FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It’s being called “Barbenheimer”, the weekend doubleheader premier of the films 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'. The movies premiered across our area on the night of July 20, but the buzz is still going today with packed theaters.
“I'm so excited. We dressed up. I'm dressed up for Oppenheimer. She's dressed up for Barbie. We're really excited, thrilled. Booked these tickets like over a month ago. As soon as it was open, we booked it,” said Olivia Draughon.
Draughon and her friends were making it a full theater day, seeing Oppenheimer and then Barbie. Oppenheimer is the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the program that developed the atomic bomb in the 1940s.
“I love Christopher Nolan. It's been a couple of years since he's had like a big theatrical release. So that's super exciting. And then of course, Barbie, like I grew up playing with Barbie, and it was even more I was gonna see both of these movies anyways. But the fact that this on the same day is just so exciting, it gets to be a big day at the theater,” she said.
Malco says this weekend’s release of Barbie and Oppenheimer is one of the few times major blockbusters will open on the same weekend. They say ticket sales for both films have been strong, especially the Imax showing of Oppenheimer.
Tricia Main has always loved Barbie and took her daughter to see the movie on Friday, July 21.
“My first Barbie was a brunette and she talked. And then I remember Malibu Barbie, which came later on, and I've had the ballerina Barbie, the Olympic Barbie. And I just loved them. I used to play with them all the time, and I'd have all their clothes,” said Tricia Main.
Barbie tells the story of the doll and Ken, living in Barbie land. The first Barbie doll made its debut in 1959.
“Oh, it’s iconic. I’m surprised it’s still going strong, Barbie is,” said Main.
Becca Harris also brought her daughter Aubrey out to see Barbie Friday.
“I’m so excited. I grew up playing with Barbies. So I'm super excited to see a live action Barbie movie,” said Becca Harris.
Harris loves sharing her love for Barbie with her daughter and is happy a movie is finally coming out about the icon so many years later.
“Very exciting, I can't even remember the last time I actually came to the movies because everything's on Netflix or live stream, so I'm really happy to be in the theater actually watching the movie,” said Harris.
Both films are predicted to bring in more than $200 million combined at the box office this weekend. The last big movie weekend was in 2021 when Spider-Man No Way Home was released.
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