“Barbenheimer” weekend has arrived, and the odds are taking a front-row seat to the movie-theater action.
The two most anticipated films of 2023 — “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — hit theaters on Friday, July 21, setting up a head-on collision between the two blockbusters. And it’s easy to understand why bettors, just like moviegoers, are getting in on the fun.
Both flicks bring star power. “Barbie” stars Margot Robbie in the titular role and Ryan Gosling as “Ken.” Will Farrell is also among the top-billed actors.
On the other side of the blockbuster battle is “Oppenheimer.” This film stars “Peaky Blinders” actor Cillian Murphy in the lead role. Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Florence Pugh are the other notable actors making up the cast.
With that kind of A-list talent, it’s no surprise that oddsmakers have set lines for which movie will have more success.
Will “Barbie” drop a bomb on “Oppenheimer?” Let’s take a look at the odds for this historic box office matchup, with insight from FOX Sports Betting Analyst Jason McIntyre.
Barbie vs. Oppenheimer box office odds
Barbie: -1800 (bet $10 to win $10.56 total)
Oppenheimer: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Barbie Opening Weekend box office Over/Under
Over $99.5 million: -280 (bet $10 to win $13.57 total)
Under $99.5 million: +170 (bet $10 to win $27 total)
Oppenheimer Opening Weekend box office Over/Under
Over $44.5 million: -195 (bet $10 to win $15.13)
Under $44.5 million: +125 (bet $10 to win $22.50)
Academy Award’s Best Picture odds
Oppenheimer: +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)
Barbie: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Greta Gerwig’s live-action “Barbie” enters the heavyweight matchup as a huge favorite to win at the box office. The romantic comedy holds a “PG13” rating, which allows it to appeal to more general audiences, compared to Christopher Nolan’s atom bomb biopic “Oppenheimer,” a rated “R” film. “Barbie” also has a 114-minute run time, which is more than an hour shorter than the 180-minute run time for “Oppenheimer.”
Based on both directors’ prior box office histories, it might be a bit of a surprise that “Barbie” is such a heavy favorite. Both of Gerwig’s films were considered box office successes, but “Little Women” is her highest-grossing film at $218.9 million.
As for Nolan, almost all of his films have been box office smashes. Five of his six most recent movies have earned over $500 million, with three of them crossing the $1 billion mark. “Inception” and two of the “Batman” trilogy films eclipsed that threshold.
“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are expected to be hits among critics, too. Downey Jr. stated that “Oppenheimer” was the “best movie I’ve ever been in.”
“Oppenheimer” (+250) currently sits as the favorite to win Best Picture, while “Barbie” (+2500) sits around the middle of the pack. “Oppenheimer” might have more critical acclaim as a film, but this won’t stop “Barbie” from potentially beating it during opening weekend.
In the end, it looks like the Blonde Bombshell will drive all over “Oppenheimer” to start, but in the long run, “Oppenheimer” will explode with critical acclaim.
Which movie is Jason McIntyre picking to win the battle?
“Barbie” is going to destroy “Oppenheimer” in the box office. It’s going to be a similar result to the NBA Finals when the Nuggets smashed the Heat. The Barbie brand is and has been dominant for decades, and the folks behind the movie have capitalized on every marketing opportunity imaginable.
“Oppenheimer” will be a better movie and might even win awards, but going up against Margot Robbie? It’s like trying to stop Jokic.
So which movie are you going to put your money on? Stay tuned to FOX Sports for all your sporting needs.
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