The dual release phenomenon — a "perfect storm" for cinema, according to Martin Scorsese — of Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer felt like the kind of box office showdown we hadn't seen in years. Not even that time when TikTok teens were donning formal wear to see Minions 2 did we experience theatre-going as such a cultural moment, especially amid the ongoing pandemic. And it felt like all of those Barbenheimer double-features and pink outfits helped pave the way for the cinematic event of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour film, too.
If you're likewise fascinated, there are plans to keep capitalizing on this definitive 2023 occurrence: B-movie baron Charles Band, who has been making low-budget horror-comedies since the '70s, has a comedy spoof literally entitled Barbenheimer in the works.
"It's 100 percent true," he told The Hollywood Reporter of shamelessly cashing in on the phenomenon. "But it's also an opportunity to have fun with the bizarre coupling of these two movies and the combination of Barbie's vibe and the darkness of Oppenheimer. You mix that together and you have such an opportunity for dark humour."
The film — expected in 2024 — mashes up the plots of the source material, following scientist doll Dr. Bambi J. Barbenheimer who, alongside her boyfriend Twink Dollman, lives in Dolltopia. As you might expect, she eventually ventures into the real world and is horrified to see how human children treat their dolls. The solution? Building a giant nuclear bomb to eviscerate humanity.
"It's so silly," Band admitted. "But it seems like every other feature is dark and depressing, and it's like, God, we need a little humour going into 2024."
While cameras have yet to start rolling, Barbenheimer has a script, as well as some original music written by Brian Wecht, one half of Ninja Sex Party. It also has a tagline: "D-Cup, A-Bomb."
Maybe this one can finally get through to John Carpenter.
If you're likewise fascinated, there are plans to keep capitalizing on this definitive 2023 occurrence: B-movie baron Charles Band, who has been making low-budget horror-comedies since the '70s, has a comedy spoof literally entitled Barbenheimer in the works.
"It's 100 percent true," he told The Hollywood Reporter of shamelessly cashing in on the phenomenon. "But it's also an opportunity to have fun with the bizarre coupling of these two movies and the combination of Barbie's vibe and the darkness of Oppenheimer. You mix that together and you have such an opportunity for dark humour."
The film — expected in 2024 — mashes up the plots of the source material, following scientist doll Dr. Bambi J. Barbenheimer who, alongside her boyfriend Twink Dollman, lives in Dolltopia. As you might expect, she eventually ventures into the real world and is horrified to see how human children treat their dolls. The solution? Building a giant nuclear bomb to eviscerate humanity.
"It's so silly," Band admitted. "But it seems like every other feature is dark and depressing, and it's like, God, we need a little humour going into 2024."
While cameras have yet to start rolling, Barbenheimer has a script, as well as some original music written by Brian Wecht, one half of Ninja Sex Party. It also has a tagline: "D-Cup, A-Bomb."
Maybe this one can finally get through to John Carpenter.
