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The same-day release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has sparked a frenzy on social media in recent weeks. But as cotton candy plastic pop meets death, destroyer of worlds on Friday 21 July, it’s worth pointing out that, incredibly, this has happened before. Fifteen years ago on 18 July 2008, dark versus light had another box office showdown, when Nolan’s The Dark Knight was released on the same day as Abba-inspired musical sensation Mamma Mia! Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Of course, social media was a very different beast back then. We can only dream of what the meme machine would have churned out with Christian Bale’s foreboding Batman and Amanda Seyfreid’s bride-to-be Sophie. Or what about Heath Ledger’s terrifying Joker and Pierce Brosnan’s smooth-as-you-like Sam Carmichael? The Dark Knight won the opening weekend by some distance, bringing in $158.4m in ticket sales compared to $27.7m for Mamma Mia! However, the Abba extravaganza clawed back some ground in the end, earning $611m in total, though still far less than The Dark Knight’s $1bn. Of course, theatre fans will point to the resounding success of Mamma Mia! the musical, which is the second-most successful production of all time with $4bn in total revenue, only lagging behind The Phantom Of The Opera. And beyond the numbers, news outlet Vulture even positioned the event as a good versus evil, light versus dark battle “for the soul of America” ahead of opening weekend. Sounds familiar, right? “It’s tempting to look at this weekend, in fact, as a mandate on how Americans feel about the state and future of our great nation,” the publication wrote at the time. “Is America optimistic? Do we essentially view ourselves as attractive, tan actresses frolicking on the beach to ABBA songs? Or is the soul of America chaotic and violent, like the deranged anti-hero whose electrifying presence animates The Dark Knight?” Twitter users tried to give the 15-year-old film pairing the Barbenheimer treatment. One person wrote: “Just realised the dark knight/mamma mia release day could have been called “Abbatman”. Why wasn’t I on Twitter in 2008?” It’s too early to say which of Barbie or Oppenheimer will come out on top on their opening weekend – though analysts have predicted a win for the former. But with the films hitting cinemas on 21 July, we don’t have long until we find out. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Many parents could be left scrambling to find child care once a $24 billion pandemic relief program expires at the end of this month.

Jarrod Bowen feels like he has returned to the England set-up in the form of his life as the West Ham forward prepares fulfil a childhood dream of playing at Wembley. Having come through at Hereford and flourished at Hull, the 26-year-old is well on the way to club great status at the London Stadium. Bowen fired the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory in June’s unforgettable final against Fiorentina and has shone in the early stages of this season, scoring five in nine appearances. That form helped the forward to earn his first England call-up since September 2022, shortly before signing a new deal until 2030 at the London Stadium. “A really special week,” Bowen said. “Obviously got the call on Thursday before our European game so had that. Won that game out there, which was nice. “Then the new deal was sorted over the weekend, so a really special four days. “I’ve always wanted to be back so to get the opportunity to be selected again is something I’m really grateful for.” Bowen’s four England appearances to date came during the worst international camp of Gareth Southgate’s largely successful reign. The 26-year-old featured in all four Nations League matches in June 2022, starting the 1-0 away loss to Hungary and 4-0 Molineux mauling against the same opposition. Bowen remained in the squad that September but did not play, and his return did not come until this month’s double-header against Australia and Italy. “The way I started this season I’m probably playing the best football that I’ve played in my career,” Bowen said. “I’ve had those experiences of Europe. It’s a bit different to when I came (before). “I’m a dad now, so I’m in a different kind of place, you just feel a bit more mature. I feel in a really good place and to be back here, I’m really grateful for it.” Southgate has indicated Bowen will play in Friday’s Wembley friendly against Australia, allowing him to fulfil his ambition of stepping out under the arch. “That would be the ultimate,” he said. “I have got four caps and I am massively grateful for them but that Wembley one… “As a little boy you dream of playing for your country and you never think it is going to happen but now I am here I want to play at Wembley and hopefully I get the opportunity to do so.” Bowen got the nod in a highly competitive area of the squad, with 82-cap forward Raheem Sterling among those to miss out. Little wonder, then, that he is determined to make the most out this chance to earn a spot at next summer’s Euros, especially after the disappointment of watching the World Cup in Qatar from afar. Asked if missing out on the squad motivates him for Germany next summer, Bowen said: “Yeah, but I think you’ve also got to look at the squad that’s here as well. “Just being named in the squad was an honour for me. To play the games I played and to be named in another squad before the World Cup was, again, another honour. “I was disappointed to miss out but I had to deal with it and all I could do is keep playing football to a level that I know that I can play at and everything will take care of itself.” Read More Rob Page against Wales games moving to Principality Stadium ahead of Euro 2028 Man City boss Gareth Taylor says communication key to improving officiating Dawid Malan thrilled to ‘keep silencing people’ with World Cup hundred FA chief Mark Bullingham: Critical the whole country feels involved in Euro 2028 Garry Cook vows to make Birmingham ‘a powerhouse’ amid Wayne Rooney reports Catalans win in Grand Final would ‘make huge noise around the world’ – McNamara

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