Golden Globes, Jo Koy prepares to toast 'Barbenheimer'

LOS ANGELES, United States — Organizers of the newly reformed Golden Globes hope that a "Barbenheimer" love-in can help to revitalize Hollywood's famously fun-loving but scandal-dogged awards gala on Sunday.

Kicking off prize-giving season from the usual swanky Beverly Hills ballroom, the Globes boast new owners and new voters — and have plenty of box-office gold to toast.

The show is expected to celebrate "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" — two movies that wowed critics and audiences alike when they were released simultaneously last summer, and have a whopping 17 nominations between them.

"They are so different than each other, yet they were both successful... We're thrilled that they're both very represented here," said this year's Globes producer Glenn Weiss. "It's been a big reset for the Globes."

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," which turned nostalgia for the beloved doll into a sharp satire about misogyny and female empowerment, leads the way with nine nods.

It is tipped to win the Globes for best comedy film and best screenplay, and boasts three of the six contenders for best song. As the year's highest grossing movie, it is also likely to claim a newly created award for box office achievement.

Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" — the other half of last summer's viral cinematic phenomenon — tells the story of the inventor of the atomic bomb, and has eight nominations.

The favorite to win awards for best drama film, best director, and best score, "Oppenheimer" focuses on the rivalry between a brilliant scientist and a powerful politician, played by Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. respectively.

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They are strong contenders for best lead drama actor and supporting actor.

'Party'

The Globes — which for decades have offered huge publicity and a timely boost to Oscars hopefuls — will be under scrutiny as they aim to bounce back from years of declining audiences.

Allegations of corruption and racism led to an industry boycott in recent years. The show was taken off air entirely in 2022, and several A-listers skipped last year's edition.

Since then, the rowdy, obscure group of Los