Francis Ford Coppola calls ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ ‘a victory for Cinema’

Welcome aboard the “Barbenheimer” train, Francis Ford Coppola.

The Oscar-winning director of “The Godfather” trilogy shared his thoughts Friday on the record-breaking achievements of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” While answering questions from fans on Instagram, Coppola exalted the blockbuster films as “true one-offs” and said he appreciates what they stand for.

“I have yet to see them,” the filmmaker wrote, “but the fact that people are filling big theaters to see them and that they are neither ‘sequels’ nor ‘prequels’ ... is a victory for Cinema.”

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‘Barbie’ beats ‘Oppenheimer’ in record-breaking, industry-revitalizing showdown

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Coppola is among many who have regarded the titles’ ongoing box-office domination as a triumph for (relatively) original storytelling in an industry saturated with reboots, remakes and superhero movies.

When they opened in theaters earlier this month, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” propelled the domestic box office to its highest-grossing weekend since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fourth highest-grossing weekend of all time.

“Barbie” also notched the biggest domestic launch ever for a feature directed by a woman.

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I did the ‘Barbenheimer’ doubleheader. Here’s what I learned

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The great “Barbenheimer” success story continued on Sunday, when “Barbie” secured the most lucrative sophomore weekend ever for a Warner Bros. film in the United States and Canada, according to the studio. The feminist comedy also amassed $300 million domestically faster than any other Warner Bros. title.

Meanwhile, “Oppenheimer” is the first R-rated movie to gross more than $10 million each day at the domestic box during its first week in theaters, according to Universal Pictures. The historical drama also achieved the highest-grossing sophomore weekend ever for an R-rated summer release.