Barbie And Oppenheimer Come Out On The Same Day, And The Internet Has Some Hilarious Thoughts About The Double Feature

On July 21, 2023, the moviegoing audience will have to choose a side when it comes to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer or Greta Gerwig’s Barbie? Since the two highly-anticipated 2023 movie releases are both coming out on the same day, the Internet is having an absolute blast with this truth by doing what it does best – memeing the heck out of the whole thing. 

There’s just something inherently hilarious this situation. Who'd have thought a live-action movie centered on the beloved Mattel doll from beloved Ladybird and Little Women director Greta Gerwig would one day go head-to-head with Chris Nolan’s epic about the father of the atomic bomb? The notion of those two audiences in the same multiplexes was perfectly captured by a Twitter user:

Though this has been talked about for a little while now, the memes are truly going viral on the heels of the first Barbie trailer hitting the Internet this week. The incredible teaser had Greta Gerwig channeling a famous 2001: Space Odyssey scene to communicate how when the famous dolls came around, they changed everything for little girls. The 85-second trailer also showed off Barbie’s stacked cast list including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Issa Rae among so many more big names. Oppenheimer's cast is also incredible, and the impressive rosters may be something fans rep as they run into each other on opening day. Another fan joked about how such encounters might go down:

Now, there are also a ton of movie lovers who are sharing their plans to knock out both flicks on the same day. As one Twitter user used a meme of Florence Pugh, they shared the order in which they plan on screening the two big summer releases. 

This is a tough one. I do think it makes sense to sit through Oppenheimer first before Barbie, so you start with a more darker subject before living it up in Barbieland. If you did the opposite, you might be so high on the hot pink that the deep messages about the life of the man who developed the first nuclear weapons might go right over your head. One thing that's for sure, and made clear by the tweet below, is that you'll have a different vibe with each movie:

Above all else, I love that this July 21 date is going to be such a massive one for good movies. Both Nolan and Gerwig are incredible filmmakers who are taking on super exciting projects and whether you decide to double feature it, go to the movies multiple times in one week or choose one, it’s a big win for the theatrical experience. 

Of course, there’s my favorite meme to come out of all this. One person questioned how Oppenheimer's recreation of the trinity test might affect those who are taking in Margot Robbie's comedy flick in nearby auditoriums on premiere day:

There’s clearly a lot to look forward to next year when it comes to movies, but many are most definitely underlining this weekend in particular in 2023. While you contemplate your plans, you can also check out the first Oppenheimer trailer, which came out months ago. It’s going to be a weekend to remember!