Warner Bros US offers ‘sincere apology’ after Japan criticised Barbenheimer memes

Warner Bros U.S. has recently offered sincere “apology” after Japan hit out at US Studio over Barbenheimer memes featuring atomic bombs that caused uproar online

“Warner Brothers regrets its recent insensitive social media engagement. The studio offers a sincere apology,” read a statement issued by Warner Bros in the US via Deadline.

The outlet pointed out that the “offending tweets are being deleted”.

On July 30, Warner Bros. Japan criticised studio over the Barbenheimer tweets, saying, “We consider it extremely regrettable that the official account of the American headquarters for the movie ‘Barbie’ reacted to the social media postings of ‘Barbenheimer’ fans.”

“We take this situation very seriously. We are asking the U.S. headquarters to take appropriate action. We apologise to those who were offended by this series of inconsiderate reactions. Warner Bros Japan,” added the statement.

It is reported that #NoBarbenheimer has recently been trending in Japan after many Twitter users were disturbed by online memes with images trivialising nuclear weapons and the devastating fallout of the bomb on the country and citizens of Japan.

In a now-deleted tweet re-shared on Barbie official account, the meme made by one fan showed Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy carrying Barbie star Margot Robbie on his shoulder in the foreground as nuclear flames engulf the background, with Warner Bros replied, “It’s going to be a summer to remember.”

One wrote, “I absolutely can't condone the act of jokingly spreading tweets that make fun of the atomic bombing that killed so many people in Japan. I strongly demand that the related tweets be immediately retracted and deleted. #Berbenheimer #NoBarbenheimer”