Barbenheimer: Should I watch Barbie or Oppenheimer first, the term explained

Anticipation is high in film world with the biggest movies of the year - Barbie and Oppenheimer - released this week.

What is the meaning of Barbenheimer? Cr: Getty Images

Unless you live on the moon, you can't fail to have noticed that the release of 2023's biggest movies is imminent.

Cinema goers have been in a frenzy for a number of weeks now after it was confirmed Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie was due to be released on the exact same day as Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer and fans of film are fully geared up for the cinema event of the year.

While the two films couldn't be more different, the stars of each are very excited about each other's release day. Oppenheimer lead actor Cillian Murphy said: "I think it’s just great for the industry and for audiences that we have two amazing films by amazing filmmakers coming out on the same day. Yeah, you can spend the whole day in the cinema — what’s better than that?”. Director Christopher Nolan welcomed the dual release to.

With both films expecting to rake it mountains of cash at the worldwide Box Office, the term 'Barbenheimer' has become an online buzz word created by fans as July 21 edges closer. But what is it all about?

What is the meaning of Barbenheimer, what is Barbenheimer

As always, Barbenheimer began as an internet sensation when meme after meme allowed both films to enjoy free promotion as film fans outdid themselves competing to the make the funniest meme that combined both movies. With Barbie bright pink and seemingly a film that will make you want to eat candy floss for days - Oppenheimer is a serious biopic that looks into the man who helped create the atomic bomb. They couldn't be more different if they tried. If Barbie is the light, then Oppenheimer is the darkness (not Batman Christopher Nolan pun intended).

Long story short, Barbenheimer is quite simply a fan-created nickname for the dual release of the blockbusters which are released on the same day. There are literally no similarities between the two movies - except for their release date. However, I know what you're all thinking - why not Boppenheimer? I guess it depends which way around you watch the movies.

Should I watch Barbie or Oppenheimer first

Well - that is a matter of opinion. So we will give you the pros and cons and let you decide.

There is a big difference in the run time of both movies. Oppenheimer is a true epic that lasts three hours in total, while Barbie clocks in at one hour and 54 minutes. So if you go and see Nolan's film first, bare in mind you've already had three hours watching an intense movie about mankind’s impending doom that will leave you with endless question about the man J. Robert Oppenheimer. Will you really be in the mood for a sugary sweet cotton candy film movie that had Ryan Gosling in a denim vest and cowboy hat?

There are many who claim the term 'Barbenheimer' was coined because that is the order you should watch the movie - and we would 100% agree, as that is exactly what we are doing.