Universal and Warner Bros.' decision to release their respective hit films, "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," on the same summer weekend proved to be a boon to the box office last year, with the former grossing more than $1 billion worldwide and the latter nearly that amount.
Oppenheimer won Barbenheimer
Does that mean anything for Sunday's Academy Awards on ABC?
The past few years haven't been kind to Oscar ratings, but that doesn't mean the Academy hasn't embraced films that were popular at the box office, which sometimes hasn't helped turn the tide.
Last year was a perfect example. The 2022 ceremony was marred by Will Smith’s infamous punch to Chris Rock before Smith won Best Actor for “King Richard,” making the show’s sudden ratings surge more embarrassing than impressive.
