Oppenheimer Is Set To Take A Box Office Record From Deadpool 2
It's an exciting time in the movie business, even apart from that whole strike situation, as the phenomenon known as "Barbenheimer" brings back the box office figures that were routine before the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. The winner of that match-up is box office champ "Barbie," which is continuing to have a stellar showing in its second week of release. However, "Oppenheimer" is no slouch either, and as The Hollywood Reporter points out, it's about to nab a specific box office distinction from, of all things, "Deadpool 2."
Attendance tracking data shows that "Oppenheimer" is set to take in $46 million domestically this weekend, and if it even comes close to that sum it will be the best sophomore weekend any R-rated movie has ever had, a record that is currently held by "Deadpool 2" and its $43.5 million domestic second weekend gross. Not bad for a movie with an experimental approach to a historical subject rather than, say, a quipping superpowered mercenary and his motley mutant friends.
Barbie is also breaking second-weekend box office records of its own
"Oppenheimer" and its record-breaking second weekend are part of a generally strong second weekend for both sides of the "Barbenheimer" coin. While "Oppenheimer" is set to steal the record for best R-rated second weekend in box office history, "Barbie" is having one of the best sophomore weekends ever, and reportedly, the best for the Warner Bros. studio.
Another part of the story comes in the comparative percentages between opening weekend and weekend two. We've been seeing a lot of steep declines in big movies lately (looking at you, "The Flash"), but both "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are holding steady. In its second weekend, "Barbie" is pulling in about 59% of what it did in its blockbuster opening, a relatively small decline and one that reflects a combination of repeat business and strong word of mouth. "Oppenheimer" too is seeing a decline of just 44% in its second weekend, and it seems clear that both movies are standing on commercial legs that some prognosticators might not have seen coming.