After a three-year hiatus from filmmaking, Christopher Nolan is back this summer with Oppenheimer, his twelfth film.
Oppenheimer will see Nolan return for the second time in his career to historical storytelling, after the success of 2017’s Dunkirk, another period drama set during World War II.
Nolan will also reunite with frequent collaborators Cillian Murphy, who has worked with the director on several previous projects, as well as cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Tenet) and composer Ludwig Göransson (Tenet).
Everything You Should Know Before Seeing Oppenheimer
Whether you have been following the buzz around this film or you are just looking for a major summer blockbuster to watch, here is some background information to prepare you for Oppenheimer.
Christopher Nolan
Nolan is widely recognized as one of the most significant filmmakers of the twenty-first century. He’s known, in particular, for his brand of philosophical blockbuster storytelling.
Nolan’s career began with 1998’s Following, a low-budget paranoid thriller set on the streets of London. He first captured a wide audience with 2000’s Memento, a mystery film for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Insomnia followed in 2002, but Nolan would cement his status as one of the most iconic directors of the century with The Dark Knight trilogy (2005-2012), which has since been recognized by critics and audiences as the standard of superhero filmmaking.
Nolan’s other works include Inception (2010), Interstellar (2012), Dunkirk (2017), and Tenet (2020). Nolan’s films have garnered widespread critical acclaim and box office success.
Movie Plot
Oppenheimer focuses on the work of the American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was instrumental in the development of the first atomic bomb and spearheaded the Manhattan Project during World War II.
The film is based on the 2005 biography about Oppenheimer titled “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
As he has done with several of his previous films, Nolan shot Oppenheimer in large-format film. In this case, it was a mixture of IMAX and standard 65mm, including sections shot on IMAX black-and-white film. The film will premiere with IMAX and analog screenings on both 35mm and 70mm formats across the country.
Runtime
With a runtime of three hours, Oppenheimer will be Nolan’s longest film to date.
Rating
Oppenheimer received an R rating due to sexuality, nudity, and language, meaning it is not suitable for younger audiences.
Theater Release Date
Oppenheimer will be widely released in the U.S. and the UK on July 23, 2023. Nolan has been one of the most vocal proponents of theatrical releases, so the movie will be released exclusively in theaters.
Streaming Options
Though no official announcements have been made, because the film is produced by Universal Pictures, Oppenheimer is expected to be available on Peacock. However, it will not be released on any streaming service until after its theatrical run.
Oppenheimer Official Trailer
The official trailer below gives us a look into the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, highlighting his brilliance, moral dilemmas, and the consequences of his atomic bomb research.
Cast & Crew
The cast is led by frequent Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy, known for his work in Peaky Blinders, Batman Begins, Inception, and 28 Days Later. Here’s a look at some of the other cast members:
- Cillian Murphy: J. Robert Oppenheimer
- Emily Blunt: Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer
- Matt Damon: Leslie Groves Jr.
- Robert Downey Jr.: Lewis Strauss
- Florence Pugh: Jean Tatlock
- Olivia Thirlby: Lilli Hornig
- Benny Safdie: Edward Teller
- Gary Oldman: Harry S. Truman
- Michael Angarano: Robert Serber
- Josh Hartnett: Ernest Lawrence
- Kenneth Branagh: Niels Bohr
- Dylan Arnold: Frank Oppenheimer
- David Krumholtz: Isidor Isaac Rabi
- Matthew Modine: Vannevar Bush
- Jack Quaid: Richard Feynman
- Josh Peck: Kenneth Bainbridge
The cast also includes Dane DeHaan, Rami Malek, Alden Ehrenreich, Casey Affleck, and Jason Clarke in unknown roles.
The crew members include:
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Writers: Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird, Martin Sherwin
- Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven
- Cinematographer: Hoyte van Hoytema
- Composer: Ludwig Göransson
- Production Companies: Universal Pictures, Syncopy Inc., Atlas Entertainment
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