Controversy Shadows Japan's 'Barbie' Opening Amid Nuclear Memorials
The Japan opening of the film "Barbie" has been marred by controversy as an online petition gains traction, calling on Hollywood studios to disavow a grassroots marketing movement that made light of nuclear holocaust. The petition demands that Warner Bros and Universal Pictures halt the "Barbenheimer" hashtag, which has helped make the film a global blockbuster. Fans in Japan were particularly upset as the country prepares to mark the memorials of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Warner Bros Japan issued a rare public criticism of its parent company and later apologized. The controversy has also affected the film's promotional events, with the Japanese voice actress considering dropping out.
