The real hit of the summer? “Oppenheimer.”

In one week, the three hour movie about scientist talking through how to build a bomb has made $117 in the US and another $124 million abroad.

Everyone’s going to see it, not just art house audiences.. Even celebrities are plunking down their 20 bucks. Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg were each spotted in East Hampton. Blythe Danner went to the Sag Harbor Cinema. I’m sure there are many more instances.

Of course, “Oppenheimer” is an A plus movie. It deserves all the accolades and attention. But without the Barbenheimer marketing, it would not have been so much. “Oppenheimer” smartly piggy backed on “Barbie,” making the experience of seeing them in one sitting an event. It’s kind of a once in a lifetime thing in cross-referencing two very different movies.

“Oppenheimer” will play well through Labor Day, ease off, and come back in the late fall for awards season. Christopher Nolan’s film could pick up nominations in every Oscar category easily. Winning isn’t the issue right now. But it’s a helluva story for future schedules.

No one could have foreseen this disaster.

Last summer, the whole movie season was about Tom Cruise saving theaters with “Top Gun Maverick.”

But what a difference a year makes. “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are booming after just 1 week, adding theaters and breaking records.

But “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” is sitting there like a lox. Today, Paramount is withdrawing it from 1,300 theaters in its 3rd week. Total box office is around $125 million, a fraction of what the studio — and frankly what all of us — thought would happen.

To make matters worse “Dead Reckoning” is Part 1. With these results, there’s legitimate fear about how to gin up excitement about the sequel which is due next summer. The price tag for Part 1 is said to be about $300 million because of well, everything involved. The total price for both movies could be $400 million or more.

So far, the worldwide gross for Part 1 is around $400 million with most that from foreign countries.

It isn’t like Part 1 didn’t get good reviews. Critics loved it, and audiences that saw it did, too. But it was all about timing. According to insiders, Paramount was scared that “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” would be a massive hit, so they stayed away from July 4th weekend thinking Indy’s second weekend would be a monster.

As it turned out, “Dial of Destiny” made no impact in its second weekend and July 4th was wasted. By the time “Mission Impossible” launched, “Barbenheimer” was looming. Indeed “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were so well marketed together and apart, that they moved in on Part 1’s territory fast. And now those two have eaten up IMAX theaters, regular theaters, and audience disposable income.

What will happen to “Dead Reckoning Part Two”? Post-production is underway, but there had better be some surprises — like some characters rising from the dead maybe? Let’s hope there’s a plot twist of all time!

“Barbie” is rocking.

After six days (including previews), the doll house is shakin’ with $214 million. Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Greta Gerwig are raking in the dough now as the world wide total has jumped over $400 million.

Tuesday’s number in the US was $26 million, same as Monday’s. Usually Tuesday numbers are higher than Monday. But maybe they’re just selling out all their shows and that’s the best they can do during the week.

“Barbie” is plastic and fantastic, that’s for sure.

PS The soundtrack album is number 1. And a track from it, Ryan Gosling singing “I’m Just Ken,” is number 51 on iTunes!