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Greta Gerwig's latest venture, "Barbie," has become a box office sensation, surpassing records previously held by female-directed films like Patty Jenkins' "Wonder Woman" and 2019's "Captain Marvel." The film, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, garnered an impressive $155m on its opening weekend in North America, topping the chart and beating out Christopher Nolan’s biographical drama, "Oppenheimer."

Barbie vs Oppenheimer: A Weekend of Box Office Surprises

Cinemas worldwide experienced a bustling weekend as "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" launched simultaneously, leading to an explosion of excitement for both Gerwig's and Nolan's respective blockbusters.

While "Oppenheimer" won acclaim with its near-perfect Rotten Tomato score, it was "Barbie" that took the cake in box office receipts, significantly surpassing Nolan's drama.

In the wake of their release, both films have experienced massive global debuts: $337m for "Barbie" and $174.2m for "Oppenheimer."

The Barbie and Oppenheimer clash has led to interesting results. Even though "Oppenheimer" received critical acclaim, "Barbie" outperformed it in box office takings, providing a fascinating twist in the Barbie vs Oppenheimer duel.

 Right-wing Backlash and Barbie's Triumph

The Barbie vs Oppenheimer narrative took a political twist when right-wing critics called for a boycott of the "Barbie" film, accusing it of being "woke" and brainwashing young girls with "Chinese propaganda," as GOP Sen. Ted Cruz labeled it.

However, these critics found themselves powerless against the might of the Mattel doll-inspired movie, with "Barbie" raking in record-breaking earnings.

The movie "Barbie" became the center of controversy over alleged political messaging.

Critics claimed a childlike map in the film, which depicted Barbie's imaginary journey, supported Beijing’s territorial claims to a contested part of the South China Sea.

Warner Bros., the studio behind the film, quickly denied these allegations, stating the map merely represented Barbie's fictional journey and carried no political connotations.

Right-wing commentators continued to target the film, decrying its perceived "wokeness" and inclusion of diverse characters.

Despite this onslaught, "Barbie" remained unstoppable. The Barbie vs Oppenheimer saga was a clear testament that the voice of cinema-goers spoke louder than the noise of political outcry.

The Unfounded Boycott and its Unintended Effect

This Barbie vs Oppenheimer weekend saw Barbie driving its pink Dreamcamper over critics, leading to an ironic twist. Conservative critics' calls for a boycott could have inadvertently boosted "Barbie's" popularity, leading to an unexpected triumph in the Barbie vs Oppenheimer battle.