'Barbenheimer' takes Oscars by storm; Could 'Barbie' or 'Oppenheimer' prevail?
HOLLYWOOD, California -- Producers of Sunday's big Oscars show are promising a few cast reunions and "surprise cameos as well." They want the ceremony to feel "joyous."
All five of the nominated songs will be performed including Ryan Gosling singing: "I'm just Ken" from "Barbie."
That movie was the biggest hit of last year and the film with the most nominations, "Oppenheimer" was also a huge success.
There's plenty of buzz about this battle of the blockbusters on Oscar's Red Carpet.
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You may remember in previous years the best picture winners were films that frankly not a lot of people had seen. Right? Well, that is not true this time.
One blockbuster was about a bomb, the other was about "Barbie" and both exploded at the box office simultaneously.
"The fact that they happened to be released at the same time made it that much more fun," said Joelle Garguilo, Eyewitness News Entertainment Reporter.
Garguilo is the new entertainment reporter at Eyewitness News.
She covered what came to be called "Barbenheimer."
"Everybody was talking about it where you felt you needed to be a part of it too. You wanted to be a part of it," she said.
All the excitement began in the calm days before actors went on strike, when those involved were just hoping for the best.
"I'm so nervous. I'm extremely nervous. I'm sweating all the time," said Greta Gerwig, Director, "Barbie."
The worldwide box office take for Gerwig's movie is now almost $1.5 billion, a total that is 10 times what it cost to make.
It became that rare movie that went beyond "must see" see and has become a true cultural phenomenon.
"Barbie" is nominated for eight Oscars, but "Oppenheimer" is up for 13.
The drama is heavily favored to win best picture after taking home the top prize at numerous previous awards shows.
"The academy is a serious awards body. They typically go for more serious fare, serious movies. Comedies don't typically get nominated at the Oscars. So the fact that 'Barbie' did so well is really impressive," said Chris Murphy, staff writer at "Vanity Fair."
Murphy is returning this year as Eyewitness News' Oscars expert.
What makes this year at the Oscars so exciting is so many of you have seen one or more of these movies.
The Oscar buzz is always louder when millions of fans have a stake in the outcome.
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