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Over a single weekend, 28-year-old Toronto resident Daniel Konikoff will expertise two life-changing occasions. On July 23, he’s getting married. Two days earlier than, he’s going to the flicks together with his bride-to-be and their complete marriage ceremony social gathering for a double function of Greta Gerwig’s very pink romp “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s extraordinarily darkish historic drama “Oppenheimer.”

“It stemmed from a joke, after which we began to truly create a plan,” Konikoff says. “So, the double invoice is somewhat wedding-adjacent social gathering.” As quickly because the second film lets out at 1 a.m. — “it’s mattress!” he provides. “After which we drive to the venue. There’s not plenty of sleep, however you gotta do what you gotta do.”

Konikoff and firm are among the many merry band of film lovers who’re leaning into the social media frenzy generally known as “Barbenheimer” by planning back-to-back screenings of the 2 seemingly completely different movies with twin launch dates. That’s proper: The numerous memes, fan artwork and attire has become a real-world phenomenon. Two weeks earlier than opening day on July 21, AMC Theatres reported that 20,000 folks have bought tickets to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on the identical day.

“This may occasionally solely be the start,” says AMC Theatres government Elizabeth Frank.

At a look, the viewers overlap isn’t clear. “Oppenheimer,” starring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt, is a somber character research in regards to the theoretical physicist who led the event of the atomic bomb. “Barbie,” that includes Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is a neon-hued fantasy comedy about Barbie-Land expats who go on a quest for self-discovery in the true world. Visually, “Oppenheimer” is moody and intense, whereas “Barbie” is a bodily manifestation of the colour pink. But the distinction is the very factor that’s galvanizing movie lovers.

“This might have been one thing dividing the lots, however as an alternative it’s bringing everybody collectively,” says Nicole Boisseau, a 21-year-old Richmond, Va. scholar. Her dad, Jay Boisseau, who additionally has tickets to each movies on opening weekend, says that jokes apart, the mismatched scheduling works out for viewers. “Since they’re so completely different, it’s not such as you’re going to spend six hours watching the identical factor,” he notes.

However his daughter believes the flicks have extra in frequent than meets the attention. “They’re each questioning the character of humanity.” (She’s critical. Throughout one hilarious scene within the “Barbie” trailer, Margot Robbie’s life-size doll turns to her buddies at a dance social gathering to ask: “Do you guys ever take into consideration dying?”)

One essential matter, nevertheless, is driving folks aside — and that’s the order through which to observe the double function. Is it higher to finish with “Barbie” and depart the marathon film day on a excessive? Will the inevitable existential disaster that follows a screening of “Oppenheimer” hit otherwise in broad daylight? In setting up the optimum viewing expertise, no element — from outfit decisions to snacks and beverage choices for gas in between showings (“Oppenheimer” runs at three hours; “Barbie” clocks in slightly below two) — is insignificant.

“We didn’t wish to see ‘Oppenheimer’ too early within the day as a result of we thought it could be jarring,” Kadija Osman, a 22-year-old Toronto resident, says. After the two p.m. screening of Nolan’s movie lets out, she and her buddy are decompressing with “mocktails and Weight loss plan Coke.” Then it’s again to the theater for a “Barbie”-sized palate cleanser. She provides, “We might get dessert after as a result of, visually, ‘Barbie’ is dessert.” 

Cinemas have been becoming a member of within the pleasure, providing pink beer and establishing “Barbie”-themed picture ops within the foyer. There’s much less enjoyable available with “Oppenheimer,” which can be finest accompanied with cigarettes and black espresso or a martini to deal with the grim subject material (that wholesome trifecta was mentioned to comprise J. Robert Oppenheimer’s eating regimen whereas he labored on the bomb at Los Alamos). However on the Texas-based Flix Brewhouse chain, there’s a cost-effective incentive to embracing “Barbenheimer.” Courageous patrons who watch each movies on opening weekend will obtain a free film ticket to redeem at a later date. 

“We’ve been planning for months,” says chief income officer Chris Randleman. “We now have sufficient screens to accommodate everybody.”

A field workplace showdown between heavyweights like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” isn’t unprecedented in the midst of summer season blockbuster season. However theories abound about why the battle of the bomb versus the bombshell has become the movie occasion of the yr.

Some cinephiles imagine it’s as a result of the 2 filmmakers encourage a selected sort of loyalty of their followers. Nolan, who has delivered industrial winners like “The Darkish Knight,” “Inception” and “Interstellar,” and Gerwig, the indie favourite behind “Girl Fowl” and “Little Ladies,” are the uncommon administrators who can draw audiences on their title alone.

“It comes all the way down to the filmmakers, who’re extensively revered. They complement one another in a bizarre means,” says Meredith Loftus, 30, of Los Angeles. She in contrast the scheduling to an uncommon double-header in 2008 of Nolan’s superhero epic “The Darkish Knight” and the kitschy musical “Mamma Mia!,” which opened on the identical day.

“I used to be in highschool then, so I didn’t have cash in my checking account to see them. I missed out on the phenomenon,” she says. “So when these tickets got here out, I assumed, ‘I’ve to reap the benefits of it.’ It’s a uncommon cinematic second.”

Others level to the humor within the stark juxtaposition of the tone, fashion and, properly, every little thing else in regards to the two movies. 

“It simply appears humorous as a result of they’re such completely different motion pictures,” Karol Nowak, a 25-year-old Queens native, says. He and his comrades are trekking to AMC’s Lincoln Sq. to catch “Oppenheimer” in 70mm Imax — the best way Nolan prefers all of his movies to be seen — earlier than touring to the chain’s Instances Sq. location for “Barbie,” with a pit cease at Dallas BBQ for its signature Texas-sized cocktails. A shot and chaser, if you’ll.

“This wouldn’t be the case if it had been ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Mission: Inconceivable,’” he says. “They’re benefiting from the strangeness. I’m undecided if that was deliberate by the studios.” 

(It wasn’t — properly, not fully. The irony right here is that Common is releasing “Oppenheimer,” marking the primary time in Nolan’s profession that he’s not working with Warner Bros., the studio that’s backing “Barbie.” The director severed decadeslong ties with Warner Bros. after the botched launch of 2020’s mind-bender “Tenet,” in addition to the studio’s ill-fated resolution to place its complete 2021 film slate concurrently on HBO Max. After Nolan took “Oppenheimer” throughout the road to Common, the crew at Warner Bros. simply so occurred to plant its most-hyped blockbuster on the identical weekend. The consequence? A daring take a look at of counterprogramming.)

“Barbenheimer” has even gone world. Noelia Nigro, 28, initially feared the flicks wouldn’t debut concurrently in Buenos Aires, the place she lives. (Hollywood movies don’t at all times have the identical worldwide and home launch dates.) She and her moviegoing squad let loose a cheer when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” did, certainly, land on schedule in Argentina. 

The rarity of the double function, Nigro says, is sufficient to offset the price of shopping for tickets and sufficient concession stand snacks to final by way of two motion pictures.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime expertise,” she says. “We couldn’t presumably select between them.”