Before there was Barbenheimer: 17 other memorable movie matchups

The Barbie-Oppenheimer face-off has us thinking about other legendary, and sometimes laughable, box office battles

By Ian Spelling  |  July 18, 2023 | 12:00pm
Film Features Jumanji
Before there was Barbenheimer: 17 other memorable movie matchups
Clockwise from top left: The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.), Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.), Barbie (Warner Bros.), Oppenheimer (Universal), Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal), Mamma Mia! (Universal) Graphic: AVClub

July 21, 2023 will go down in history as the day of Barbenheimer–and we’re here for it. In short, the date represents the greatest current example of Hollywood counterprogramming, with the four-quadrant Barbie and the one-quadrant Oppenheimer opening on the same day. In a perfect world, both high-profile and expensive films will find an audience … maybe even the same audience. Indeed, more than 20,000 AMC moviegoers have already purchased tickets to watch Greta Gerwig’s Margot Robbie-Ryan Gosling comedy and Christopher Nolan’s Cillian Murphy-Matt Damon A-bomb drama back to back. Adding to the fun, talent from both films have taken to social media to support each other’s projects, and even Tom Cruise got in on the action, too.

All of which got us wondering about other times when of two very different films opened on the same day. There are plenty of examples in Hollywood history. Sometimes it was a brave little movie that refused to be cowed by an oncoming blockbuster. Other times it was an odd couple match-up that just made us chuckle. So check out our chronological list, and please note that we’re only considering films released in the past 50 years, because that’s a nice round number and, hey, we had to draw the line somewhere.

The Exorcist vs. The Sting
THE EXORCIST - Trailer - (1973) - HQ

People usually look towards as being the OG blockbuster but 1973’s had audiences lining up around the block. The film opened at Christmas—and really, what better release date is there for a shockingly graphic horror movie about demonic possession than December 26—and its box office competition was the Robert Redford-Paul Newman caper comedy . The two films could not be more diametrically opposed, although both The Sting and The Exorcist earned 10 Oscar nominations. The William Friedkin-directed classic won only two awards, whereas The Sting took home seven trophies, including Best Picture. In the end, The Exorcist earned over $441 million worldwide and spawned about many (mostly lousy) sequels, whereas The Sting stole $156 million and spawned one (totally lousy) sequel.

Smokey And The Bandit vs. Star Wars
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

The dates and release patterns are a bit wonky, as started in regional release and (back when it was just called Star Wars) initially debuted in a few dozen theaters. But by Memorial Day 1977, they went head-to-head. Who won the box office crown that weekend? Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, whose smash-up derby action-comedy-romance bested George Lucas’ sci-fi classic, $1.7 million to $1.55 million. Smokey proved to be a solid hit (grossing $127 million in the U.S., $300 million worldwide), but Star Wars reached hyperspace with $461 million in America and $775 million around the galaxy. Star Wars also beat Smokey And The Bandit at the Oscars, where they were pitted against each other in the Best Film Editing category.

Raising Arizona vs. Evil Dead II
Raising Arizona | #TBT Trailer | 20th Century FOX

Now this is a double feature we’d check out. A smart edgy comedy directed by the Coen Brothers starring Nic Cage and Holly Hunter, and a Sam Raimi scary-as-fuck sequel to his surprise horror hit The Evil Dead. Both and unspooled in theaters starting March 13, 1987. Evil Dead II didn’t exactly make a killing, as it grossed just $800,000 that weekend and $5.9 million total (and didn’t open internationally). Meanwhile, Raising Arizona started in limited release, making it tough to compare apples to apples, but it grossed a grand total of $22.8 million in the U.S. and $29.1 million worldwide. Interestingly, the Coens and Raimi were friends. Joel helped edit and both Coens co-wrote Raimi’s (1985). In later years, they’d work together in various capacities—including cameos and sometimes uncredited work—on , , and .

Die Hard vs. A Fish Called Wanda
Die Hard (1988) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

transformed Bruce Willis into a major TV star so he tried his luck at features with and , both duds. Then changed everything, transforming him into an action A-lister. seemingly came out of nowhere, an outlandish, R-rated heist comedy with an eclectic cast that included John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin. It earned stellar reviews and enjoyed a lengthy theatrical run. It’s unfair to compare their initial box office takes, since they both opened in limited release on July 15, 1988, but Wanda eventually reeled in $62.5 million in America and $188.6 million internationally, while Die Hard grossed $83.8 million at home and $141.6 million total worldwide.

Batman vs. Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
Batman (1989) Official Trailer #1 - Tim Burton Superhero Movie

June 23, 1989, what a day to be alive! Audiences could pick between a couple of hours in the company of either the Caped Crusader or Wayne Szalinski. And there was no wrong choice. Tim Burton delivered a dark, mysterious, even controversial blockbuster version of , with Michael Keaton anchoring the proceedings and Jack Nicholson chewing the scenery as the Joker. Meanwhile, Rick Moranis as a scientist dad whose invention miniaturizes his children, sending them on a wild and colorful adventure that’s perfect for families. Batman handily won the weekend ($40.5 million to $14.2 million) and proved more successful in the long run ($411 million to $227 million worldwide), but both films launched popular franchises. Sadly, we never got the Batman, I Shrunk the Kids crossover we all deserved.

Home Alone vs. Rocky V
Home Alone (1990) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

In this corner it’s Rocky Balboa! In that corner it’s Kevin McAllister! And the winner is … Kevin? As November 16, 1990 approached, movie industry pundits assumed that Sylvester Stallone’s latest  installment would knock out the competition. But the movie opened to scathing reviews and a tepid box office take of just $14 million (on the way to $41 million in the U.S. and $120 million worldwide). Meanwhile, connected with kids and families and blasted Macaulay Culkin to instant superstardom. It grossed $17 million its first weekend and spent 12 weeks atop the box office chart, ultimately taking home $258 million in North America and $477 million worldwide.

Die Hard With A Vengeance vs. Forget Paris
Die Hard: With A Vengeance Trailer (HD)

Fox and Sony probably figured very different audiences would turn out for the third Die Hard flick and a romantic comedy starring, written, produced, and directed by Billy Crystal. Only hardly anyone turned out for , which cast Crystal as an NBA referee in Paris (cue the endless basketball player and announcer cameos, and lush shots of the City of Light). It grossed a merdique $5.8 million to start and scored only $33 million in the U.S. and $56 million total worldwide. Meanwhile, Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson had better chemistry in than Crystal and Debra Winger did in Forget Paris, and the film as a whole rocked. It rang up $22 million to start, grossing $100 million in the States and $366 million around the globe.

Heat vs. Jumanji
Heat (1995) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

This one feels like smart counterprogramming. On December 15, 1995, and  went head to head in theaters. Michael Mann’s stylish adult thriller starred Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, and Diane Venora, with the between Pacino and De Niro living up to the hype. Jumanji dropped Robin Williams into a family fantasy film and let him run as wild as the film’s CGI creatures. Heat blasted its way to a respectable $8.4 million first weekend, but trailed both Jumanji, which opened at No. 1 with $11 million, and . Though Heat ranks as a semi-classic, Jumanji enjoyed more financial success, as it sucked up $262.8 million worldwide versus Heat’s $187 million.

Mission: Impossible vs. Spy Hard
Mission: Impossible (1996) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

and rolled into theaters two days apart, with Tom Cruise’s first stint as IMF hero Ethan Hunt opening May 22, 1996, and Leslie Nielsen’s satirical take on James Bond arriving May 24. Nielsen, at the time still early in his long run of hit-and-miss silly comedies, starred as Dick Steele, aka Agent WD-40. Nicolette Sheridan co-starred as a Russian agent. Mission: Impossible won the weekend with $45 million (and grossed $457.7 million worldwide), while Spy Hard came in third with $10.4 million and tallied $27 million total in North America (it didn’t run overseas). What placed second that weekend? , then in its third week of release.

The Matrix vs.10 Things I Hate About You
The Matrix Resurrections – Official Trailer 1

March 31, 1999 brought with it a box office battle between and . At the time, the Wachowskis weren’t the influential filmmakers they’d soon become and The Matrix started off pretty modestly for a blockbuster, opening to the tune of $27.8 million (on the path to $172 million in the U.S. and $467 worldwide). Meanwhile, 10 Things—a teen romantic comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s 16th Century play The Taming Of The Shrew—put Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt on our collective radar. It debuted to $8.3 million, and went on to earn $38 million domestic and $53.5 million worldwide. 10 Things I Hate About You remains a sharp, charming gem, while pretty much every subsequent Matrix sequel, spin-off, and reboot sullied the reputation of the truly groundbreaking original.

Spider-Man vs. Hollywood Ending
SPIDER-MAN [2002] – Official Trailer (HD)

Since mostly older moviegoers venture out to see the latest Woody Allen comedy, only a few fanboys shut out of screenings might actually have given a shot. That’s the only reason we can think of as to why DreamWorks scheduled Woody’s latest against Sony’s much-anticipated superhero spectacle on May 3, 2002. The strategy didn’t work. Allen delivered another harmless, lackluster affair (that he starred in with Tea Leoni, Treat Williams, George Hamilton, and Debra Messing), while Sam Raimi and Sony reinvented the comic-book superhero tentpole adventure. The grosses: $4.8 million U.S./$14.5 million worldwide for Hollywood Ending, and $114.8 million/$825 million for Spidey.

Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge Of The Sith vs. Dominion: Prequel To The Exorcist
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Trailer

The numbers here make you go “wow.” On the long weekend of May 18, 2005, the grossed $108.4 million, while —which opened May 22—scared up $140,703. Sith eventually earned $868 million worldwide, while Dominion totaled $251,495, and never played overseas. The backstory of Dominion is better than the film. Paul Schrader crafted a dark, thinking person’s prequel, which the studio hated. They brought in Renny Harlin to start from scratch (leading man Stellan Skarsgård remained) and Harlin delivered , which opened in 2004 at No. 1 with $18 million and topped out at $78 million worldwide. Production company Morgan Creek eventually let Schrader finish his version to no avail; audiences ignored Dominion, but it’s by far the better film.

Casino Royale vs. Happy Feet
Casino Royale Official Trailer (2006) James Bond Movie HD

This one shocked us. We assumed that James Bond, Vesper Lynd, and Le Chiffre bested Mumble, Gloria, and Ramon when and had their initial showdown on November 17, 2006, but that wasn’t the case. The joyous singing penguins of George Miller’s animated musical comedy took in $41.5 million that weekend versus $40.8 million for Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007. The battle continued long-term both domestically and abroad, resulting in a split decision. Casino Royale ultimately grossed $167.4 million domestic and $616.5 million worldwide, while Happy Feet danced its way to $198 million in the U.S. and $384.3 million worldwide. Probably no one was more thrilled than theater owners, who filled seats the whole holiday season with two very different audiences.

The Dark Knight vs. Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! Official Trailer #1 - Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried Movie (2008) HD

Christopher Nolan has done the counter-programming routine before, notably when his Batman flick opened against on July 18, 2008. Dark Mamma or Mia Knight, or whatever you call it, worked out for everyone. Both films garnered strong reviews, and Christian Bale’s second broody trip to Gotham rang up $158 million in the U.S. on the way to a $1 billion worldwide gross, while Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, et al. joyously sang ABBA songs to the tune of $27.7 million on weekend one in America and, ultimately $610 million across the globe. Money, money, money, it’s so funny … indeed.

Avatar vs. Did You Hear About The Morgans?
Avatar | Official Trailer (HD) | 20th Century FOX

Did you hear about the Morgans? Yes, we heard that Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant played them in one of the weakest rom-coms in their respective careers. How bad is it? Poor Parker has to milk a cow. Cue the laughs. Or not. debuted to $6.6 million in its opening weekend—December 18, 2009—and earned $85 million worldwide. Meanwhile, James Cameron’s little indie film, , which kicked off two days earlier, grossed $77 million, making it a hit rather than a blockbuster at first. And then it blew up into an international phenomenon that ultimately banked $785 million domestically, and $2.92 billion worldwide.

Mad Max: Fury Road vs. Pitch Perfect 2
Mad Max: Fury Road - Official Main Trailer [HD]

On May 15, 2015, Warner Bros. and Universal duked it out, with the former unleashing George Miller’s latest Mad Max adventure after decades of anticipation and the latter releasing the sequel to its surprise hit, music-driven comedy from 2012. So you had Tom Hardy vs. Anna Kendrick, and apocalyptic action against a capella awesomeness. Shockingly, decimated Fury Road, earning $69.2 million in its opening weekend to ’s $45.4 million. Fury Road, however, enjoyed broader franchise/brand recognition overseas, grossing $415.2 million worldwide to Pitch Perfect 2’s $287.5 cume. That said, it cost about five times more to make Fury Road than Pitch Perfect 2.

Cats vs. Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise Of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Final Trailer

It was a fait accompli that would trounce when both films arrived in theaters on December 20, 2019. But no one could’ve predicted just how purr-fectly pawful Tom Hooper’s big-screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway musical would be. Ian McKellen with whiskers? Judi Dench’s visible human hand! Against a nearly $100 million budget, it scratched out $6.6 million in its debut and $75 million total worldwide. A cat-astrophe. The Rise Of Skywalker (which opened in a handful of markets on December 18) hauled in $177.4 million and, ultimately, $1 billion across the galaxy. That sounds great, but it was $334 million less and almost $1 billion less than .

 
Join the discussion...