Barbenheimer was a cultural phenomenon which preceded and surrounded the simultaneous theatrical release of two films, Warner Bros. Pictures's
Barbie and Universal Pictures's
Oppenheimer, on July 21, 2023. The stark contrast between
Barbie—a fantasy comedy by Greta Gerwig about the fashion doll Barbie—and
Oppenheimer—an epic biographical thriller by Christopher Nolan about theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, a scientific director in the Manhattan Project—prompted a comedic response from Internet users, including memes, merchandise and memorabilia.
Polygon described the two films as "extreme opposites", and
Variety called the phenomenon "the movie event of the year".