Barbenheimer: Box Office Bomb vs Bombshell

After a tepid summer at the box office an unlikely duo is set to annihilate competition -- and fears that movie theaters are irrelevant -- this weekend with a phenomenon dubbed by the internet as "Barbenheimer."

The release of Christopher Nolan's "emotionally devastating" three-hour epic Oppenheimer coincides with Greta Gerwig's escape-from-the-dollhouse romp Barbie.

The box office predictions going into the weekend are mind blowing, to say the least.

Barbie is set to dominate with many experts believing it will lure in between $90 million to $125 million on weekend one -- with only Avatar: The Way of Water's $134 million touting a stronger 2023 debut (it still remains to be seen exactly how the Mattel-inspired film will perform).

The merch-heavy offering has a few dazzling accessories likely to snare more viewers this weekend than the Nolan project: from a more manageable running time clocking in under 2 hours (Oppenheimer is 3 hours) and less depressing subject matter. Although the exact plot details have been kept under wraps, Barbie is still promising more than just a plastic soul and confetti themes as the trailers have hinted at larger existential questions.

Oppenheimer, meanwhile, is most certainly heavy prestige cinema. A historical drama exploring how one man's tortured brilliance gave humankind the ability to destroy itself.

Nolan's film is pulling in predictions for the first weekend box office ranging between $40 million and $60 million.

These forecasts are up against Barbie's reported budget of $145 million and Oppenheimer at $100 million.

Another surprising aspect of the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon is moviegoers committing to seeing a double feature this weekend. The undertaking is made even more odd considering that beyond their incompatible tones and storylines -- a juxtaposition celebrated by "Barbenheimer" acolytes -- it amounts to 5-plus hours of viewing time. However, in the era of binge-watching TV shows this seems rather tame in comparison to many a Gen-Zers weekend bed-rotting rituals.

The NATO/National Association of Theatre Owners have claimed more than 200K moviegoers have opted into the Barbie and Oppenheimer double feature in North America.

One pro tip from binge-watching experts: start with the bomb (Oppenheimer) and end with the bombshell (Barbie) to leave with some "Ken-ergy" and avoid a depressing finale to your movie theater marathon.

The box office predictions are all the more surprising considering both films will be opening just one weekend after SAG-AFTRA joined the WGA in the Hollywood Strike, effectively shuttering the entertainment industry. Performers are banned from all promotional appearances, including the casts of Oppenheimer and Barbie, until the unions come to an agreement with Hollywood studios.

It seems the hype surrounding "Barbenheimer" is all-powerful.

Barbie features: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Emma Mackey, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Issa Rae, John Cena and many more.

Oppenheimer's cast includes: Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Josh Hartnett, Dane Dehaan, Gary Oldman and a host of other actors.

The casts of "Barbenheimer" ceased all promotional activities last week when the actors strike was announced.

Both films open July 21.