Oppenheimer: Release date, plot for Christopher Nolan film
Cillian Murphy leads the cast of the starry historical film Oppenheimer.
The battle of the summer blockbusters is upon us.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer release in union today (Friday, 21st July) and, while the two movies might look like polar opposites, they share one thing in common: anticipation for their release dates couldn't be higher.
Oppenheimer revolves around the true story of Robert J Oppenheimer, the American physicist who played a key role in the creation of the atomic bomb.
Oppenheimer marks Nolan's first movie to be released by Universal Pictures, which landed the right to finance and distribute the film after the Dark Knight trilogy director broke away from longtime home Warner Bros over its decision to send films straight to streaming during the pandemic.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, rights to the film came with very specific stipulations from Nolan including full creative control, a minimum 100-day theatrical window, and a blackout period where the studio agreed not to release another movie for three weeks before or after the feature.
The cast of the movie is led by Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, while Robert Downey Jr (Avengers: Endgame), Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place), Matt Damon (Air), Florence Pugh (Black Widow), Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile) and Jack Quaid (The Boys) also star.
Here's everything there is to know about the Oppenheimer release date, who's starring in it, and a couple of trailers to watch.
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Oppenheimer release date
Oppenheimer will be released in cinemas on Friday 21st July 2023.
The film will be released three years after Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi film Tenet, which was released in the first year of the COVID pandemic in 2020.
Oppenheimer is being shot in IMAX and on 65mm film.
Who stars in Oppenheimer?
The Oppenheimer cast-list is an impressive one, with director Christopher Nolan enlisting the biggest and best talent around for the film.
The following actors have been cast in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
- Cillian Murphy as J Robert Oppenheimer
- Emily Blunt as Katherine 'Kitty' Oppenheimer
- Robert Downey Jr as Lewis Strauss
- Matt Damon as Leslie Groves
- Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock
- Rami Malek as TBC
- Benny Safdie as Edward Teller
- Dane DeHaan as Kenneth Nichols
- Jack Quaid as Richard Feynman
- Olli Haaskivi as TBC
- Matthew Modine as TBC
- Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence
- Dylan Arnold as Frank Oppenheimer
- Alden Ehrenreich as TBC
- David Krumholtz as Isidor Isaac Rabi
- Michael Angarano as Robert Serber
- Sir Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr
- Gary Oldman as Harry S Truman
Cillian Murphy stars in the lead role of scientist J Robert Oppenheimer, marking what will be his sixth film directed by Nolan.
Speaking to The Guardian about working on his sixth film with Nolan, Murphy commented: “I’ll always turn up for Chris, whatever the size of the part.
“Chris will call me up and I’m there. Isn’t it wonderful that filmmakers are still making challenging, demanding films within the studio system, shot on film rather than IMAX? I think he’s flying the flag.
“Him, Paul Thomas Anderson and Quentin Tarantino are fantastic filmmakers making interesting work on a massive scale.”
Meanwhile, Emily Blunt makes her Nolan filmography debut as Katherine, the biologist and botanist wife of Oppenheimer.
Elsewhere, Robert Downey Jr will portray American businessman and philanthropist Lewis Strauss, while Matt Damon plays Leslie Groves – a US Army officer who oversaw the Manhattan Project.
Florence Pugh has been cast in the role of Oppenheimer’s long-time girlfriend, psychiatrist and physician Jean Tatlock, while Rami Malek has been cast in the role of a scientist and Benny Safdie will play theoretical physicist Edward Teller.
You star Dylan Arnold will portray Oppenheimer’s younger brother Frank in the film, while Josh Hartnett will portray the nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence and Michael Angarano shall portray physicist Robert Serber.
Additionally, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Olli Haaskivi, Matthew Modine, Alden Ehrenreich and David Krumholtz have also been cast in undisclosed roles.
Finally, Sir Kenneth Branagh has also been cast in an undisclosed role, reuniting the actor-director with Nolan after working together on both Dunkirk and Tenet.
Oppenheimer trailers
The first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer landed in July 2022, with only Murphy featuring in the footage. Watch below:
Another trailer landed in May 2023, giving fans a look at other members of the cast as well as Murphy. Watch below:
Oppenheimer is coming to UK cinemas on 21st July 2023. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.
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