Barbenheimer

Barbenheimer is a cultural phenomenon which preceded and continues to surround the simultaneous theatrical release of two films, Warner Bros. Pictures's Barbie and Universal Pictures's Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023. The word is a portmanteau of the films' titles. The strong contrast between Barbie—a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie—and Oppenheimer—an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, scientific director of the Manhattan Project—prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes, merchandise and memorabilia. Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites", and Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year".