Christopher Nolan’s initial reaction to Oppenheimer-Barbie same-day release

While the Barbie-Oppenheimer double feature has excited pop culture fans, Christopher Nolan was none too pleased about “Barbenheimer.”

Insider spoke to Nolan about both Barbie and Oppenheimer and when asked if he had seen the former, Nolan simply said, “No,” with a “hint of disinterest.”

The interviewer then revealed his theory that the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon was “born through his complex history with Warner Bros.” Nolan said with a chuckle, “Now, you must know I'm not going to answer that question only to say those who care about the theatrical experience, we've been longing for a crowded marketplace with a lot of different movies. That's what theaters have now, and those of us who care about movies are thrilled about that.”

For as diplomatic as Nolan is being, sources told Insider that the director wasn't thrilled about the double feature. In fact, he was reportedly upset at Warner Bros. for slating Barbie for the same day as Oppenheimer — especially given his reputation for releasing films in mid-July.

Admittedly, it is surprising to see two tentpole films release on the same day. Generally speaking, studios will give themselves some separation to avoid competition and to make as much as they could at the box office, but with Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One opening today and then Oppenheimer and Barbie in a week and a half, moviegoers have a lot of options when they visit their local multiplex.

Christopher Nolan's latest film, Oppenheimer, is a historical epic about the titular physicist (played by Cillian Murphy). Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, and Rami Malek are just a few of the other A-listers set to appear in the film.

Oppenheimer and Barbie will be released on July 21.