Why are movie fans so stoked about 'Barbie'? 5 reasons we all want to see it

It's a major week for movie fans!

Scratch that, it's a gargantuan week for movie fans.

In addition to Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" premiering Friday, "Barbie" is also coming to theaters that day, creating a natural rivalry between the two flicks. Everyone wants in on the Barbenheimer experience this summer, as AMC Theatres said on July 10 that over 20,000 members of its loyalty program had already purchased tickets to view both movies on the same day, according to Forbes.

Last week, we dove into five reasons why everyone is so dang excited about "Oppenheimer." Now we, of course, have to look at "Barbie" and why people are itching to see Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling paint screens pink.

1. 'Barbie' has a star-studded cast list

"Oppenheimer" is filled with A-list celebrities. But "Barbie" may have just as many on its cast list, if not more. It's almost like an all-star game but for actors.

The big names include Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, John Cena, Helen Mirren, Michael Cera, Dua Lipa, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Issa Rae, Ritu Arya and others.

2. It's Barbie, b----

OK, it's not the blonde pop star alluded to in the heading above, but Barbie is another blonde icon in American culture. You likely played with the dolls while growing up, even if you don't like to admit it. So, of course, we want to watch a movie about her.

According to Business Insider, Barbie officially launched in 1959 after Ruth Handler, a part-owner of the toy company Mattel, noticed her daughter playing with adult dolls rather than baby ones. So Handler created a toy for young girls dreaming about their future.

It resulted in decades of success. According to Forbes, Barbie made $3 billion in sales by 2009. But Mattel's diversity strategy has led to even higher sales in recent years, equaling approximately $1.679 billion in gross revenue alone in 2021.

3. The 'Barbie' soundtrack is absolute fire

In addition to all the famous actors in the movie, the soundtrack is like those "Now That's What I Call Music!" CDs from your childhood: so many major artists worked on the music for this film.

According to People Magazine, you can expect to hear songs from Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Sam Smith, Charli XCX, Karol G, Khalid, Dominic Fike, The Kid Laroi and more.

4. The outfits will make for great Halloween costumes this year

Barbie's fashion is a reason the dolls have become so iconic. According to The New York Times, Mattel estimates it has made over 1 billion outfits for Barbie and her friends over the years. And you can tell Robbie's clothes are crucial to the film.

From this country-western-themed get-up ...

to this '80s-style roller skating outfit ...

Barbie's wardrobe will give everyone plenty of Halloween costume ideas for this fall.

5. The 'Oppenheimer'/'Barbie' memes

In this day in age, it's ALL about the memes. And there are plenty of great ones involving "Oppenheimer" and "Barbie."

The release date for the films isn't the only factor driving the rivalry; the contrast between the plots is also playing a big role. With "Oppenheimer," viewers are watching a story centered around the creation of the atomic bomb, while fans are watching "Barbie" to simply catch good vibes.

This has led to some epic memes.

If you're all in on "Barbie" now, here are answers to some commonly Googled questions.

When does 'Barbie' release to theaters?

The movie has an official release date of July 21, but some screenings are available on the night of July 20.

Why is 'Barbie' rated PG-13?

According to IMDb, "Barbie" received a PG-13 rating due to "suggestive references and brief language."

Vietnam banned 'Barbie' due to the South China Sea map

Vietnam banned "Barbie" over a map shown in the film. According to The New York Times, authorities said it shows a Chinese version of territory within the South China Sea, where the countries have competing claims. The Philippines, another country that disputes China’s territorial claims, will allow the movie to air, according to BBC. But it has requested the map gets blurred.

'Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge' also premiered this week

This isn't necessarily related to the movie, but HGTV's "Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge" also premiered this week, on July 16, with host/model Ashley Graham. The show follows HGTV stars as they transform a home into a "real-life Barbie dreamhouse," per its bio. According to House Beautiful, the rooms also feature items that appeared in the movie.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why's everyone so excited about 'Barbie'? 5 reasons we want to see it