Barbenheimer! PEOPLE Staffers Recap Their 5-Hour 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Moviegoing Experiences

As "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" both dominated theaters this weekend, several PEOPLE staffers saw both back to back — and had a memorable time

Barbie or Oppenheimer — which did you see first?

The super-pink comedy and the explosive historical epic debuted in theaters this weekend, dominating the box office ... and five hours in the lives of several PEOPLE staffers.

In the weeks leading up to the July 21 release date, the internet coined the term "Barbenheimer" to label a viral trend challenging fans to see both the Greta Gerwig–directed Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.

Even the stars of the respective movies said they'd be in line to check out the competition. Cillian Murphy, who headlines as Oppenheimer's title character, told IGN he personally "can't wait" to see Barbie.

"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," he added. "You can spend the whole day in the cinema. What’s better than that?”

Here, some dedicated PEOPLE movie fans who saw both on opening weekend — some back-to-back, others with some rest time in between — document their honest takes on the movies. And how they made it through the five-hour double feature (Barbie runs nearly two hours, while Oppenheimer is a full three).

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Tommy McArdle, Editorial Assistant, Movies

"Barbenheimer" was the first time I’ve taken in a movie theater double feature in a long time. The energy around AMC Lincoln Square in New York City was electric all day; a line out the door of the building’s IMAX theater at 2:30 p.m. gave way to a sold-out Oppenheimer screening that amazed me just as much as it did the first time I saw Christopher Nolan’s latest at a press screening the week before.

Between movies, my friends and I shared our reactions over tacos and frozen drinks. I was continually surprised by the number of people who walked by and appeared to be on their way to the movie theater for either film.

The Barbie screening at 8 p.m. was also entirely sold out. Whatever applause Nicole Kidman’s AMC ad received at the earlier screening turned into outright cheers from the audience. Both films are a delight and deserve attention from anyone with an interest in movies.

Related: These Barbies Are Real! See the Cast of 'Barbie' and the Actual Dolls That Inspired Their Characters

Carly Breit, Senior Platforms Editor

For our Barbenheimer weekend in Brooklyn, my friends and I wore matching shirts emblazoned with Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy looking like they were about to save the world — and perhaps, more importantly, cinema?

We kicked off Saturday night with Barbie at Williamsburg Cinema. Groups of 10 to 20 friends (dressed in pink, of course) scattered in to take their seats just before showtime. For the next 114 minutes, howls of laughter — and a few unexpected but welcome sniffles — filled the theater. It was, in a word, sublime.

We were seated again post-coffee on Sunday morning for Oppenheimer, this time at Nitehawk because a movie (sorry, a film) clocking in at three hours simply requires food, which can be ordered from your seat and served throughout. I sipped the Oppenheimer-themed “Manhattan Project” while mostly thinking about which of Greta Gerwig’s Barbies I was going to be for Halloween. 

Benjamin VanHoose, Associate Editor, Movies

Everyone got the unspoken memo to wear pink. The theater, a Regal in New York City’s Astoria on a Friday night, had the liveliness of a party, an energy I hadn’t detected in a theater for years. And the movie itself was a joy too, clever, creative and funny. Halfway through, as I took another sip from the Icee my friend and I spiked with rum, I thought to myself, “What can’t Barbie do?”

After my giant smile wore off as the credits rolled, processing what I’d just seen, I didn’t think any movie could top it. But 12 hours later, seated for Oppenheimer, I was open to proving that scientific theory wrong.

This time we were at the other major theater chain (where Nicole Kidman goes for her heartbreak to feel good) and on the Upper East Side, a dose of caffeine in my system. I scrapped my figurative pink-colored lenses and put on my literal prescription glasses — time for Historian Barbie to absorb some cinema.

While I appreciated Oppenheimer, I felt Barbie gave me more bang for my buck, with an hour less screen time to boot. While there’s a near zero chance I’ll ever watch Oppy again, I’m still glad I saw it — and I’m sure the person I heard snoring behind me was glad to get a nap before Barbie time.

Jen Juneau, Staff Writer, News and Movies

I have been looking forward to both of these movies all year — maybe the most of any theater experience since before the COVID pandemic — and it did not disappoint.

First up for me was Oppenheimer, for two reasons: 1. My husband and I could take a day off and go see a three-hour movie on a Friday without worrying about getting a sitter since our toddler would be in daycare, and 2. I wanted to save the movie I was more organically excited for, Barbie, for last. (Sorry, Chris Nolan.)

My primary excitement over Oppenheimer was the cast, but mostly Cillian Murphy, whose career I have followed for the better part of the last 20 years but who has never really gotten that huge starring role in a feature film that his talent is deserving of. This was the moment for him and he took it, and I'm so happy more people are going to know his name and what he can do.

As for the movie itself, I don't remember the last time I felt this pulled into one — and I'm not a filmmaking geek by any means, but the sound alone had me emotional. I want to see it again in the theater, IMAX next time.

We went on Friday morning so the theater wasn't too busy, but by the time we left at 2 p.m. it was packed. So many people were milling about in bright pink that it almost made me want to do a double feature with my husband for Barbie, but I knew I had to wait until the next day to see it with my girlfriends.

And it was so worth it. First, I donned my Barbie best, blonde wig and all.

Eight of my closest pals and I went to a Barbie-themed tea at The Tea Room Experience, which is my favorite tea room in Orlando. And they went ALL OUT, with the Barbie box photo op, perfectly themed table settings, themed teas and desserts and more.

There was even a "Barbie" who asked all of us which kinds of Barbies we were (I answered, "Bunion Barbie but, on rare days like today that I venture downtown, Can't Parallel Park Barbie"). When I told her I loved her dress, she said, "Thanks, it's sold separately!" She was giving Margot Robbie a run for her money, I gotta say.

We were also greeted with pink mimosas right when we walked in, and all the guests were dressed in their Barbie best. Worth every penny.

The theater experience itself wasn't great, if I'm being honest. We went to a Cinemark, which was sold out of their Barbie merch before the movie was even released, and they weren't making the specialty drink (both the merch and drink were advertised on their Instagram), but the tea room made up for it and the movie went above and beyond my wildest expectations.

Anyone who has ever questioned their place in the world will get something out of Barbie, and the visuals alone make it a must-see in theaters. I also didn't expect to cry and I definitely did. All in all, an 11 out of 10 Barbenheimer experience!

Related: See the Cast of 'Oppenheimer' Compared to the Historical Figures They Play

Maggie Kreienberg, Editor

As soon as I stepped foot into my local Brooklyn movie theatre on Thursday evening, I was overwhelmed by the chatter of moviegoers, the intense aroma of buttered popcorn and, unsurprisingly, people in pink.

"It's packed. I loved it," I texted my friend who was meeting me for Oppenheimer that night. We eventually took our seats four rows up from the screen and buckled up for the three-hour film. Before I knew it, the credits were rolling and the crowd was clapping, everyone aware that we just witnessed a masterpiece. "I want to watch it again," my friend turned to me and said as I nodded in agreement.

The following evening I found myself back at the same cinema — this time with seven girlfriends all wearing their Barbie best. The lobby was noticeably less busy (it was only 5:45 p.m. — early bird special), but the same excited energy was still present.

Personally, I couldn't stop smiling from the moment Margot Robbie woke up in Barbie Land and I left reminiscing on my own childhood memories playing with the toy. The weekend also induced a bit of movie theater nostalgia in me and made me want to watch more films at the cinema again.

After all, nothing compares to watching a film on the big screen, popcorn and candy in hand, surrounded by strangers who all have the same goal: sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Corin Cesaric, Associate Editor, Crime

Truth be told, I was more into playing with Bratz dolls growing up. But now, after seeing Greta Gerwig's Barbie in theaters late Friday night, I'm happy to say I am a Barbie Girl through and through. Something about being in a sold-out theater filled with pink outfits, feather boas, cowgirl boots and polaroid cameras made it feel like for a brief moment I was in a Barbie Land too.

Suffice to say, I loved Barbie and Margot Robbie's, America Ferrera's and the entire cast's performances. I went into the movie completely unsure what the plot would be, and it exceeded my expectations. I saw it in downtown Brooklyn with my friend and fellow Gerwig-appreciator Jess at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (yes, they have a theater too!) and tried my hardest to dress on theme.

The next day, at 5:30 p.m. I made my way to Nitehawk Cinema to watch Oppenheimer on a 35 mm screen. I've loved Cillian Murphy since the beginning of Peaky Blinders, and similarly to Robbie, he knocked his performance out of the park.

History buff or not, the biopic was full of interesting plot lines, characters and performances. Plus, I love a subtle twist at the end of any movie.

Barbie and Oppenheimer had the same premiere date, but there wasn't much else in common with the two smash hits, and the radical differences between the films is what made them so fun to see back to back. 

Averi Kremposky, Editorial Intern

To the untrained eye, Barbenheimer is just an amusing trend that was born when two jarring yet highly anticipated films were released on the same day, allegedly by mere coincidence.

After five exhausting hours staring at my local AMC screen, the accompanying double outfit change and way too much movie theater popcorn, I can’t help but picture Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan planning this day with the utmost intention.

Undoubtedly, seeing Oppenheimer in the morning and Barbie the same afternoon was a type of aesthetic whiplash a person is only meant to experience once in their lifetime, but when I look back on my Barbenheimer experience, it’s all just melancholy dressed in different colors.

To see just Oppenheimer, clad in black and full of espresso, is to wrestle with the consequence of being too successful. To see just Barbie, romping around in pink right after a few glasses of wine at the nearest happy hour, is to come to terms with how it feels to be utterly unsuccessful.

Success is a spectrum with consequences on either side — to see both movies on the same day is to pick which one will be your poison.

Henry Chandonnet, Editorial Intern

A 10:15 a.m. Oppenheimer, anyone? Fueled by a single Yerba Mate, I threw on my drab, all-black fit and walked to meet the other PEOPLE interns, Kaitlyn Huamani and Averi Kremposky. Even with the far-too-early showtime, Oppenheimer was a hit. A self-hating English major, I was surprised by just how engaged I could be in a movie with frequent use of the words “fission” and “fusion.”

After brunching at a French bistro and changing into our pink looks, we braved something scarier than Christopher Nolan’s three-hour runtime: Midtown. Armed with my fluffy pink cowboy hat, I voyaged up to 34th Street to lay eyes on Greta Gerwig’s masterpiece.

While the corporate discomfort was certainly still alive, Barbie was saved by its witty screenplay and incredible cast. Margot Robbie, you will always be famous.

Kaitlyn Huamani, Editorial Intern

After braving the long trek to Manhattan via New Jersey Transit, I made it to the East Village AMC to meet my fellow PEOPLE interns at an unreasonably early hour to make the most of our eventful day.

We kicked things off with the 10:15 showing of Oppenheimer, which, to my surprise, was packed. It seemed to drag a bit through its three hours, despite its artful style and brilliant performances, and the only thing louder than the anxiety-inducing score was the growling of my empty stomach.

After a lunch/debrief and a quick wardrobe change, we got fun (read: overpriced) cocktails and made a pitstop at a bodega for snacks before we journeyed to Midtown for the pure joy that was Barbie. I couldn’t stop smiling (and neither could the other pink-clad moviegoers) through the film’s witty quips and its beautiful heart that’s at the core of every Greta Gerwig masterpiece.

I found myself wiping tears away at its close, which I could chalk up to the exhaustion from the long day. Still, I think my reaction came from the beautifully truthful storytelling that comes when a story about women is created by a team of women.

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