The Internet Embraces ‘Barbenheimer’ With Memes, Mashups, and More

The internet is blowing up with Barbenheimer memes, mashups, and more as people gear up for the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer on the same day.

We’re drawing ever closer to the simultaneous release of Barbie and Oppenheimer on July 21, and the hype for the two highly anticipated films is at an all-time high. People are preparing themselves for cinematic whiplash as they plan to buy tickets to this summer’s most unlikely double feature.

After all, one movie is a plastic-fantastic feature with a star-studded cast of Barbies and Kens, choreographed dance routines, and lots and lots of pink (so much pink it caused an international paint shortage), and the other is “kind of a horror movie” about the invention of the atomic bomb.

It’s the dual movie experience no one knew they needed until now, but more and more people are getting on board with the idea. Even celebrities are endorsing the Barbenheimer experience. Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie recently gave the double bill their seal of approval.

And if it’s good enough for Cruise and McQuarrie, then it’s good enough for all of us. Or at least it seems that way, as social media has exploded with crossovers and commentary on the two movies in the lead-up to their big release date.

Whatever happens at the box office, it’s clear Barbenheimer has already captured the hearts and minds of the movie-going public.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.