It was a big weekend for the “Barbenheimer” crossover, and actor Cillian Murphy would be glad to see it continue. The Oppenheimer star told an interviewer last week that he would be glad to appear in a Barbie sequel if one is made. Of course, he would likely play a Ken.
“Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure,” Murphy said during a press junket with Cinéfilos. “Let’s read the script and let’s have a conversation.” To be clear, there have been no formal announcements or even reliable reports about a potential Barbie sequel, but after the film’s success, many fans expect it to happen. The Hollywood labor strikes could complicate those plans as well, since so far the producers’ alliance has not agreed to resume negotiations with either the writers’ guild or the actors’ guild.
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Although he had nothing to do with the creation of Barbie, Murphy has been asked to speak about the movie a lot thanks to the sensational “Barbenheimer” trend. He raved about the movie in the interview above, saying: “I can’t wait to see it. Can’t wait to see the movie. I think it’s great for cinema. You know, you’ve got all these great movies happening this summer.”
“Barbenheimer” is the catch-all name for the simple fact that Barbie and Oppenheimer were released in theaters on the same day – Friday, July 21, 2023. It started with fans on social media observing that these two movies would premiere on the same day, and that based on everything we knew at the time, they would likely be thematic opposites of each other. Movie buffs began to joke that it would make the perfect double feature, and before long it became a serious plan for many moviegoers.
Of course, the enthusiasm translated to some very real profits at the box office that were badly needed by the ailing industry. Ticket sales have not returned to normal since the COVID-19 pandemic, and Many industry analysts have been surprised when huge franchise films were unable to draw crowds. Now, critics are suggesting that new movies from scratch like Barbie and Oppenheimer were what audiences wanted all along – combined with the tangible event that “Barbenheimer” represents.
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer are playing in theaters now, though their popularity means you may want to check ticket availability before heading to the theater. Because of the labor strikes, the stars of Barbie are no longer able to give interviews like this one.
