It’s a Barbenheimer anniversary. Exactly a year ago, Christopher Nolan’s biography of J Robert Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig’s candy-coated satire Barbie were released in cinemas on the same day. They couldn’t have been more different, but both films scored huge hauls at the global box office. (Also read – Jonathan Nolan interview on Fallout and comparisons to Oppenheimer: ‘Pranking my brother I created the Barbenheimer show’)
barbie beats nolan
Not only did Barbie outperform Oppenheimer at the global box office, but it also became the highest-grossing film in US history for Warner Bros., surpassing Nolan’s 2008 blockbuster superhero film The Dark Knight.
Biggest opening weekend
Barbenheimer’s films grossed a combined $310.8 million opening weekend in the US, becoming the fourth-highest opening weekend gross ever behind the Russo brothers’ Avengers: Endgame (2019), their Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
Highest-grossing film by a female director
Led by Ladybird and Little Women director Greta Gerwig, Barbie became the highest-grossing film by a female director, surpassing Jia Ling’s 2021 Chinese comedy Hi, Mom. The film grossed over $1 billion at the global box office, sparking a phenomenon known as the “Barbenbillion.”
Highest grossing biopic
Oppenheimer was not far behind, as its $976 million gross made it the highest-grossing biopic of all time, surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody (the Freddie Mercury biopic starring Rami Malek). Additionally, it became the second-highest R-rated film after Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Oscar Domination
If Barbie beat Oppenheimer at the global box office, it also returned the favour at the Academy Awards earlier this year. It received 13 nominations, and won Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan, Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., as well as Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Original Score. Additionally, the 3-hour film became the highest-grossing and longest-running Best Picture winner since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
Meanwhile, Barbie was also nominated in eight categories but only managed to win the Best Original Song award for Billie Eilish’s song What Was I Made For? Its male lead Ryan Gosling also received a nomination for his track I’m Just Ken.
