Margot Robbie rejected Oppenheimer producer's Barbie release request

Margot Robbie turned down an 'Oppenheimer' producer's request to shift the 'Barbie' release date.

The two summer blockbusters were an unlikely pair at the box office earlier this year as they dropped on the same day in July, but she admitted she was asked to use her influence to move the date for Greta Gerwig's film.

Speaking to 'Oppenheimer' star Cillian Murphy for Variety's 'Actors on Actors' feature, she said: "One of your producers, Chuck Roven, called me, because we worked together on some other projects.

“And he was like, ‘I think you guys should move your date.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving our date. If you’re scared to be up against us, then you move your date.’

"And he’s like, ‘We’re not moving our date. I just think it’d be better for you to move.’ And I was like, ‘We’re not moving!' ”

Neither film budged, leading to the 'Barbenheimer' craze with fans flocking to the cinema to see both movies despite them being seen as polar opposites.

'Barbie' became Warner Bros top earning film of all time with $1.4 billion worldwide, while 'Oppenheimer' became the most successful biopic ever with takings of $950 million around the world.

Margot was glad things worked out that way, and she pointed to the talent of respective directors as a reason for the high interest in both projects.

She added: "It’s a perfect double billing… Clearly, the world agreed. Thank God. The fact that people were going and being like, ‘Oh, watch Oppenheimer first, then Barbie.'

I was like, ‘See? People like everything.’ People are weird… I think they were also really excited by the filmmakers.

"People were itching for the next Chris Nolan film and itching for the next Greta Gerwig film. To get them at the same time was exciting.”