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Welcome to the greatest multiplex showdown in recent history.
In one corner, we have a long, brooding thriller directed by Christopher Nolan.
In the other corner is a brisk, colorful romp filled with pop tunes.
They share the same opening date in July, offering mutual counterprogramming for ostensibly disparate demographics.
Only one can come out on top.
Im talking, of course, aboutOppenheimerandBarbie, two of the summers most anticipated releases.
And anot-insignificant number of moviegoersare bookingBarbenheimerdouble features.
The jukebox ABBA musical ended 2008 as the 12th-highest-grossing releasedomesticallyand the 5th-highestglobally.
(The Dark Knightwas No.
1 on both charts.)
This year, insiders arent sure the outcome will be so self-evident.
This time around, the Nolan flick might be the long-tail underdog.
I thinkBarbiewill destroy it, one former studio honcho predicts.
(the girl movie, as it were).
In addition to the usual TV spots and print ads, the Warner team tried more immersive PR.
The most innovative aspect of the publicity blitz was aninteractive campaignthat let fans join the world of Gotham City.
Another viral hub was emerging around that time: social media.
The studio had another secret weapon in Meryl Streep, whose casting provided prestige.
A joy-delivery gear of that magnitude is always promising, says a Universal source familiar with the marketing bid.
We were wide-eyed about what we were going up against.
I dont think we ever had the delusion that we would open to No.
1, but we could successfully coexist [withThe Dark Knight].
We knew our core audience was probably older women and coastal gays.
It felt like a relatively rational bet.
If it achieved even a mid-level stratum of success, it was going to be okay.
Instead of augmented reality, Universal concocted its own stunt.
There, 20 couples exchanged vows in a ceremonyemceedbyThe Bachelorettelovebirds Trista and Ryan Sutter.
Its no coincidence they landed on the same big weekend, says David A.
Gross, who runs the consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.
There was no cannibalization.
That can happen, but very, very rarely.
Furthermore,Mamma Mia!gained screensasThe Dark Knightshed themin subsequent weeks.
Universal had been right: It was a word-of-mouth sensation.
Over Labor Day, the studioreleasedMamma Mia!
The Sing-Along Editionin select theaters.
That leaves the studio going up against a director who was once one of its steadfast loyalists.
IfOppenheimerwins, Nolans indomitability remains firm.
There is a world whereBarbieopens bigger but we play out longer, the Universal source says.
Im not sure the whole story is going to be told on the first weekend.
For now, predictions are clear-cut.
The former is being boosted bymore than 100 merchandising collaborationsthat Mattel has initiated in the lead-up.
