Theater counts: Barbenheimer finally blasts into theaters, but Mission Impossible still widest release

July 20, 2023

The long awaited release of Barbie and Oppenheimer is finally here. The pair, fondly referred to by the moniker, “Barbenheimer” is poised to headline one of the biggest movie-going weekends in a few years. As different as two films could possibly be, the duo will undoubtedly make their imprint on the Summer movie-going season. Barbie will start out in 4,243 theaters, while Oppenheimer will launch in 3,610 locations across North America. For one more week however, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One will remain the most widely available film, showing in 4,321 venues.

As this week’s second-widest release, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie features Margot Robbie as the iconic doll, with Ryan Gosling playing the role of stereotypical Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend. In Barbieland, all the women are self-confident and successful. To be a Barbie is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. The fantasy comedy co-stars a plethora of superstar talent including Will Ferrell, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Alexandra Shipp, while screen legend Helen Mirren narrates.

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer chronicles the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the central figure in developing the world’s first nuclear weapons. Available on both traditional and IMAX screens, the film features Cillian Murphy as the namesake physicist, while also co-starring an array of big name Hollywood actors portraying various historical figures in Oppenheimer’s life. The feature is billed as being an intense cinematic experience about the central figures of the Manhattan Project.

Rounding out the top five for this week is the film that keeps surprising everyone at the box office in the child trafficking thriller, Sound of Freedom. Crossing the $100 million mark on Wednesday, the movie keeps posting solid numbers every day. Lastly, occupying the spot as the fifth widest release this week is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, still widely available in 2,885 movie houses.

Looking ahead to next week we see the release of supernatural horror-comedy, Haunted Mansion. The film from Walt Disney is expected to begin its theatrical run in approximately 3,700 theaters. Also opening next week is the horror feature from A24 in Talk to Me.

Theater Counts for July 21

Estimates for July 28