Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has claimed that the blockbuster films Barbie and Oppenheimer, which released on the same day in 2023 and created the sensational event dubbed Barbenheimer, would have performed equally well on Netflix. He emphasized that both movies would have attracted a large audience on the streaming platform, similar to their box office success. Barbie became the 14th best-performing film of all time with $1.45 billion, while Oppenheimer grossed an impressive $974 million. Sarandos underscored that the quality and appeal of movies do not hinge entirely on the screen size they are viewed on. Box office analysts were also amazed by the impact of these films on the industry, though it remains speculative whether their success could have been replicated on Netflix.

Would Barbie and Oppenheimer have been equally successful if they were Netflix releases?

According to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, both Barbie and Oppenheimer would have enjoyed just as large an audience on Netflix as they did in theaters, although this claim remains speculative without concrete evidence.

Both Barbie and Oppenheimer are unique in their own rights. Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, became known for its satirical take on the iconic doll and captured a wide demographic, while Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan, offered a deep dive into the historical figure behind the atomic bomb. The success of these films was also influenced by the clever marketing and timing, which created the cultural phenomenon "Barbenheimer."