Both of the highly anticipated films proved to be huge successes. Barbie reportedly grossed $162 million domestically in the box office during its first weekend in theaters, beating out Oppenheimer, which is said to have brought in $82.4 million.
Speaking about the iconic release of both films on the same day, which was July 21, Margot revealed to Cillian that an Oppenheimer producer — Chuck Roven — allegedly initially asked her to move Barbie’s release date.
“One of your producers, Chuck Roven, called me, because we worked together on some other projects,” claimed Margot, who coproduced Barbie alongside Greta.
“He was like, ‘I think you guys should move your date.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving our date. If you’re scared to be up against us, then you move your date,’” Margot recalled.
“He was like, ‘We’re not moving our date, I just think it’d be better for you to move,’” Margot claimed Chuck said.
Margot noted that she refused to budge, telling Chuck, “We’re not moving. I think this is a really great pairing, actually.”
Cillian told Margot, “That was a good instinct,” while the pair went on to discuss how the success of each film demonstrates the wide-ranging “appetite that the audience has for cinema.”
Cillian added that the public ultimately generated the “interest” around Barbenheimer themselves, which obviously largely contributed to both film’s successes.
As soon as Margot and Cillian’s candid chat was released publicly, fans online were thrilled to learn that Margot stood her ground against the Oppenheimer producer when it came to Barbie’s release date.
“Margot Robbie the woman that you are,” one person wrote in admiration in response to a clip of the chat. “Margot was right,” another user noted.
“I cannot believe the Barbenheimer phenomenon was born out of Margot Robbie (lead actress/producer) standing up to a man,” someone else tweeted.
Meanwhile, other fans went on to point out that Barbie and Oppenheimer being released on the same day actually contributed to their success, as Margot and Cillian pointed out in their Variety chat.