‘Barbie’ vs. ‘Oppenheimer’ promises the box office battle of the century

Counter-programming is a regular practice in Hollywood, with two movies that couldn’t be more different than each other both seeking to take a sizeable bite out of the box office at exactly the same time by appealing to completely different demographics. Following the confirmation of a release date at CinemaCon, we’re getting the unexpected battle of the century when Greta Gerwig’s Barbie goes head-to-head with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer on July 21 of next year.

On one hand, we have Margot Robbie headlining what’s sure to be an unconventional romantic fantasy comedy, with Ryan Gosling as Ken. On the other, we’ve got one of the most reliably popular and commercially successful filmmakers of the modern era diving back into the past once again to craft a guaranteed awards season contender.

However, one notable thing that Barbie and Oppenheimer have in common is they each boast an insanely stacked cast, and jokes are already being made about how there won’t be a single A-lister left available when the two projects embark on their respective press circuits.

It’s easy to see both of the hotly-anticipated titles doing big business, regardless of how far apart they fall on the cinematic spectrum. Nolan’s name is more than enough to entice audiences into the theater, and his ensemble features a mind-boggling mix of star power, Oscar winners, and rising stars.

Meanwhile, Barbie‘s roster is dripping with charisma and charm, while Gerwig’s involvement promises that we won’t be getting anything close to a straightforward whimsical comedy. Of course, folks can always see them both on the same day, so the real question is which one will take precedence on July 21, 2023.