Warner Bros. has released an apology for the official Barbie Movie account's response to Barbenheimer memes featuring atomic bomb images, BBC reports.
The controversial images showed Margot Robbie with a mushroom cloud hairstyle, and the account replied "This Ken is a stylist". After which #NoBarbenheimer started trending on social media in response.
The memes also included images of Cillian Murphy, who played Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb," carrying Ms. Robbie through a burning city. The official account's response was "It's going to be a summer to be remembered", which only worsened the situation.
In a statement, Warner Bros. Japan expressed deep regret for the American headquarters' social media engagement and later issued a sincere apology.
Twitter (now rebranded as X) has added community notes to original posts, which highlight the historical context of the atomic bomb attacks on Japan. The death tolls estimate that Hiroshima lost around 140,000 of its 350,000 population, and Nagasaki recorded at least 74,000 casualties.
Hiroshima's spokesperson emphasized the importance of spreading knowledge about the impact of nuclear bombs and survivors' hope for nuclear disarmament.
The film "Oppenheimer" is yet to announce its release date in Japan. Barbie's release in Japan is scheduled for August 11, just five days after the 78th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima.
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