By Michael Zollner
It’s the question of the cinema year: “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer”? Berlin cinema fans have found their answer and simply watch both films. This ensured sold-out halls at the weekend.
Berlin is in “Barbenheimer” fever! Greta Gerwig’s film “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” biopic filled the cinemas.
On the opening weekend, they attracted over a million people to German cinemas. According to the market research company Media Control in cooperation with the analyst Comscore, “Barbie” was watched by almost 619,000 visitors. The thriller “Oppenheimer” drew around 502,600 visitors to the cinemas.
“It was an excellent weekend,” says Hans-Joachim Flebbe (Zoo-Palast and Astor Filmlounge). “It’s reminiscent of the success of ‘Avatar.’ There is a good chance it will be the record week of the year.”
Paulina Mertins (Cineplex Titania, Alhambra, Spandau and Neukölln) sees it the same way: “The weekend was amazing. For us the best this year. This is due to the two very strong films that attract guests to each other. A lot of people just watch both films.”
While you want to see “Oppenheimer” on the big screen, “Barbie” has more of an event character. Mertins: “The guests come in pink or pink and make an appointment especially for the film.”
Matt Damon as Leslie Groves (left) and Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer Photo: Universal Pictures via AP
The Yorck Kino Group is also happy. “It was the most successful weekend since the pandemic,” says Managing Director Christian Bräuer. “Both films also brought a large number of young viewers to the cinema.” Since the start of the film, there have been over 80 sold-out screenings.
A drop of bitterness remains. Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” is crushed by the concentrated start of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”, says Flebbe. “Now the films cannibalize each other and in August they’re missing.”