The Barbenheimer social media buzz worked out very well for both movies, and it looks like the internet is already attempting to build hype for another dual release.
The online phenomenon arose from the fact that Christopher Nolan's bleak historical biopic, Oppenheimer, and Greta Gerwig's fantasy comedy take on Barbie hit theaters at the same time and are so diametrically opposed in tone, and many cinemagoers took in double-features when the movies released last weekend.
Both films had very impressive bows, and continue to pack in audiences around the globe.
Now, it's come to the net's attention (possibly with a slight nudge from the respective studios!) that Lionsgate's Saw X and Paramount's PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie both debut on September 29, giving way to another portmanteau: Saw Patrol!
Could this potentially result in another Barbenheimer-like online sensation? Anything is possible, but while both Barbie and Oppenheimer were highly-anticipated and hugely hyped projects in their own rights, the same can't really be said for the latest instalment in a long-running (and, let's be honest, a bit tired) horror franchise and a low-key animated adventure aimed at very young kids.
Plus, the double-bill will only be possible in the US., as the movies are not being released at the same time in other locations. In the U.K., PAW Patrol arrives on October 13 with The Exorcist: Believer. So, Exorpatrol? PAWxorcist?
Even so, we won't begrudge the attempt, and anything that results in more people going to the theatre - no matter the movie - can only be good for the industry in the long run.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.