官网网址� is a marketing gift borne out of social media and I think itB次元官网网址檚 benefiting both films,B次元官网网址� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for analytics firm Comscore. B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e certainly aware of both movies in a more profound and compelling way than I think might have otherwise happened had they been released on different weekends.B次元官网网址�

AMC Theaters reported that 20,000 of its AMC Stubs members had purchased tickets for a double feature. If youB次元官网网址檙e counting, thatB次元官网网址檚 294 minutes of moviewatching. Even B次元官网网址� Barbie herself B次元官网网址� and the star of have started plotting the ideal B次元官网网址淏arbenheimerB次元官网网址� day.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a perfect double bill,B次元官网网址� said Robbie at her movieB次元官网网址檚 London premiere Wednesday. B次元官网网址淚 think actually start your day with B次元官网网址楤arbie,B次元官网网址� then go straight into B次元官网网址極ppenheimerB次元官网网址� and then a B次元官网网址楤arbieB次元官网网址� chaser.B次元官网网址�

Cruise B次元官网网址� whose opened a little over a week before the B次元官网网址淏arbenheimerB次元官网网址� showdown B次元官网网址� said at his premiere heB次元官网网址檇 plan to see both on their opening day, likely starting with B次元官网网址淥ppenheimer,B次元官网网址� which seems to be the internetB次元官网网址檚 preferred viewing order as well.

B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� actor thinks thereB次元官网网址檚 a reason for that.

B次元官网网址淚 think that thereB次元官网网址檚 a very specific order that if you see them in. If you see B次元官网网址極ppenheimerB次元官网网址� last then you might be a bit of a psychopath,B次元官网网址� she diagnosed at the London premiere.

The showdown has made armchair marketing experts out of everyone, quick to scrutinize every move by Warner Bros. and Universal B次元官网网址� as though itB次元官网网址檚 possible to compare two extraordinarily different campaigns.

One has infinite opportunities for photo opportunities, whimsical brand partnerships for seemingly everything from underwear to pool floats, large-scale fan events with autograph signings and pop stars like posting about the soundtrack. In other words, the B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� campaign can go nuclear.

B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� has the bomb, the alluring mystery but itB次元官网网址檚 not the kind of movie that lends itself to, say, a frozen yogurt collaboration.

Is the competition real, though, or just a meme? Some in Hollywood wondered if Warner Bros. plopped B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� on the weekend as a slight to Nolan, who had opened many films for the studio in that corridor including B次元官网网址淚nceptionB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淒unkirk.B次元官网网址�

He left Warner Bros. amid its controversial decision to send a yearB次元官网网址檚 worth of movies to streaming and made B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� with Universal instead. But a pointed box office war doesnB次元官网网址檛 exactly make sense for a studio that has talked recently about wanting to lure Nolan back.

There is an unspoken code of conduct: Never badmouth another studioB次元官网网址檚 film, publicly at least. This is partly decorum, especially when it comes to B次元官网网址渂ox office showdownsB次元官网网址� which all will say are a creation of the press and sideline spectators.

But itB次元官网网址檚 also rooted in some truth: The conventional thinking is that having eyes on one movie is good for other movies B次元官网网址� you see their posters and trailers and on some level everyone benefits.

And social media has allowed movie stars to get in on the game, too. Following reports that Cruise was irked the latest B次元官网网址淢ission: ImpossibleB次元官网网址� was going to lose its IMAX screens to B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� after only a week, Cruise posted photos of himself and standing in front of posters for B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淥ppenheimer,B次元官网网址� holding tickets for each.

B次元官网网址淭his summer is full of amazing movies to see in theaters. These are just a few that we canB次元官网网址檛 wait to see on the big screen,B次元官网网址� CruiseB次元官网网址檚 Instagram caption read.

The official accounts for B次元官网网址淚ndiana Jones,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� responded with supportive notes. Gerwig and Robbie even followed with a similar photo series a few days later, which the official B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� Instagram account reposted in its stories.

Charged with playing Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy told the AP at his movieB次元官网网址檚 London premiere that B次元官网网址渙f courseB次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檇 be seeing B次元官网网址淏arbie.B次元官网网址� The sporting cross-promotion between four studios B次元官网网址� Universal, Warner Bros., Disney and Paramount B次元官网网址� is something the film business has not quite seen before.

B次元官网网址淣ot only is Tom Cruise the biggest box office star in the world, but heB次元官网网址檚 also an incredible ambassador for the movie theater, for the movie theater experience and boosting other movies,B次元官网网址� Dergarabedian said. B次元官网网址淎nd that collegial atmosphere within the framework of what is seen as the very competitive box office derby is kind of a nice thing.B次元官网网址�

Still, everyone likes a No. 1 debut, and both B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� reportedly carry $100 million production price tags (not including the millions spent on marketing). As far as goes, B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� has it in the bag with forecasts showing that it could open above $90 million in North America. B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� meanwhile is tracking in the $40 million range. Then thereB次元官网网址檚 the wild card of second weekend, which could snag second place.

Still even with a second- or third-place start, B次元官网网址淥ppenheimerB次元官网网址� could be destined for a long, steady, profitable run into awards season. Adult audiences for R-rated movies are not often the ones who pack theaters the first weekend.

Back in 2008, in the midst of the recession, Warner Bros. and Universal faced off on the same July weekend with that went up against a lighthearted confection: and B次元官网网址淢amma Mia!B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� both of which went on to be enormously profitable (though Nolan did win the first weekend).

The bigger worry is that whatB次元官网网址檚 been heralded as has had more ups and downs than anyone might have hoped. ThatB次元官网网址檚 putting quite a bit of pressure on B次元官网网址淏arbenheimerB次元官网网址� to overperform and boost the which pales in comparison to the bigger issues facing the industry

But with just over a week to go, itB次元官网网址檚 still a source of amusement. Even B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� co-star threw the gauntlet in his winking way at the London premiere.

B次元官网网址淚 think the world maybe wants to see B次元官网网址楤arbieB次元官网网址� a little bit more right now,B次元官网网址� Ferrell said. B次元官网网址淛ust saying!B次元官网网址�

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