TWO of the year's most eagerly-anticipated films, Barbie and Oppenheimer, were officially released on Friday, July 21. 

Cinemas across Cumbria premiered the critically-acclaimed duo on Friday following months of hype across the internet in anticipation of their simultaneous release. 

The 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon came about as a result of their vastly differing tones, and people across the world have been sharing their plans for watching both as part of a highly-contrasting double bill. 

Greta Gerwig's comedy/drama stars Australian actress Margot Robbie as the eponymous Barbie, with Ryan Gosling featuring as Ken, as the duo discover the joys and perils of living among humans after spending their lives in Barbie Land. 

In a completely diametrical release, Christopher Nolan's epic biographical thriller tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who spent years developing and designing the atomic bomb during World War Two. 

Cillian Murphy stars alongside Hollywood big-hitters such as Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Florence Pugh in this three-hour epic. 

With the summer holidays now in session for children in Cumbria, trips to the cinema will certainly be on a lot of families' to-do lists, although Barbie might be the more suitable of the two options for a younger audience. 

Vue Cinema in Carlisle featured more than 40 combined showings of the two films over the weekend, with Barbie on the screen more than 10 times a day throughout the week as well, and the city centre may be your best option.

The Alhambra Cinema features a more modest return of two or three showings a day for the next few weeks at least, so there is plenty of opportunity for those in Penrith to get their Barbenheimer fix. 

The Ritz Cinema in Workington has an equal split of Barbie and Oppenheimer for the significant future, with each film being shown three times a day, ranging from 12.30 pm the afternoon to 19.30 pm.

The films will also be shown on a regular basis at Golden Star Theatres in Maryport and the Gaiety Cinema in Whitehaven, as well as the new Parkway in Workington.

Wherever you live in Cumbria, your local cinema is sure to feature both of these hugely popular motion pictures.