Warner Bros. strategically decided to schedule the release of “Barbie” on the same date (July 21) as Christopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated film “Oppenheimer.” But there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
For years, Warner Bros. and Nolan enjoyed a strong 20-year friendship that began with their collaboration on “Insomnia.” However, when the studio made the controversial decision to simultaneously release their 2021 film slate in theaters and on HBO Max, Nolan voiced his dissatisfaction by leaving Warner Bros. and joining Universal.
In December 2020, Nolan expressed his frustration, stating to The Hollywood Reporter, “Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.”
Insider reports that four sources familiar with the matter reveal Nolan’s discontentment with Warner Bros. scheduling “Barbie” for the same weekend as “Oppenheimer”. It’s worth noting that mid-July has traditionally been known as “Nolan’s weekend” in the industry.
According to insiders, even members of the “movie-theatre community” attempted to persuade Warner Bros. to change the release date of “Barbie,” but the studio firmly refused.
The decision to have a face-off between “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” is a rarity in the industry. Studios tend to avoid overlapping big blockbusters as it can potentially lead to a decrease in box office revenue for both films.
Warner Bros. seized this opportunity and launched an intensive marketing campaign for “Barbie.” As a result, Greta Gerwig’s IP-oriented film is projected to have an impressive opening weekend, with estimates as high as $90 million.
On the other hand, the R-rated “Oppenheimer,” a 3-hour black and white biopic, is predicted to have an opening weekend of around $50 million. While reviews for both films are still under embargo, initial reactions indicate that “Oppenheimer” might receive more critical acclaim.
