Cillian Murphy In Barbie 2? Oppenheimer Star Is Down To Play A Ken In Sequel

Barbenheimer may not be done yet!

It's truly fascinating how films as seemingly disparate as "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" will forever be associated with one another in the zeitgeist. It's led to a ton of fun memes and fan-made posters, which undoubtedly helped in making one of the biggest box office weekends of all time. Of course, the casts of each movie got in on the fun, encouraging everyone to check out both films and support cinema. And if the stars align, a proper Barbenheimer mash-up may be on the horizon.

When the prospect of joining "Barbie 2" came up in an interview with Cinéfilos (later republished by People), Cillian Murphy, who plays the titular character in "Oppenheimer," responded, "Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure." He laughed and went on, "Let's read the script and let's have a conversation." Murphy couldn't wait to check out "Barbie," as he thinks the whole phenomenon is great for cinema, "Can't wait to see the movie. I think it's great for cinema. You know, you've got all these great movies happening this summer."

Barbenheimer is an undisputed success. "Barbie" had the highest opening weekend of any movie in 2023, grossing $162 million. "Oppenheimer," considering it's a three-hour, R-rated historical drama, didn't do too shabby either, with $82 million the same weekend. It's a success no matter which way you slice it, and Hollywood is always looking to capitalize on success. It's safe to say a sequel to "Oppenheimer" likely isn't in the cards, but "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig has mentioned how she wants a ton of sequels to the film. Gerwig will be busy in the foreseeable future with her "Chronicles of Narnia" movies for Netflix, but someone could take over the mantle and cast Cillian Murphy as a Ken in a follow-up. 

The question then becomes what kind of Ken the actor could play. Many different Kens materialize in "Barbie." Ryan Gosling plays Stereotypical Ken, basically the blueprint for all other Kens. Many other variations are seen, played by Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Ncuti Gatwa. Even John Cena shows up as a Ken Mermaid. Given the Barbenheimer meme, it would be fun to see "Barbie 2" play into that and make Murphy a Quantum Physics Ken or an Apocalypse Ken. Given how sad Oppenheimer is throughout much of the movie, he could always be BroKen (not to be confused with Bro Ken, who's always drinking a Natty Light).

Between Christopher Nolan movies and "Peaky Blinders," Murphy really hasn't had a chance to show off his silly side. "Barbie 2" could change that, and that's something we all deserve to see.