How Robert Pattinson influenced the making of Oppenheimer

Chris Tilly
Robert Pattinson in Tenet

Oppenheimer is one of the most eagerly anticipated blockbusters of the summer, and this week, Christopher Nolan has revealed that Robert Pattinson was a massive influence on the movie.

Oppenheimer hits screens on July 21, 2023, when it goes toe-to-toe with Barbie at the global box office.

The film is Christopher Nolan’s first biopic, revolving around J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his efforts to split the atom and change the cruse of WWII.

According to Nolan, Robert Pattinson was a big influence on the making of the movie, with a gift helping to inspire the writer-director’s efforts.

How Robert Pattinson influenced the making of Oppenheimer

In a new interview, Christopher Nolan has explained how and why Tenet star Robert Pattison helped precipitate the making of his new movie.

“Rob, off the back of Tenet – where we refer to Oppenheimer – and I had wrote a thing about this incredible moment that Oppenheimer and the scientist of the Manhattan Project had where they could not completely eliminate the possibility that when they triggered that first gadget, that first atomic device, they might start the chain reaction that would destroy the world,” Nolan explained in a YouTube interview.

“We used that as a metaphor for Tenet, which Rob was in. As a wrap gift, he gave me a book of Oppenheimer‘s speeches from the 1950s, where you’re reading these great intellects trying to deal with the massive consequences of the way in which they’ve changed life forever, for all of us.”

Why Robert Pattinson isn’t in Oppenheimer

When asked why Robert Pattinson isn’t in the movie, Nolan says that the Batman star is very much in demand these days, and was too busy to appear.

Here’s who is Oppenheimer’s star-studded cast, plus the real-life people they play:

  • Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer
  • Emily Blunt is Kitty Oppenheimer
  • Matt Damon is General Leslie Groves Jr.
  • Robert Downey Jr. is Lewis Strauss
  • Florence Pugh is Jean Tatlock
  • Benny Safdie is Edward Teller
  • Michael Angarano is Robert Serber
  • Josh Hartnett is Ernest Lawrence

As for story, here’s the official synopsis: “an epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.”

Oppenheimer is in cinemas now, and you can find more coverage below:

| Oppenheimer review | Epic runtime revealed | R-rating explained | Best way to watch Oppenheimer | Christopher Nolan on sex scenes | Cast and characters | Filming locations | True story explained | Is Oppenheimer streaming? | Nolan ranked by Rotten Tomato scoresIs it based on a book? | Age-gap controversy explained Robert Pattinson’s influence | How Oppenheimer died | Christopher Nolan explains strange script | Did Japan ban Oppenheimer? | Review roundup | Does Oppenheimer have a post-credits scene? | Who dies? | Box officeEnding explained |

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About The Author

Chris Tilly is the TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Newspaper Journalism, and over the last 20 years, he's worked for the likes of Time Out, IGN, and Fandom. Chris loves Star Wars, Marvel, DC, sci-fi, and especially horror, while he knows maybe too much about Alan Partridge. You can email him here: chris.tilly@dexerto.com.