Today, two highly-anticipated blockbusters are being released: The Barbie Movie and Oppenheimer. Despite sharing the same release date, these films couldn’t be more different. The Barbie Movie stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and follows the beloved children’s doll as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery in the real world. On the other hand, Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist known as the “father of the atomic bomb”. The stark contrast in plots has divided fans, with many opting to see both films on the same day, playfully nicknamed “Barbenheimer”.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that two critically acclaimed yet dissimilar films have been released on the same day. Christopher Nolan himself experienced this in 2008 when promoting The Dark Knight. @notgwendalupe, a popular pop culture account on Twitter, recently shared a list of unlikely movie releases from the past 20 years that film buffs may not have realized happened on the same day. For example, on July 17, 1998, There’s Something About Mary and The Mask of Zorro battled it out at the box office. There’s Something About Mary, a rom-com starring Cameron Diaz, exceeded expectations and grossed over $369 million worldwide, despite its modest $23 million budget. In contrast, The Mask of Zorro, with a budget of $95 million, earned $250 million.
Another example is the release of 10 Things I Hate About You and The Matrix on March 31, 1999. 10 Things I Hate About You, a modernization of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, became a cult classic, launching the careers of Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles. The Matrix, an epic sci-fi action film starring Keanu Reeves, explored the concept of a simulated reality and became a massive success, grossing $460 million worldwide and spawning two sequels.
On December 13, 2002, The Hot Chick and Star Trek: Nemesis were released simultaneously. The Hot Chick, a comedy featuring Rob Schneider and Rachel McAdams, follows a mean girl who swaps bodies with a criminal. Though it made $54.6 million at the box office, it was overshadowed by Star Trek: Nemesis, the final movie in The Next Generation franchise, which struggled to make an impact despite its $60 million budget.
May 2, 2003, saw the release of The Lizzie McGuire Movie and X-Men 2. The Lizzie McGuire Movie, based on the popular Disney Channel series, took the show’s protagonist, played by Hilary Duff, on a trip to Rome, where she was mistaken for an Italian pop star. X-Men 2, featuring an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry, continued the X-Men franchise’s success, grossing $407.7 million worldwide.
A Cinderella Story and I, Robot both premiered on July 16, 2004. A Cinderella Story, a modern retelling of the fairytale, starring Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, made a respectable $70 million globally. However, it couldn’t compete with the sci-fi hit I, Robot, starring Will Smith as a detective investigating the death of a robotics pioneer, which garnered an impressive $353 million.
On March 17, 2006, She’s the Man and V for Vendetta were released. She’s the Man, a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, starred Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum. While it garnered attention, it was overshadowed by the success of V for Vendetta, starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, which grossed a remarkable $134.7 million.
The simultaneous release of these contrasting films on the same date has become a recurring phenomenon in the film industry, offering audiences a diverse range of choices. Whether you’re in the mood for heartwarming romance, mind-bending sci-fi, or anything in between, these dual releases have provided memorable cinematic experiences throughout the years.
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