Two of the biggest summer movies are being released on the same day, July 21st, Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The release of the movies has gotten a lot of attention on the internet and in social media. Many people are buying tickets to watch both films on the same day, creating the double feature event called “Barbenheimer.” The word “Barbenheimer” is a portmanteau or blend word of, not only the letters of the words, but their meanings as well. There is even some disagreement about how the word should be spelled: “Barbieheimer” or “Barbenheimer” or even “Boppenheimer.” Studios often target films in different genres for release on the same weekend. Oppenheimer is a serious drama about the man who supervised the development of the atomic bomb. Barbie is a colorful film about a popular line of American toys played by real people.
