Barbie bosses at Warner Bros apologise for reaction to atomic bomb memes amid 'Barbenheimer' craze
Barbie's studio Warner Bros US apologises for engaging in Barbenheimer memes
UNIVERSAL PICTURES/WARNER BROS
Warner Bros US has responded to criticism from its Japan-based counterpart following a series of tweets from the verified Barbie movie account.
The studios' Japan branch issued a furious statement of its own after seeing the Barbie account engage with 'Barbenheimer' memes.
The 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon has swept over social media in recent months and some fans went as far as to make their own photo edits of the two films, with many incorporating the atom bomb.
But in response to the Barbie account engaging with the memes, Warner Bros Japan said: "We consider it extremely regrettable that the official account of the American headquarters for the movie ‘Barbie’ reacted to the social media postings of ‘Barbenheimer’ fans.
"We take this situation very seriously. We are asking the US headquarters to take appropriate action.
"We apologise to those who were offended by this series of inconsiderate reactions. Warner Bros Japan," it concluded, prompting Warner Bros US to respond.
Margot Robbie as Barbie in the Greta Gerwig film
WARNER BROS
The official statement from Warner Bros reads: "Warner Brothers regrets its recent insensitive social media engagement. The studio offers a sincere apology."
It appears the tweets have since been deleted from the Barbie account.
The fallout from the incident led to the hashtag #NoBarbenheimer trending in Japan.
Several Twitter users in Japan slammed the memes and have been left offended by the imagery of mushroom clouds and explosions juxtaposed with playful Barbie pictures.
By responding to the memes, a number of users in Japan argued it was trivialising the use of the weapon and its devastating impact.
Oppenheimer's research and creation played a major part in two atom bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 1945.
The tweets have now been deleted but Culture Crave shared a screenshot of one meme which shows Cillian Murphy's character holding Margot Robbie's Barbie on his shoulder as they walk away from the inferno behind.
The Barbie Twitter account replied to the post: "It's going to be a summer to remember," alongside a series of playful emojis.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Margot Robbie as Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling's Ken
WARNER BROS
The online publication shared a number of other screenshots of now-deleted tweets from the Barbie Movie's verified account.
"This Ken is a stylist," was one response from the account as it replied to a photoshopped image of Robbie's Barbie with a "mushroom cloud for hair".
While a second screenshot showed Barbie's account responding to a fan suggesting Barbie is watched before Oppenheimer while including a photoshopped image of Robbie and Ryan Gosling's characters facing the impact of a bomb.
The account responded to the meme with the comment: "We're always thinking PINK."