Barbie Concept Design Transforms Oppenheimer Star Cillian Murphy Into Ken

Barbenheimer is a phenomenon that likely won't be replicated for quite some time. During this period, which saw audiences celebrate the simultaneous July 21 release of contrasting blockbusters "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," fans across social media found their own ways to commemorate the experience. One artist even went as far as giving the main star of Christopher Nolan's chilling epic a fantastic plastic makeover. 

The piece, created by Instagram artist @renderdriver, envisions actor Cillian Murphy as none other than Ken from "Barbie," using the viral template generator that allows anyone to insert themselves into the "Barbie" poster. Barbie's airhead beach-loving companion is a far cry from Murphy's take on tormented physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, but that irony is part of what makes the piece so deliciously irresistible. It's obvious the "Batman Begins" star's face has been cut out and photoshopped onto a body that isn't his, but the artist makes up for this by using one of Murphy's goofier expressions to fit the (no pun intended) tongue-in-cheek tone that much of the marketing for "Barbie" capitalized on. The artist later made a similar piece placing Margot Robbie's Barbie — still sporting her stylish pink fashion sense, of course — into the grim world of "Oppenheimer." 

Part of what makes these over-the-top mashups so amusing is that they are likely the closest we'll ever see these vastly differing worlds collide. But that doesn't mean the door to that possibility is closed entirely. 

While "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" rank amongst the three highest-grossing releases of the year, the former was the box office champion, earning well over $1.4 billion worldwide and becoming the 14th highest-grosser of all time. As is the case in Hollywood, such success is a launch pad for potential sequel talk. While it's unknown if Margot Robbie and company will return for a new adventure in Barbieland, we know that Cillian Murphy isn't opposed to joining the action. 

In an interview with Omeleteve, Murphy is asked if he'd be open to playing a Ken should "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig knock on his door. "Sure, yeah. Let's read the script, let's have a conversation," Murphy said. "I can't wait to see ['Barbie']. I can't wait to see the movie. I think it's great for cinema to get all these great movies happening this summer." Murphy's answer should be an exciting prospect to fans such as @renderdriver, who, up until now, have only envisioned Murphy's Ken through fan art. 

While Mattel is certainly not slowing down on cashing in on the success of "Barbie," Gerwig stated that she wants to take some time before committing to a follow-up, telling Entertainment Tonight prior to the film's release, "Honestly, I'm just focused on getting this one out and crossing all my fingers and toes. And then we'll see what happens after that." Should a "Barbie" sequel manifest into reality, casting Murphy might be the closest it will get to recreating the Barbenheimer phenomenon.