Barbenheimer: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

The Barbenheimer phenomenon is an instance of [[Counterprogramming (film distribution)|counterprogramming]], a marketing strategy in which a tonally different film is released on the same day as a major film ~~(in this case, Warner Bros.' ''Barbie'' in contrast to Universal's ''Oppenheimer'')~~ to appeal to an underrepresented group.<ref name="GQ" /> Universal successfully deployed counterprogramming as early as 2002, when it opened the [[Comedy drama|dramedy]] ''[[About a Boy (film)|About a Boy]]'' opposite the [[Science fiction|science-fiction]] [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]] ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Fonseca |first1=Nicholas |title=Duel Action: 'Attack of the Clones' vs. 'About A Boy' and other box-office match ups... |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/04/19/duel-action-attack-clones-vs-about-boy-and-other-box-office-match-ups/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=July 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602080418/https://ew.com/article/2002/04/19/duel-action-attack-clones-vs-about-boy-and-other-box-office-match-ups/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The former enjoyed the strongest opening for a British film that year, finishing with over $130 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=About a Boy storms to top |date=April 30, 2002 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1959728.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=July 12, 2023 |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219024819/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1959728.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Men's magazine ''[[GQ]]'' observed the phenomenon occurring in the [[Christmas and holiday season|holiday season]], such as ''[[Avatar: The Way of Water]]'' and ''[[Puss in Boots: The Last Wish]]'' in 2022, and compared summer to an "all-or-nothing bloodsport". In 2022, counterprogramming occurred with the summer films ''[[Top Gun: Maverick]]'' and ''[[The Bob's Burgers Movie]]'', in which the latter is a smaller film than the former, allowing for such a dynamic.<ref name="GQ">{{Cite web |url=https://www.gq.com/story/barbie-oppenheimer-same-release-date-blockbuster-clashes |title=When Summer Blockbusters Collide: A Short History |date=June 5, 2023 |last=Phipps |first=Keith |work=[[GQ]] |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702213013/https://www.gq.com/story/barbie-oppenheimer-same-release-date-blockbuster-clashes |url-status=live }}</ref>