Few may be brave enough to acknowledge it, but the cultural fallout of the Barbenheimer phenomenon was written in the stars. After the world indulged the Christopher Nolan-Greta Gerwig double feature for the sake of the meme, it was only a matter of time before the denizens of the internet began scouring the world’s many release calendars in hopes of identifying the next hilariously dissonant double-feature, many of which come nowhere near the specific, curious incongruity that Oppenheimer and Barbie birthed together.
And that sentiment remains true for one such alarm sounded right before Barbenheimer weekend of all things, specifically the Sept. 29 release date that franchise horror feature Saw X shares with PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Indeed, “Saw Patrol” may be an instance of a Barbenheimer wannabe trying too hard, but of all the double-feature hopefuls that have spawned in the aftermath of the Nolan-Gerwig one-two punch, it’s probably safe to say that this one has the most legs (both figuratively and literally, given the number of four-legged protagonists in The Mighty Movie and what will probably be a severed limb or five in Saw X).
But, despite the quasi-marketable contrast between Saw X and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, it’s infinitely safe to assume that Saw Patrol won’t make a fraction of the impact that Barbenheimer did.
Firstly, there’s the simple fact that Saw Patrol, like many other double-feature memes pointed out by the internet over the last few weeks, is entirely derivative of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, and it’s that exact, inorganic, almost hacky nature of Saw Patrol’s nuances that will almost certainly make it a far less-enticing double feature right out of the gate.
And that’s all without considering the nature of the two films themselves, both of which occupy much more niche territory than the Barbenheimer features. Different though they are, Barbie and Oppenheimer are both extremely high-quality blockbusters that most any adult moviegoer could plug into and greatly enjoy; a fact that exists independently of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, but also one that was certainly helpful for those participating in the double feature.
The same can’t be said about Saw X and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. The Saw franchise is well-established as one of the more gruesome and gory horror franchises out there, at once shutting out many a possible patron and effectively ensuring that the Saw X audience will be comprised of already dedicated – and desensitized – Saw fans, plus a possible handful of curious newcomers who aren’t burdened by any palpable squeamishness. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, meanwhile, certainly wouldn’t be a hard watch for the same reasons that Saw X would be, but given that it’s aimed at very young children – as the IP it’s based on is – it’s hard to imagine any adult tuning into The Mighty Movie and getting any mileage out of viewing it, with the possible exception being those who are pathologically dedicated to the Saw Patrol meme.
Nice try, Paramount, but you’ll be hard-pressed to see much of a return on the coattails of Barbenheimer; good luck to your movies all the same, though.