Warner Bros. "Barbenheimer" Memes Spark Backlash in Japan, Studio Apologizes

The "Barbie" film and "Oppenheimer"-about the scientist who created the atomic bomb-went head-to-head in theaters, but fans combined them, turning "Barbenheimer" into a worldwide sensation.

The combination of the famous childhood icon with mushroom clouds in fan-made artwork, however, didn't sit well with social media users in the only nation to have been attacked by atomic weapons.

The hashtag "#NoBarbenheimer" became popular in Japan as a result of a backlash brought on by what Japanese media reported to be the film's official U.S. account's positive responses to various memes. Later, the comments were removed, as reported by CBS News.

According to some estimates, the two atomic bombs launched by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 directly caused the deaths of more than 200,000 people.

The Studio Apologizes

"Warner Brothers regrets its recent insensitive social media engagement," the company stated. "The studio offers a sincere apology."

The actors Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy, who portrayed the lead roles in their respective films, are pictured smiling in front of a nuclear explosion in screen captures published by the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun.

(Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) A woman takes a selfie with the logo at Warner Bros. World, the first-ever Warner branded indoor theme park, in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi on July 27, 2018. - The park officially opened to the public on July 25 after two years of construction.

The account captioned the images with the phrase "It's going to be a summer to remember" and a kissy face emoji.

A mushroom cloud was drawn around Robbie's head in a piece of artwork that was shared by another user.

Warner Bros. issued a rare criticism in response to the popular photographs and comments. The Japanese distributor stated in its post that "Barbenheimer" is not an official promotion.

The two movies, "Barbie" by Warner Bros. and "Oppenheimer" by Universal, were released simultaneously on July 21. As a result of American moviegoers flocking to theaters for a double feature, $93 million and $46.7 million were made this past weekend, respectively, according to Box Office Mojo.

The day following the anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on August 11, the Greta Gerwig-directed film "Barbie" is slated for release in Japan. The release date for Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in Japan has not yet been confirmed.

Nuclear War in Japan Remains a Sensitive Topic

The backlash against Barbie and Oppenheimer is a reminder of the sensitivity of the topic of nuclear war in Japan. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a defining moment in Japanese history, and the country still bears the scars of those bombings. As a result, any discussion of nuclear war is likely to be met with strong emotions in Japan.

It remains to be seen how the backlash against Barbie and Oppenheimer will affect the box-office performance of the two films in Japan. However, it is clear that the backlash has already had a negative impact on the way that films are perceived in the country.