(UPDATE 1) Warner Bros. apologizes for positive response to images linking “Barbie,” A-bomb

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:41 JST, August 1, 2023 (updated at 19:20 JST)

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., the distributor of the movie “Barbie,” apologized Tuesday for the positive response from the film’s official U.S. social media account to online posts that combine the famous doll with images resembling the mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb.

Barbie,” a live-action movie about the world of the doll, and the film “Oppenheimer,” which depicts the life of a scientist who helped develop the atomic bomb, were both released on July 21 in the United States.

Images have been created by third parties that combine the main Barbie character with a mushroom cloud, and the official U.S. account responded positively to these images when they were posted on social media.

The posts have drawn criticism in Japan, and Warner Bros. Japan LLC said it apologized to those who felt badly as a result of the U.S. company’s inconsiderate actions.

“Barbie” is scheduled to be released in Japan on Aug. 11.