The 2023 Barbenheimer phenomenon was something that had to be experienced to be believed. When it was announced that Greta Gerwig’s hilarious feminist take on Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s cerebral biopic Oppenheimer would both be released on July 21st, some thought a double billing would be hysterical. The two films could not be more different, and memes about a double feature ended up taking over the internet. People ended up buying tickets to both films on opening weekend, leading to a massive big box office turnout dubbed as Barbenheimer. Recapturing this kind of magic seems unlikely, but there are two films on the 2024 movie schedule that share a release date that may just be able to do so: Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2.
Wicked Part 1 is highly anticipated and finally heading to the theaters on November 27th 2024. The film has been the subject of a number of delays due to COVID and the 2023 Hollywood strikes, but production finally wrapped in January and is expected to hold onto its 2024 release date. It was also just announced that Moana is officially getting a sequel film, with the movie arriving on November 27th too. This feels very much like a Barbenheimer 2.0 situation, and one person on X already decided on a name for the highly-anticipated double feature that is both ridiculous and hilarious:
watch out barbenheimer, here comes moaned
Unlike Barbenheimer, this double billing definitely appeals to the same demographic, and another X user was quick to identify what kind of demographic this was.
Theatre kid Barbenheimer just dropped
However, one person on X thought that the audience for both of these things was a bit more specific. While it may seem niche, it’s definitely easy to picture what the audience may be like on November 27th.
Barbenheimer for Disney adults with a BFA in musical theatre
Some seemed more excited about the Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2 double feature than Barbie and Oppenheimer, because they felt that the films appealed more to them, saying on X:
THIS is my Barbenheimer cos I’ll actually watch both of them
Many people on X seemed to feel the same way, as some are already planning to spend the entire day at the movies to experience both 2024 blockbusters on the big screen.
If anyone wants me on November 27th, I will not be contactable - I'll be in the cinema all day. This is my Barbenheimer!
There's been hope about another Barbenheimer coming along, as the viral phenomenon was great for the movie industry. Emily Blunt was thrilled that the internet meme promoted returning to the movie theaters, especially as turnout has dwindled over the years. Some have tried to predict other double features that could potentially be the next big thing, and there were several jokes about “Saw Patrol” when both Saw X and Paw Patrol shared a release date. We have yet to truly see a possible successor, but if the hype is to be believed, Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2 may have a shot.
It's worth noting that Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2 may not have the same meme-able quality as Barbenheimer because they are actually pretty similar. Both are musicals and have a lightheartedness that will likely appeal to many. However, this doesn’t mean these two films won’t be able to achieve “Barbenheimer-esque” success. The similarities actually make them more fitting accompaniments, and both films appeal to broad audiences. Based on these reactions, the excitement is already there so even if they both share an opening weekend, Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2 are still both being set up for success.
Musical theater fans can see Wicked Part 1 and Moana 2 when they release in theaters on November 27th. They are two of the most anticipated films of 2024, so make sure to see them as soon as you can, even on the same day if possible.
