Summary
- Amy Schumer jokes about missing out on the role of Kitty Oppenheimer in the film Barbenheimer, stating that she "really enjoyed" the movie and believes she should have played that role instead. She adds a tongue-in-cheek critique of Hollywood.
- Schumer was originally set to play the titular role in Barbie when it was being produced by Sony but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. The role eventually went to Anne Hathaway. Schumer comments positively about the new team behind the film.
- Barbie and Oppenheimer have become box office hits, exceeding expectations and bringing in impressive opening weekend numbers. Barbie grossed $155 million domestically and $182 million internationally, while Oppenheimer grossed $80.5 million in the United States and Canada.
In a parallel universe where Barbieland is not graced by Margot Robbie's Barbie, actress and comedian Amy Schumer would have taken the titular role of the iconic doll. Now, as Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie is smashing the box office and making history as one of the biggest opening weekends in the industry, Schumer is coining her two cents on the Barbenheimer double feature event.
As the date for the premiere of both Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer approached, anticipation among fans worldwide built up. Barbenheimer, as fans called it, has become the event of the summer as fans make their way to the theaters in either pink or black outfits to support both films. As the film duo become box office hits and a viral trend in social media, other celebrities have shown their support and participation in the double feature event. The latest to jump on the bandwagon is Schumer, who was involved in one of the earliest versions of what would later become Gerwig's film.
In a typical Schumer post on Instagram, the comedian joked that while she "really enjoyed" Barbie and Oppenheimer, she thinks she should've played Kitty Oppenheimer— Emily Blunt's role in the film— the wife of Cillian Murphy's J. Robert Oppenheimer. "Do better Hollywood," Schumer wrote in her Instagram post. Although Schumer has never been reportedly attached to Nolan's Oppenheimer, she was almost involved in Barbie.
Schumer was tapped to play the titular role when Barbie was being produced by Sony in 2016. At the time, the film was described as a fresh-out-of-water story about a Barbie kicked out of Barbieland for not being perfect enough. Four months later, Schumer dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts, and the role of Barbie went to Anne Hathaway. However, Warner Bros. Eventually produced the movie, with Robbie in the starring role and serving as a producer and Gerwig as a writer and director.
As excitement toward Barbie kept rising, it was revealed to the public that Schumer almost played the doll. In an interview last month, Schumer admitted that she exited the project due to creative differences. "There's like a new team behind it, and it looks like it's very feminist and cool, so I will be seeing that movie," the comedian told Andy Cohen. She also commented on how excited she was about the film and how it looked "awesome."
Barbenheimer premiered in theaters last Friday, and both movies have exceeded their respective expectations on box office grossing, proving their status as blockbuster movies and bringing one of the best opening weekends for theaters since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Barbie grossed around $162 million at the domestic box office and an additional $194.3 million internationally. It was expected to collect $110 million in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, Oppenheimer grossed $82.4 million in the United States and Canada, smashing its $50 million opening weekend expectations.
Barbie and Oppenheimer are now playing in theaters.
Source: Amy Schumer, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen