Recently, Hollywood has been celebrating their duo release of “Barbie,” Greta Gerwig’s comedy based on the widespread Mattel doll, and “Oppenheimer,” a biopic directed by Christopher Nolan about the mastermind behind the atomic bomb. The simultaneous release of these two highly anticipated films has captured the public consciousness, many of whom are eager to watch both movies back-to-back.
Analysts have predicted a record-breaking box office weekend: “Barbie” is expected to earn over $150 million and potentially surpass the opening gross of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Additionally, “Oppenheimer,” also in its first weekend, is predicted to make more than $50 million, a massive success for a dense, three-hour drama. This success would be a significant achievement for the struggling theatrical industry amid the pandemic and competition from streaming platforms.
But there’s always a catch: the film industry was in the middle of a double strike that brought the industry to a virtual standstill.
On Friday, the Hollywood actors’ strike reached the one-week mark after 160,000 members of the SAG-AFTRA union joined the Writers Guild of America, who have been on the picket line since May. Both labor actions are expected to last for months, delaying future production and jeopardizing the ones about to come out since actors have been told to not promote them while the strike is going on.
Some upcoming films have already modified their release plans due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. “Challengers,” a tennis romance starring Zendaya, resigned from its prestigious slot as the opening-night title at the Venice Film Festival that begins August 30th. The Emma Stone comedy “Poor Things” had been set for theatrical release in September but moved to April 2024, according to Deadline. A Helen Mirren drama, “White Bird,” and A24’s Julio Torres comedy “Promblemista” were supposed to launch in August and are now left with no official release date.
“Celebrations are tempered,” said Michael Moses, who oversaw the release of “Oppenheimer.” “But we still need a healthy business on the far side of this.”
Many people are concerned that “Barbenheimer’s” box-office sales won’t last long. There aren’t any other big-budget movies like “Barbie” scheduled for release until “Dune: Part Two” on November 3rd, but even that could be delayed due to the actors’ strike. If the strike continues, actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler couldn’t participate in the film’s global press tour.
The hype around “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” could rekindle a love for moviegoing, but there isn’t much left to capitalize on in that direction.
“Are we going to keep the momentum going from this weekend?” asked film producer Scott Sanders. “Or are we going to suddenly pull the emergency stop in the next month or two and go back to square one again?”
Analysts have predicted a record-breaking box office weekend: “Barbie” is expected to earn over $150 million and potentially surpass the opening gross of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Additionally, “Oppenheimer,” also in its first weekend, is predicted to make more than $50 million, a massive success for a dense, three-hour drama. This success would be a significant achievement for the struggling theatrical industry amid the pandemic and competition from streaming platforms.
But there’s always a catch: the film industry was in the middle of a double strike that brought the industry to a virtual standstill.
On Friday, the Hollywood actors’ strike reached the one-week mark after 160,000 members of the SAG-AFTRA union joined the Writers Guild of America, who have been on the picket line since May. Both labor actions are expected to last for months, delaying future production and jeopardizing the ones about to come out since actors have been told to not promote them while the strike is going on.
Some upcoming films have already modified their release plans due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. “Challengers,” a tennis romance starring Zendaya, resigned from its prestigious slot as the opening-night title at the Venice Film Festival that begins August 30th. The Emma Stone comedy “Poor Things” had been set for theatrical release in September but moved to April 2024, according to Deadline. A Helen Mirren drama, “White Bird,” and A24’s Julio Torres comedy “Promblemista” were supposed to launch in August and are now left with no official release date.
“Celebrations are tempered,” said Michael Moses, who oversaw the release of “Oppenheimer.” “But we still need a healthy business on the far side of this.”
Many people are concerned that “Barbenheimer’s” box-office sales won’t last long. There aren’t any other big-budget movies like “Barbie” scheduled for release until “Dune: Part Two” on November 3rd, but even that could be delayed due to the actors’ strike. If the strike continues, actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler couldn’t participate in the film’s global press tour.
The hype around “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” could rekindle a love for moviegoing, but there isn’t much left to capitalize on in that direction.
“Are we going to keep the momentum going from this weekend?” asked film producer Scott Sanders. “Or are we going to suddenly pull the emergency stop in the next month or two and go back to square one again?”