With Barbie and Oppenheimer going head to head in theaters this past summer, moviegoers on social media were quick to coin the term, "Barbenheimer." Going to see both movies became something of a cultural event, not least because they were complete opposites.
We thought that was the end of it ("Saw Patrol" didn't take off in quite the same way when PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Saw X faced off last month) and The Hollywood Reporter reveals that a B-Movie Barbenheimer project is officially in the works.
Charles Band, a B-movie icon who has been producing low-budget horror comedies for decades, isn't shy in admitting this crossover - which boasts the tagline "D-Cup, A-Bomb" - is a shameless cash grab.
"It’s 100 percent true," he says. "But it’s also an opportunity to have fun with the bizarre coupling of these two movies and the combination of Barbie’s vibe and the darkness of Oppenheimer. You mix that together and you have such an opportunity for dark humor."
Band's credits include direct-to-DVD movies like Puppet Master, Ghoulies, Trancers, Demonic Toys, and Evil Bong, and the filmmaker is already working on merchandise - including dolls - for a project he believes has the potential to be his biggest hit to date.
"Let’s just say she’ll definitely have her arms around a big atomic bomb," he cheekily teased, adding that the "silly" movie is also his way to bring some levity into the world. "[It] seems like every other feature is dark and depressing, and it’s like, God, we need a little humor going into 2024."
So, what is Barbenheimer about?
According to the trade, it "follows Dr. Bambi J Barbenheimer, a brilliant scientist doll living in Dolltopia, a world of endless summers and beach parties, and her boyfriend Twink Dollman. So far, so Greta Gerwig’s neon-colored billion-dollar megahit."
"Turning Nolan’s distinctly less pink dial up a notch, our Dr. Barbenheimer, incensed by the brutal treatment the dolls receive at the hands of human children, ventures into the real world where she experiences humanity at its worst and, naturally, decides to build a giant nuclear bomb to take it all out."
The synopsis adds, "They got great looks and a super attitude! Oh, and now they’ve got the bomb."
With a budget of less than $1 million and a script by Band and Adam Felber (along with songs penned by Ninja Sex Party's Brian Wecht), we're obviously expecting Barbenheimer to go straight to DVD. However, it's bound to generate more interest than much of Band's past work, especially if the Hollywood trades are breaking the news about its development.
Check out the first teaser image for the movie below.