Acclaimed director Christopher Nolan is back in the spotlight as his explosive new project, Oppenheimer, draws near. From a look at the star-studded cast to a breakdown of early plot details, here’s everything there is to know.
Approaching three years since Tenet hit the big screen, Nolan’s next ambitious project is now on the horizon as the modern auteur sets his sights on a period piece tackling World War II’s nuclear Manhattan Project, led by J. Robert Oppenheimer.
The highly anticipated movie is set to recount Oppenheimer’s journey in developing the most powerful tool of destruction the world had seen at the time, the atomic bomb: A pivotal weapon that shifted the tides of the second world war, but one that came with extreme casualty.
Although it’s still early days yet and we’ve only been given a glimpse at Nolan’s next epic, there’s still plenty to wrap your head around in the lead-up to Oppenheimer’s 2023 release.
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Oppenheimer film release date
At the time of writing, Oppenheimer is slated to release on Friday, July 21, 2023. While this date was locked in well ahead of time, it’s always worth bearing in mind that even the best-laid plans can be disrupted.
There are no signs of a delay just yet, but as we all know, there’s always a chance things are adjusted closer to launch. Rest assured, we’ll keep you updated with any changes to Oppenheimer’s targeted release date.
Oppenheimer film trailers
For the moment, just one Oppenheimer trailer has been shared online. Very little is shown throughout beyond a few brief snippets of black-and-white footage overlaid with quotes from supporting cast members. “The most important man who ever lived… the man who moved the Earth.”
The first offical trailer for Oppenheimer can be viewed here:
Oppenheimer plot details
Little is known about the exact direction of this particular project, though we do know it’s loosely set to mirror the retelling found in American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a 2005 biography.
This book covers much of Oppenheimer’s life story, not exclusively the Manhattan Project period in the 1940s. So there’s a chance Nolan’s film delves beyond the epochal moment itself, providing greater insight into the man that was Oppenheimer and what led to his career as a theoretical physicist.
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Based on early footage, it does appear the story will continue forward and cover the launch of the first atomic bomb itself, given a countdown timer signified the moment of impact in the initial trailer.
Oppenheimer full cast
Nolan is never one to shy away from an A-list heavy cast in his monumental projects and Oppenheimer is no different. Well over a dozen renowned actors are set to appear in some capacity as Cillian Murphy leads the story in Oppenheimer’s shoes.
First look at Robert Downey Jr. In Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer (via @totalfilm) pic.twitter.com/K0eQ0rwlLT
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 12, 2022
Emily Blunt serves as ‘Kitty’, his wife, while the likes of Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, and Kenneth Branagh are also set to appear. Below is a full rundown on the cast as it stands today.
- Cillian Murphy – J. Robert Oppenheimer
- Emily Blunt – Kitty Oppenheimer
- Florence Pugh – Jean Tatlock
- Robert Downer Jr. – Lewis Strauss
- Matt Damon – Leslie Groves Jr.
- Gary Oldman – Harry S. Truman
- Rami Malek – TBA
- Kenneth Branagh – TBA
- Jack Quaid – TBA
- Casey Affleck – TBA
- Olivia Thirlby – TBA
- James Remar – Henry Stimson
- Josh Hartnett – Ernest Lawrence
- Michael Angarano – Robert Seber
- Gustaf Skarsgård – Hans Bethe
- Alden Ehrenreich – Richard Feynman
- Devon Bostick – Seth Neddermeyer
- Dane DeHaan – TBA
- Tony Goldwyn – TBA
- Matthew Modine – Vannevar Bush
- Scott Grimes – Counsel
- David Dastmalchian – TBA
- James D’Arcy – TBA
- Jason Clarke – TBA
- Alex Wolff – TBA
- Josh Peck – Kenneth Bainbridge
- Benny Safdie – Edward Teller
- Emma Dumont – Jackie Oppenheimer
- Dylan Arnold – Frank Oppenheimer
- Tom Conti – Albert Einstein
- Jefferson Hall – Haakon Chevalier
Oppenheimer behind-the-scenes updates
With a budget of $100 million behind it, filming for Oppenheimer took place between January 2022 and May 2022. Scenes were captured throughout New Mexico and California, with Nolan utilizing IMAX technology once again, this time innovating with the first black-and-white footage captured with the devices.
Nolan has also emphasized the importance of practical effects for this project, rather than recreating historic moments in digital form. For instance, the director revealed to Total Film that perhaps the biggest challenge faced during Oppenheimer’s production was the recreation of “the Trinity test”, the first nuclear weapon detonation in New Mexico, “without the use of computer graphics.
“It’s a story of immense scope and scale, and one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on in terms of the scale of it, and in terms of encountering the breadth of Oppenheimer’s story. There were big logistical challenges, big practical challenges. But I had an extraordinary crew and they really stepped up. I’m thrilled with what my team has been able to achieve.”
Christopher Nolan says he recreated the first nuclear weapon detonation without using CGI for #Oppenheimer (via @totalfilm) pic.twitter.com/zqb1BNESpJ
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 12, 2022
A number of new screenshots also surfaced on December 12 through Total Film’s coverage. Some showcased scenes in black-and-white, even revealing our first look at Downey Jr. in character as Lewis Strauss, while other images shared a behind-the-scenes look at Nolan calling the shots.
We’ll be sure to update you here with any further developments as Oppenheimer’s release draws near.