The Brief

If you’re hanging out in downtown Burbank this weekend, you might run into a group of friends wearing a mix of bespoke suits and bright pink ensembles.

Ian Zandi has a tradition of getting his friends to dress up and go out for his birthday. In 2021, they dressed as Ryan Gosling. In 2022, it was Tom Hanks.

This year, his birthday weekend coincides with the release of two highly anticipated summer blockbuster films — “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” With his 30th birthday approaching, it was go big or go home.

He sent out a Facebook invite, “We all dress up and see BARBENHEIMER double feature.” The plan: to watch both movies back-to-back dressed as either a character from Barbie’s DreamHouse, or a far grittier WWII-era Los Alamos.

Zandi’s event is open to the public, but he’s definitely not the only person planning to view the movies together. As you may know by now, “Barbenheimer” is a full-blown internet phenomenon.

The Barbenheimer phenomenon

“I didn’t know they were using that specific phrase,” Zandi says. “It just happened by coincidence. I planned this a few months ago, I had no idea.”

“Barbie” is a feminist telling of the story behind the Mattel Barbie doll from indie director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women). “Oppenheimer” is a dark, historically-grounded drama on the man behind the Manhattan Project and invention of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, from director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar, Memento).

The two movies opened on July 21. This idea of two blockbuster films catered to different audiences being pitted against each other on opening weekend is not a novel concept. It actually has a name — counterprogramming.

But, despite their diametrically opposed aesthetics and themes, the hype behind the two films is deeply intertwined.

Social media is overrun with memes around Barbenheimer. Fans of Nolan v. Gerwig, the film-bros v. the girlies, and on top of it all the most important question: which one are you watching first?

Thousands of Americans have purchased their tickets to see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” opening weekend. AMC has reported that 40,000 of its reward members have tickets to both. After many dormant years at theaters, this weekend is headed to be one of the largest in recent history.

In L.A. — the home of Hollywood — the impact is apparent.

Tickets to see “Oppenheimer” in its intended IMAX 70mm at AMC Universal City and the TCL Chinese Theater (two of 30 theaters offering the format in the US) are sold out for the weekend, and beyond. “Barbie” is plastered on bright pink benches in the city, and there’s a real-life Barbie DreamHouse in Malibu on AirBnb.

Counterprogramming turned “complementary-programming”

Barbenheimer is the newest entry in the strategy of counterprogramming. Once relatively common, counterprogramming is when two studios release very different movies on the same weekend. The intended effect is to provide two distinct audiences a movie to see that weekend, driving up box office numbers on a whole. Stereotypically, it would look like pairing a high-octane action film with a girly romcom.

A popular example is the 2008 opening weekend of “The Dark Knight” and “Mamma Mia.” The two movies saw an epic box office battle — “The Dark Knight” won with $155.3 million, followed by “Mamma Mia” with a substantial $27.6 million.

However, over the past decade, counterprogramming has fell out of fashion. Some blame the towering popularity of superhero movies in the 2010s — particularly from Marvel — for decimating competition between other blockbusters. Additionally, with the pandemic’s blow to the theater industry, it’s no surprise that blockbusters are not often making it to movie screens on the same weekend.

But, Barbenheimer has brought counterprogramming back to theaters, at least for this summer. The two films come from competing studios — Barbie distributed by Warner Bros. and Oppenheimer by Universal. Yet, they’re a unique entry to the strategy’s cannon.

“We don't view it as a competition or counterprogramming. We view it more as complementary programming,” says Mia Lee Vicino, the West Coast Editor for Letterboxd, and a co-host of The Letterboxd Show podcast. (Letterboxd is a social media platform that hosts an online community of avid movie watchers.)

Unlike counterprogramming of the past, Barbenheimer has become a full-blown double feature. They’ve been grouped together as an inseparable viewing pair, instead of alternative film-going experiences.

On Letterboxd, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are neck and neck. Ahead of the release, 240,000 users had “Oppenheimer” on their watchlist, while 290,000 included “Barbie.”

How did Barbenheimer develop this shared fanbase?

“Comedy can come from incongruence,” explains Vicino. “Barbenheimer is simply funny.”

It’s true: the internet loves contrast. Think of those two neighboring houses in Santa Monica — one colorful, and the other completely black — that make their rounds online. (Yes, they are attached to a Barbenheimer meme now too.)

Beyond the humor, Vicino also cited Nolan and Gerwig’s reputation and their star-studded casts as drivers of popularity. Both directors are Oscar winners, and early reviews have awarded “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” with an 89 percent and 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively.

The industry has high hopes that this weekend’s face-off might be the jump start theaters across the country need. Nolan’s last film “Tenet,” released in 2021, saw dismal performance in the box office with viewers largely opting to view it on streaming. Movie theater attendance has long been facing a decline with people opting to stay home, even before the pandemic

Family-friendly Barbie is looking to rake in $110 million opening weekend, and Oppenheimer is expected to generate $50 million.

There’s no doubt that the online phenomenon around the films is what’s drawing people to the theaters.

“I think if it is successful — and I think it will be — studios will try and replicate it,” Zandi noted. “But, you can't replicate naturally what the audience wants.”

It’s unclear whether “complimentary programming” will stick around. Memes have already started to pop up pairing the upcoming winter releases of the whimsical “Wonka” movie starring Timothee Chalamet and the historical drama “Napoleon” starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Barbenheimer is set to have a dramatic impact on the industry, and could alter culture around going to theaters for the foreseeable future.

So, put on your sparkliest outfits or classiest fedora, and head to your local theater this weekend.

Air travelers in the U.S. without a REAL ID will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.

The updated ID has been required since May, but passengers without it have so far been allowed to clear security with additional screening and a warning. The Department of Homeland Security says 94% of passengers are already compliant and that the new fee is intended to encourage travelers to obtain the ID.

REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that meets enhanced requirements mandated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Obtaining the ID — indicated by a white star in a yellow circle in most states — means taking more documents to the motor vehicle agency than most states require for regular IDs. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been repeatedly delayed.

Beginning Feb. 1, travelers 18 and older flying domestically without a REAL ID and who don't have another accepted form of ID on them, such as a passport, will pay the non-refundable fee to verify their identity through TSA's alternative "Confirm.ID" system.

TSA officials said that paying the fee does not guarantee verification, and travelers whose identities cannot be verified may be turned away. If approved, however, the verification covers a 10-day travel period.

The fee can be paid online before arriving at the airport. Travelers can also pay online at the airport before entering the security line, but officials said the process may take up to 30 minutes.

The TSA initially proposed an $18 charge for passengers without a REAL ID, but officials said Monday they raised it after realizing the alternative identification program would cost more than anticipated.

Other acceptable forms of ID include military IDs, permanent resident cards and photo IDs from federally recognized tribal nations. TSA also accepts digital IDs through platforms such as Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet at more than 250 airports in the U.S.
Copyright 2025 NPR

A faith-based pregnancy center will come before the Supreme Court on Tuesday to challenge an investigation into whether it misled people to discourage abortions.

The facilities often known as "crisis pregnancy centers" have been on the rise in the U.S., especially since the Supreme Court's conservative majority overturned abortion as a nationwide right in 2022. Most Republican-controlled states have since started enforcing bans or restrictions on abortion, and some have steered tax dollars to the centers. They generally provide prenatal care and encourage women to carry pregnancies to term.

Many Democratic-aligned states have sought to protect abortion access and some have investigated whether pregnancy centers mislead women into thinking they offer abortions. In New Jersey, Democratic attorney general Matthew Platkin sent a subpoena to First Choice Women's Resource Centers for donor information.

First Choice pushed back, arguing the investigation was baseless and the demand for donor lists threatened their First Amendment rights. They tried to challenge the subpoena in federal court, but a judge found the case wasn't yet far enough along. An appeals court agreed.

First Choice then turned to the Supreme Court. Executive director Aimee Huber said she hopes the high court will rule in their favor and send a message that protects facilities like hers. "I would hope that other attorneys general who have prosecuted or harmed or harassed other pregnancy centers, or are considering that, would back off as a result of our legal battle," she said.

New Jersey counters that First Choice is seeking special treatment. The group hasn't even had to hand over any records since the judge overseeing the case hasn't ordered it. "The Subpoena itself does not require Petitioner to do anything, and compliance is entirely voluntary," state attorneys wrote in court documents.

If the Supreme Court sides with First Choice, it would "open the federal courts to a flood of litigation challenging myriad state and local subpoenas," they argued.

First Choice said access to federal court is important in cases where government investigators are accused of misusing investigative power. The American Civil Liberties Union joined the case in support of First Choice's free speech argument.

Erin Hawley, an attorney for the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, said subpoenas can hurt advocacy groups with unpopular points of view. "It is a broad non-ideological issue that really does transcend ideological boundaries," she said.
Copyright 2025 NPR

The game of musical chairs in the race to be California’s next governor lost another player last week.

After Democratic businessman Stephen Cloobeck — who was polling at below half a percent — dropped out of the race and endorsed Rep. Eric Swalwell on Monday, at least 10 candidates remain.

Voters are hardly to blame if the names don’t ring a bell. Though it’s wound on for more than a year now, the 2026 governor’s race remains unexpectedly wide open. In one poll released last month, 44% of surveyed voters did not have a preference for governor and no candidate polled above 15%.

The primary election is next June. Here’s a look at the field right now:

Xavier Becerra

If former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was looking for attention for his campaign, he found it in the form of negative headlines.

Last month, federal prosecutors indicted a Sacramento powerbroker in an alleged corruption scandal that rocked the state’s Democratic establishment. At its center? A dormant campaign account held by Becerra, from which prosecutors allege Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff Dana Williamson conspired with other political consultants to steal $225,000. Williamson is charged with helping to divert the funds to the wife of Becerra’s longtime aide, Sean McCluskie, who has pleaded guilty in the alleged scheme.

Becerra was California’s first Latino attorney general before serving as a cabinet secretary for former President Joe Biden. He is running primarily on a platform of lowering health care costs.

He has not been accused of wrongdoing in the case and has said he was unaware of what was happening. But it’s still possible the association — and the implication he wasn’t paying attention — will taint his campaign, already polling at just 8%.

The controversy is one of a few moments of intrigue in an otherwise quiet race.

Katie Porter

In October, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, a Democrat, was caught on camera trying to walk out of a TV interview with a reporter who pressed her on whether she needed Republican support in the race. A second video followed, showing Porter berating a staff member during a Zoom call. At the time considered the front-runner, she rode out the news cycle and later said she “could have done better” about the behavior in the videos, but they appeared to have dropped her approval ratings. She is essentially tied with the top Republican candidate.

Porter made a name for herself as one of a “blue wave” of female, Democratic lawmakers elected to Congress during the first Trump administration in 2018. A law professor at UC Irvine who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate last year, she gained attention for her tough questioning of corporate executives using her signature whiteboard.

Tom Steyer

Joining a wide field of other Democrats, billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer announced last month he is jumping into the race.

Then-Democratic presidential primary candidate Tom Steyer addresses a crowd during a party in Columbia, South Carolina, on Feb. 29, 2020.

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Sean Rayford

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Steyer, who made his fortune by founding a San Francisco hedge fund, has used his wealth to back liberal causes, including the environment. He’s never held public office before, but ran a short-lived campaign for president in 2020.

Chad Bianco

Pro-Trump Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is neck-and-neck with Porter in the polls, though he is unlikely to last near the top of the pack in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one and a GOP candidate hasn’t won a statewide seat in nearly 20 years.

The cowboy-hat-toting Bianco has heavily criticized Democratic governance. He argues for loosening regulations on businesses and says he wants to overturn California’s sanctuary law that restricts local police from cooperating with federal deportation officers.

Eric Swalwell

Other Democrats have focused on their biographies and experiences in government to try to distinguish themselves in a race where name recognition is low across the board. All have said they want to make California more affordable and push back on the Trump administration’s impact on the state.

Rep. Eric Swalwell speaks to reporters after a campaign event on Proposition 50 in San Francisco.

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Jeff Chiu

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Swalwell, a former prosecutor and Bay Area congressman, will likely lean heavily on his anti-Trump bonafides. He was one of several members of Congress appointed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to help lead the second Trump impeachment after the attempted Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and is now the latest Democrat under attack by the Trump administration over his mortgage.

Antonio Villaraigosa

Former Los Angeles mayor and former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa is among the more moderate of the Democratic field. He boasts of his time running the state’s largest city, during which he boosted the police force. He ran for governor unsuccessfully in 2018.

Betty Yee

Former state Controller Betty Yee emphasizes her experience with the state budget and the tax system, having been a top finance office in ex-Gov. Gray Davis’ administration and having sat on the state Board of Equalization.

Tony Thurmond

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, a Democrat, is the only candidate currently in a statewide seat. He emphasizes his background as a social worker who grew up on public assistance programs in a low-income family. He has stated an ambitious goal of building two million housing units on surplus state land.

Ian Calderon

Ian Calderon, a former Democratic Assembly majority leader, is emphasizing his relative youth. He was the first millennial member of the state Assembly, and is part of a Los Angeles County political dynasty. He has some ties to the cryptocurrency industry and has name-dropped it in ads and debates.

Steve Hilton

Republican Steve Hilton, a Fox News contributor, was an adviser for British conservative Prime Minister David Cameron before pivoting to American politics. Before launching his campaign he released a book this year calling California “America’s worst-run state.”

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.