:Oppenheimer (film)

{{Hatnote|While the film is shown in a nonlinear narrative, the following is the chronological order of events that happen in the film.}}

In 1926, 22-year-old doctoral student J. Robert Oppenheimer grapples with anxiety and homesickness while studying experimental quantum physics under Patrick Blackett at the University of Cambridge in England. Oppenheimer clashes with Blackett, leaving him a poisoned apple, but he later retrieves it. Visiting scientist Niels Bohr advises Oppenheimer to study theoretical physics at the University of Göttingen in Germany.

Oppenheimer completes his PhD and meets scientist Isidor Isaac Rabi. They later meet theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg in Switzerland. Wanting to expand quantum physics research in the United States, Oppenheimer teaches at the University of California, Berkeley and the California Institute of Technology. He marries Katherine "Kitty" Puening, a biologist and ex-communist, and has an intermittent affair with Jean Tatlock, a troubled communist psychiatrist who later dies in an apparent suicide.{{Efn|Although in the real life Tatlock's death has officially been ruled a suicide, the film deliberately portrays her death in two ways: in one, she commits suicide, in the other, she is murdered by an unseen assailant}}

When nuclear fission is discovered in 1938, after the Germans succeed in splitting the atom, Oppenheimer realizes it can be weaponized. In 1942, during World War II, U.S. Army Colonel Leslie Groves, the director of the Manhattan Project, recruits Oppenheimer as the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory to develop an atomic bomb. Oppenheimer fears the German nuclear research program, led by Heisenberg, might yield a fission bomb for the Nazis sooner.

Oppenheimer assembles a team consisting of Rabi, Hans Bethe, and Edward Teller, and collaborates with the scientists Enrico Fermi, Leo Szilard, and David L. Hill at the University of Chicago. Teller's calculations reveal an atomic detonation could destroy the world; after consulting with Albert Einstein and having Bethe do his own calculations on the matter, Oppenheimer concludes the chances are "near zero". Teller attempts to leave the project after his proposal to construct a hydrogen bomb is rejected, but Oppenheimer convinces him to stay.

After Germany's surrender in 1945, some scientists question the bomb's relevance. Oppenheimer believes it would end the ongoing Pacific War and save lives. The Trinity test is successful, and President Harry S. Truman orders the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in Japan's surrender. Though publicly praised, Oppenheimer is guilt-ridden and haunted by the destruction and mass fatalities. After Oppenheimer expresses his remorse to Truman, the president berates him and dismisses his plea to cease further atomic development.

As an advisor to the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), Oppenheimer's stance generates controversy, while Teller's hydrogen bomb receives renewed interest amidst the burgeoning Cold War. AEC Chairman Lewis Strauss resents Oppenheimer for publicly dismissing Strauss's concerns about exporting radioactive isotopes and for recommending negotiations with the Soviet Union after the Soviets successfully detonate their own bomb. Strauss also believes that Oppenheimer denigrated him during a conversation Oppenheimer had with Einstein in 1947, though he had in fact expressed his belief that he had caused a chain reaction that would one day destroy the world.

In 1954, wanting to eliminate Oppenheimer's political influence, Strauss secretly orchestrates a private security hearing before a Personnel Security Board concerning the renewal of Oppenheimer's Q clearance, during which his loyalty to the United States is questioned. However, the hearing is a kangaroo court. Oppenheimer's past communist ties are raised and his associates' testimony is twisted against him, with Teller's being the most damaging. After Kitty vigorously defends herself and her husband, the board no longer suspects Oppenheimer of disloyalty but still revokes his clearance, thereby damaging his public image and limiting his influence on American nuclear policy.

In 1959, during Strauss's Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Commerce, Hill unexpectedly testifies about Strauss's personal motives for engineering Oppenheimer's downfall. Strauss's nomination is narrowly voted down, enraging him. In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson presents Oppenheimer with the Enrico Fermi Award.

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| image1 = Cillian Murphy Press Conference The Party Berlinale 2017 02cr.jpg

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| footer = Cillian Murphy (left) plays J. Robert Oppenheimer.

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• Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist and director of the Los Alamos Laboratory.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=October 8, 2021 |title=Cillian Murphy Confirmed to Star As J. Robert Oppenheimer In Christopher Nolan's Next Film At Universal, Film Will Bow in July 2023 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/cillian-murphy-j-robert-oppenheimer-christopher-nolans-universal-film-july-2023-1234852888/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008180121/https://deadline.com/2021/10/cillian-murphy-j-robert-oppenheimer-christopher-nolans-universal-film-july-2023-1234852888/ |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 8, 2021}}
• Emily Blunt as Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer, Robert Oppenheimer's wife and a former Communist Party USA member.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=October 20, 2021 |title=Emily Blunt In Talks To Join Christopher Nolan's Next Film Oppenheimer At Universal |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/emily-blunt-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-universal-1234858556/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102160825/https://deadline.com/2021/10/emily-blunt-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-universal-1234858556/ |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 20, 2021}}
• Matt Damon as Gen. Leslie Groves, a United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officer and director of the Manhattan Project.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=November 2, 2021 |title=Robert Downey Jr. And Matt Damon Latest Stars To Join Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/robert-downey-jr-matt-damon-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1234859892/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102154342/https://deadline.com/2021/11/robert-downey-jr-matt-damon-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1234859892/ |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=November 2, 2021}}
• Robert Downey Jr. as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, a retired Naval Reserve officer and high-ranking member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
• Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, a psychiatrist, Communist Party USA member, and Robert Oppenheimer's romantic interest.{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=December 9, 2021 |title=Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie Join Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/florence-pugh-rami-malek-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1235060259/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210153011/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/florence-pugh-rami-malek-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1235060259/ |archive-date=December 10, 2021 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=December 9, 2021}}
• Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, a Nobel-winning nuclear physicist who worked with Oppenheimer at the University of California, Berkeley.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=January 4, 2022 |title=Josh Hartnett Joins Christopher Nolan's Next Film Oppenheimer |url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/josh-hartnett-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234904070/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104190115/https://deadline.com/2022/01/josh-hartnett-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234904070/ |archive-date=January 4, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=January 4, 2022}}
• Casey Affleck as Boris Pash, a U.S. Army military intelligence officer and commander of the Alsos Mission.{{Cite web |last=Francis-Crow |first=Alana |date=April 23, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer Set Photos Reveal Casey Affleck Is Cast In New Nolan Movie |url=https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-cast-casey-affleck-set-photos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424080512/https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-cast-casey-affleck-set-photos/ |archive-date=April 24, 2022 |website=Screen Rant |access-date=April 23, 2022}}
• Rami Malek as David L. Hill, a nuclear physicist at the Metallurgical Laboratory, who helped to create the Chicago Pile.
• Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr, a Nobel-winning Danish physicist, philosopher and Oppenheimer's personal idol.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Gets First-Look Photo As Kenneth Branagh Joins Cast |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-kenneth-branagh-gets-first-look-photo-1234958101/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222185037/https://deadline.com/2022/02/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-kenneth-branagh-gets-first-look-photo-1234958101/ |archive-date=February 22, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
• Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, a Hungarian theoretical physicist known for being the "father of the hydrogen bomb".
• Jason Clarke as Roger Robb, an attorney and future U.S. circuit judge who served as special counsel to the AEC at Oppenheimer's security hearing.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer: Jason Clarke Joins Christopher Nolan's Next Tentpole At Universal |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/oppenheimer-jason-clarke-christopher-nolans-universal-1234962372/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220301200322/https://deadline.com/2022/03/oppenheimer-jason-clarke-christopher-nolans-universal-1234962372/ |archive-date=March 1, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 1, 2022}}
• Dylan Arnold as Frank Oppenheimer, Robert's younger brother and a particle physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Adds Halloween Kills, Manifest Actors (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-movie-dylan-arnold-olli-haaskivi-1235094434/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216200041/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-movie-dylan-arnold-olli-haaskivi-1235094434/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=February 16, 2022}}
• Tom Conti as Albert Einstein, Nobel-winning German theoretical physicist known for developing the theory of relativity.{{Cite magazine |last=Reul |first=Katie |date=May 8, 2023 |title=New 'Oppenheimer' Trailer Reveals a Sad Albert Einstein, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr. and More in Christopher Nolan's Star-Studded Movie |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-trailer-albert-einstein-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235542552/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508170826/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-trailer-albert-einstein-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235542552/ |archive-date=May 8, 2023 |magazine=Variety |access-date=May 8, 2023}}
• James D'Arcy as Patrick Blackett, Oppenheimer's doctoral supervisor and Nobel-winning physicist at Cambridge University.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 2, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Adds James D'Arcy & Michael Angarano |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-james-darcy-michael-angarano-1234969435/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303000052/https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-james-darcy-michael-angarano-1234969435/ |archive-date=March 3, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 2, 2022}}
• David Dastmalchian as William L. Borden, a lawyer and executive director of the United States Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE).{{Cite magazine |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=February 25, 2022 |title=David Dastmalchian Reuniting With Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/david-dastmalchian-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1235097425/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225205748/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/david-dastmalchian-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1235097425/ |archive-date=February 25, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=February 25, 2022}}
• Dane DeHaan as Maj Gen. Kenneth Nichols, a U.S. Army officer and the deputy district engineer of the Manhattan Project.{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=February 7, 2022 |title=Dane DeHaan Joins Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dane-dehaan-oppenheimer-cast-christopher-nolan-1235088312/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207205214/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dane-dehaan-oppenheimer-cast-christopher-nolan-1235088312/ |archive-date=February 7, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=February 7, 2022}}
• Alden Ehrenreich as a Senate aide to Lewis Strauss during Strauss's nomination for United States Secretary of Commerce.{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer: Alden Ehrenreich, David Krumholtz Join Christopher Nolan Drama (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-alden-ehrenreich-david-krumholtz-christopher-nolan-movie-1235097289/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222164045/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-alden-ehrenreich-david-krumholtz-christopher-nolan-movie-1235097289/ |archive-date=February 22, 2022 |access-date=February 22, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite web |last=Remley |first=Hilary |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Ironheart Adds Alden Ehrenreich to Marvel Disney+ Series |url=https://collider.com/ironheart-series-cast-alden-ehrenreich-disney-plus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721144556/https://collider.com/ironheart-series-cast-alden-ehrenreich-disney-plus/ |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |website=Collider |access-date=July 21, 2022}}
• Tony Goldwyn as Gordon Gray, a government official and chairman of the committee deciding the revoking of Oppenheimer security clearance.{{Cite magazine |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer Enlists Tony Goldwyn (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-tony-goldwyn-1235116653/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523141222/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-tony-goldwyn-1235116653/ |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |access-date=March 23, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}
• Jefferson Hall as Haakon Chevalier ("Hoke"), a Berkeley professor who became friends with Oppenheimer at university.{{Cite press release |title=Oppenheimer Production Information Approved |date=June 21, 2023 |publisher=Universal Pictures Publicity |url=https://dam.gettyimages.com/viewer/universal/qn8mrrcjstj3bq4wrq5hm5h |access-date=July 10, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710041747/https://dam.gettyimages.com/viewer/universal/qn8mrrcjstj3bq4wrq5hm5h |archive-date=July 10, 2023}}{{Cite magazine |last=Vivarelli |first=Nick |date=June 20, 2023 |title=House of the Dragon Star Jefferson Hall Set for Emirati Director Nayla Al Khaja's Debut Three – Global Bulletin |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/house-of-the-dragon-jefferson-hall-nayla-al-khaja-three-1235649024/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629145830/https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/house-of-the-dragon-jefferson-hall-nayla-al-khaja-three-1235649024/ |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |access-date=July 10, 2023 |magazine=Variety}}
• Britt Kyle as Barbara Chevalier, Hoke's wife.
• David Krumholtz as Isidor Isaac Rabi, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who worked as a consultant on the Manhattan Project.
• Matthew Modine as Vannevar Bush, head of the Office of Scientific Research and Development.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=February 16, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer: Matthew Modine Joins Christopher Nolan's Film For Universal |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/oppenheimer-matthew-modine-joins-christopher-nolans-film-for-universal-1234933906/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216180908/https://deadline.com/2022/02/oppenheimer-matthew-modine-joins-christopher-nolans-film-for-universal-1234933906/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=February 16, 2022}}

• Scott Grimes as Counsel to Lewis Strauss{{Cite magazine |last=White |first=James |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer Adds Jason Clarke And Louise Lombard |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/oppenheimer-adds-jason-clarke-and-louise-lombard/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302001646/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/oppenheimer-adds-jason-clarke-and-louise-lombard/ |archive-date=March 2, 2022 |magazine=Empire |access-date=March 2, 2022}}
• Kurt Koehler as Thomas A. Morgan, an industrialist and former chairman of the board of the Sperry Corporation who was one of the panel members at Oppenheimer's security clearance hearing.{{Cite web |last=Jannat |first=Zarghona |date=May 8, 2023 |title=Star-studded cast shines in new Oppenheimer trailer |url=https://themarkhortimes.com/editors-pick/star-studded-cast-shines-in-new-oppenheimer-trailer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621013103/https://themarkhortimes.com/editors-pick/star-studded-cast-shines-in-new-oppenheimer-trailer/ |archive-date=June 21, 2023 |access-date=July 13, 2023 |website=The Markhor Times}}{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Nate |date=July 12, 2023 |title=Which Supporting Characters in Oppenheimer Will Die of Radiation Poisoning? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/which-oppenheimer-characters-die-of-radiation-poisoning.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720060947/https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/which-oppenheimer-characters-die-of-radiation-poisoning.html |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 13, 2023 |website=Vulture}}
• John Gowans as Ward V. Evans, a chemist and academic who served as one of the panel members at Oppenheimer's security clearance hearing.
• Macon Blair as Lloyd K. Garrison, a lawyer who helped to represent Oppenheimer at his security clearance hearing.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Nate |date=July 12, 2023 |title=Which Supporting Characters in Oppenheimer Will Die of Radiation Poisoning? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/which-oppenheimer-characters-die-of-radiation-poisoning.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720060947/https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/which-oppenheimer-characters-die-of-radiation-poisoning.html |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 17, 2023 |website=Vulture}}
• Gregory Jbara as Sen. Warren Magnuson, Chairman of Senate Commerce Committee.
• Harry Groener as Sen. Gale W. McGee
• Tim DeKay as Sen. John Pastore
• Matthias Schweighöfer as Werner Heisenberg, a German Nobel Prize-winning physicist who worked in Germany's nuclear weapons program during World War II.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=March 11, 2022 |title=Army Of The Dead Breakout Matthias Schweighöfer Joins Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/army-of-the-dead-matthias-schweighofer-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234975712/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609011416/https://deadline.com/2022/03/army-of-the-dead-matthias-schweighofer-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234975712/ |archive-date=June 9, 2022 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{Cite magazine |date=November 2, 2022 |title=Schweighöfers nächste große Rolle |trans-title=Schweighöfer's next big role |url=https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/mathias-schweighoefer-spielt-in-oppenheimer-den-physiker-werner-heisenberg-a-7af5cbfe-06d8-4d7d-9ae6-47a58d448720 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212192136/https://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/mathias-schweighoefer-spielt-in-oppenheimer-den-physiker-werner-heisenberg-a-7af5cbfe-06d8-4d7d-9ae6-47a58d448720 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |magazine=Der Spiegel |language=de |access-date=February 12, 2023}}
• Alex Wolff as Luis Walter Alvarez, a Nobel-winning physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=March 22, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer: Alex Wolff Joins All-Star Cast of Christopher Nolan Drama (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-alex-wolff-christopher-nolan-movie-1235116406/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327032739/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-alex-wolff-christopher-nolan-movie-1235116406/ |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 22, 2022}}
• Josh Zuckerman as Giovanni Rossi Lomanitz, a physicist who became Oppenheimer's protégé at Berkeley.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=April 4, 2022 |title=Christopher Denham & Josh Zuckerman Join Oppenheimer; Shane Dax Taylor's Indie Best Man Adds Andrey Ivchenko |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/oppenheimer-adds-two-andrey-ivchenko-joins-best-man-1234994274/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531062604/https://deadline.com/2022/04/oppenheimer-adds-two-andrey-ivchenko-joins-best-man-1234994274/ |archive-date=May 31, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=April 4, 2022}}
• Rory Keane as Hartland Snyder, a physicist, who collaborated with Oppenheimer to calculate the gravitational collapse of a dust particle sphere.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=David |date=July 22, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Cast: Every Celebrity & Actor In the Movie |work=The Direct |url=https://thedirect.com/article/oppenheimer-cast-characters-actors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726171245/https://thedirect.com/article/oppenheimer-cast-characters-actors |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |access-date=July 26, 2023}}
• Michael Angarano as Robert Serber, a physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite magazine |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Releases Moody First Look, Kenneth Branagh Joins Cast |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-first-look-kenneth-branagh-joins-cast-1235187501/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222192334/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-first-look-kenneth-branagh-joins-cast-1235187501/ |archive-date=February 22, 2022 |magazine=Variety |access-date=February 22, 2022}}
• Emma Dumont as Jackie Oppenheimer, Frank's wife and Robert's sister-in-law.
• Guy Burnet as George C. Eltenton, a chemical engineer in the U.S. with ties to the Soviet Union.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 7, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Adds Guy Burnet & Danny Deferrari |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-guy-burnet-danny-deferrari-1234972967/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422215653/https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-guy-burnet-danny-deferrari-1234972967/ |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
• Louise Lombard as Ruth Tolman, a psychologist close to Oppenheimer during the development of the atomic bomb.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 1, 2022 |title=Louise Lombard Joins Oppenheimer; Harold And The Purple Crayon Adds Camille Guaty |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/louise-lombard-joins-oppenheimer-harold-and-the-purple-crayon-camille-guaty-1234968424/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422181233/https://deadline.com/2022/03/louise-lombard-joins-oppenheimer-harold-and-the-purple-crayon-camille-guaty-1234968424/ |archive-date=April 22, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 1, 2022}}
• Tom Jenkins as Richard C. Tolman, Ruth's husband and General Groves' chief scientific adviser on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite magazine |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Here's How Close 'Oppenheimer' Sticks to J. Robert Oppenheimer's Life |url=https://time.com/6295760/oppenheimer-true-story/ |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811140712/https://time.com/6295760/oppenheimer-true-story/ |url-status=live |magazine=Time |access-date=October 30, 2023}}
• Olli Haaskivi as Edward Condon, a nuclear physicist who helped with the development of radar and briefly took part in the Manhattan Project.
• David Rysdahl as Donald Hornig, a chemist who worked on the firing unit at Los Alamos.{{Cite magazine |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 4, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Casts No Exit Star David Rysdahl (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-casts-david-rysdahl-1235104019/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417043701/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-casts-david-rysdahl-1235104019/ |archive-date=April 17, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 4, 2022}}
• Josh Peck as Kenneth Bainbridge, a physicist who was the director of the Manhattan Project's Trinity nuclear test.{{Cite magazine |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=March 9, 2022 |title=Drake and Josh Star Josh Peck Joins Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/josh-peck-oppenheimer-movie-christopher-nolan-1235198045/ |url-status=live |magazine=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609011429/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/josh-peck-oppenheimer-movie-christopher-nolan-1235198045/ |archive-date=June 9, 2022 |access-date=March 9, 2022}}
• Jack Quaid as Richard Feynman, an American Nobel-winning theoretical physicist who worked in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos.{{Cite magazine |date=July 20, 2023 |title=The Cast of 'Oppenheimer' and the Real People They Play |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2023/07/oppenheimer-cast-actors-vs-real-people |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726014222/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2023/07/oppenheimer-cast-actors-vs-real-people |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |magazine=Vanity Fair |access-date=July 26, 2023}}
• Gustaf Skarsgård as Hans Bethe, a German-American Nobel-winning theoretical physicist and the head of the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos.{{Cite magazine |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=March 15, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer Enlists Vikings Actor Gustaf Skarsgard (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-casts-gustaf-skarsgard-exclusive-1235111329/ |url-status=live |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404191624/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-casts-gustaf-skarsgard-exclusive-1235111329/ |archive-date=April 4, 2022 |access-date=March 15, 2022}}
• James Urbaniak as Kurt Gödel, an Austrian logician and mathematician known for his theorems that revolutionized mathematics and had far-reaching implications for philosophy and computer science.
• Trond Fausa as George Kistiakowsky, a Harvard professor who took part in the Manhattan Project.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 29, 2022 |title=Billy Slaughter Joins Amazon's The Burial; Oppenheimer Adds Trond Fausa |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/billy-slaughter-joins-amazons-the-burial-oppenheimer-adds-trond-fausa-1234989239/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604180401/https://deadline.com/2022/03/billy-slaughter-joins-amazons-the-burial-oppenheimer-adds-trond-fausa-1234989239/ |archive-date=June 4, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 29, 2022}}
• Devon Bostick as Seth Neddermeyer, a physicist who discovered the muon and advocated for the implosion-type nuclear weapon used in the Trinity Test.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 16, 2022 |title=Devon Bostick Joins Universal's Oppenheimer; Sony's George Foreman Biopic Adds Deion Smith |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/devon-bostick-joins-oppenheimer-sonys-george-foreman-biopic-adds-deion-smith-1234980250/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418110853/https://deadline.com/2022/03/devon-bostick-joins-oppenheimer-sonys-george-foreman-biopic-adds-deion-smith-1234980250/ |archive-date=April 18, 2022 |access-date=March 16, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
• Danny Deferrari as Enrico Fermi, an Italian Nobel-winning physicist and creator of the Chicago Pile.
• Christopher Denham as Klaus Fuchs, a German-born physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project and spied for the Soviet Union.
• Jessica Erin Martin as Charlotte Serber, head technical librarian at Los Alamos.{{Cite web |date=August 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Cast: Every Celebrity & Actor in the Movie |url=https://thedirect.com/article/oppenheimer-cast-characters-actors |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726171245/https://thedirect.com/article/oppenheimer-cast-characters-actors |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |website=The Direct |access-date=July 30, 2023}}
• Ronald Auguste as J. Ernest Wilkins Jr., an African American nuclear scientist, mechanical engineer and mathematician who worked with Oppenheimer on the Manhattan Project.
• {{ill|Máté Haumann|hu|Haumann Máté}} as Leo Szilard, a Hungarian physicist who conceived the idea of nuclear chain reaction in 1933, and later in July 1945 at the Chicago branch of the Manhattan Project circulated the petition to President Truman against unannounced use of atomic weapons on Japan.{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Egy magyar szerepre magyar színész is jutott az Oppenheimerben – Haumann Máté alakítja Szilárd Leót |url=https://telex.hu/szorakozas/2023/07/14/oppenheimer-szilard-leo-haumann-mate-szinesz-premier |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714094619/https://telex.hu/szorakozas/2023/07/14/oppenheimer-szilard-leo-haumann-mate-szinesz-premier |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |access-date=July 30, 2023}}
• Olivia Thirlby as Lilli Hornig, a Czech-American scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=April 15, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Adds Olivia Thirlby |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-olivia-thirlby-1235003014/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604190700/https://deadline.com/2022/04/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-olivia-thirlby-1235003014/ |archive-date=June 4, 2022 |access-date=April 15, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
• Jack Cutmore-Scott as Lyall Johnson, a security officer at Berkeley who worked at the Manhattan Project.
• Harrison Gilbertson as Philip Morrison, a physics professor who worked on the Manhattan Project.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=March 10, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer: Harrison Gilbertson & Emma Dumont Board Christopher Nolan's Thriller For Universal |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-harrison-gilbertson-emily-dumont-1234975430/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310190940/https://deadline.com/2022/03/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-adds-harrison-gilbertson-emily-dumont-1234975430/ |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 10, 2022}}
• James Remar as Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War under President Truman.
• Will Roberts as George C. Marshall, the United States Army Chief of Staff from 1939 to 1945.
• Pat Skipper as James F. Byrnes, U.S. Secretary of State and future Governor of South Carolina.
• Gary Oldman as Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States who made the decision to drop the two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.{{Cite web |last=Grater |first=Tom |date=April 1, 2022 |title=Gary Oldman Says He Is Appearing In One Scene In Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/gary-oldman-appearing-one-scene-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234992452/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523141218/https://deadline.com/2022/04/gary-oldman-appearing-one-scene-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1234992452/ |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |access-date=April 1, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
• Hap Lawrence as Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States.
• Troy Bronson as Joseph W. Kennedy, a chemist instrumental on the discovery of plutonium, and head of the Chemistry Department at Los Alamos.{{Cite web |last=Burnett {{!}} @BrynnaLynne24 |first=Aminah Syed {{!}} @aminahsyed_ & Brynna |date=2024-01-12 |title=Q&A: How actor Troy Bronson portrayed KU alumnus Joseph W. Kennedy in 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.kansan.com/arts_and_culture/q-a-how-actor-troy-bronson-portrayed-ku-alumnus-joseph-w-kennedy-in-oppenheimer/article_6118a7e4-b18f-11ee-944d-2fb841da029a.html |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=The University Daily Kansan |archive-date=February 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226142622/https://www.kansan.com/arts_and_culture/q-a-how-actor-troy-bronson-portrayed-ku-alumnus-joseph-w-kennedy-in-oppenheimer/article_6118a7e4-b18f-11ee-944d-2fb841da029a.html |url-status=live }}

File:KAI BIRD author photo by Stephen Frietch.jpg (pictured) and Martin J. Sherwin are the authors of J. Robert Oppenheimer's biography American Prometheus (2005), on which the film is based.]]

Director Sam Mendes was interested in adapting the 2005 J. Robert Oppenheimer biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. After that project failed to materialize, the book was optioned by various filmmakers over the next fifteen years. The authors became pessimistic about a film adaptation. Oliver Stone declined an opportunity to direct, saying "I couldn't find my way to its essence".{{Cite web |last=Ntim |first=Zac |date=August 1, 2023 |title=Oliver Stone Says He Once Turned Down An Oppenheimer Film Project & Calls Christopher Nolan's Film A "Classic" |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/oliver-stone-oppenheimer-film-christopher-nolan-1235452328/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831150216/https://deadline.com/2023/08/oliver-stone-oppenheimer-film-christopher-nolan-1235452328/ |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |access-date=August 31, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} In 2015, J. David Wargo optioned the book, then commissioned and rejected several scripts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wargo flew to Hollywood to meet with actor James Woods, who set up a meeting with Charles Roven, a producer for various Christopher Nolan films, and in turn, Roven gave a copy of the book to Nolan. Both Wargo and Woods are executive producers of the film.{{Cite web |last=Amsden |first=David |date=July 18, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer's big screen odyssey: The man, the book and the film's 50-year journey |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-07-18/epic-backstory-of-oppenheimer-the-film-and-american-prometheus-the-book |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720005827/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-07-18/epic-backstory-of-oppenheimer-the-film-and-american-prometheus-the-book |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 19, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times}} Woods said he was asked not to promote the film because his outspoken political views posed a risk to the film's commercial success and awards campaign.{{cite news |last1=Sharf |first1=Zack |title=James Woods Says 'Oppenheimer' EP Credit Was Kept Quiet After It Was 'Suggested' His Pro-Trump Twitter Could Screw Up the Rollout: 'It Was Painful…I Took One for the Team' |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-woods-oppenheimer-producer-credit-secret-trump-support-1236086272/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEQis1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHa_JQnRkVN1ERG1fs4xsplFuUXIiXfdesZbb7ki9OR-QqurfS3D4wYOVxw_aem_8hBs2xkJRK1eJ1nHwy9MrQ |access-date=26 July 2024 |work=Variety |date=26 July 2024 |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906140051/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-woods-oppenheimer-producer-credit-secret-trump-support-1236086272/ |url-status=live }}

Nolan had long desired to make a film about Oppenheimer, even prior to reading American Prometheus.{{Cite web |last=Overbye |first=Dennis |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan and the Contradictions of J. Robert Oppenheimer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/20/movies/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720093409/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/20/movies/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer.html/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=The New York Times}} In 2019, towards the end of production on Nolan's science-fiction film Tenet (2020), star Robert Pattinson gave him a book of Oppenheimer's speeches. According to Nolan, the speeches showed Oppenheimer "wrestling with the implications ... of what's happened and what [he's] done". Nolan wanted to depict "what it would have been like to be Oppenheimer in those moments", in contrast to Tenet, which employs time travel to curb a potential weapon of mass destruction.{{Cite web |last=Collin |first=Robbie |author-link=Robbie Collin |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan: 'Not worried about a nuclear holocaust? You should be' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-interview-nuclear-atomic-bomb/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714214824/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-interview-nuclear-atomic-bomb/ |archive-date=July 14, 2023 |access-date=July 14, 2023 |website=The Daily Telegraph}}

In December 2020, Warner Bros. Pictures announced plans to give its 2021 films simultaneous releases in theaters and on HBO Max, citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the film industry. Nolan, who had partnered with Warner Bros. on each of his films since Insomnia (2002), was outraged, as he was a staunch supporter of traditional film exhibition.{{Cite web |last=Boone |first=John |date=December 7, 2020 |title=Christopher Nolan Reflects on Tenet Release, Reacts to Warner Bros./HBO Max Deal (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/christopher-nolan-reflects-on-tenet-release-reacts-to-warner-broshbo-max-deal-exclusive-157414 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009205545/https://www.etonline.com/christopher-nolan-reflects-on-tenet-release-reacts-to-warner-broshbo-max-deal-exclusive-157414 |archive-date=October 9, 2021 |access-date=October 9, 2021 |website=Entertainment Tonight}} In January 2021, media reports mentioned the possibility that Nolan's next film could be the first not to be financed or distributed by Warner Bros.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=R.T. |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Want to Be a Hollywood Player? Covid and Streaming Have Changed All the Rules |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/want-to-be-a-hollywood-player-covid-and-streaming-have-changed-all-the-rules-11611247554 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009205153/https://www.wsj.com/articles/want-to-be-a-hollywood-player-covid-and-streaming-have-changed-all-the-rules-11611247554 |archive-date=October 9, 2021 |access-date=October 9, 2021 |website=The Wall Street Journal}} By mid-2021, Nolan had left Warner Bros. and was meeting with other studios to develop his new project. Nolan had previously supported Warner Bros.' decision to give Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) a simultaneous release, saying he felt that situation had been handled properly, but said he had been excluded from any discussions regarding the postponed release of Tenet.{{Cite web |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=December 10, 2020 |title=After Christopher Nolan's explosive remarks, could Warner Bros. lose its superstar director? |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/christopher-nolan-warner-bros-deal-hbo-max-1234849809/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210222646/https://variety.com/2020/film/news/christopher-nolan-warner-bros-deal-hbo-max-1234849809/ |archive-date=December 10, 2020 |access-date=May 4, 2021 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=Brandon |date=February 3, 2021 |title=Where will Christopher Nolan go after his war with Warner? |url=https://observer.com/2021/02/christopher-nolan-films-warner-bros-tenet-disney-universal-sony-paramount/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203154004/https://observer.com/2021/02/christopher-nolan-films-warner-bros-tenet-disney-universal-sony-paramount/ |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |access-date=May 4, 2021 |website=The New York Observer}}

In September 2021, it was announced that Nolan would write and direct a biographical film about Oppenheimer and his contributions to the Manhattan Project, with Cillian Murphy in negotiations to star.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=September 9, 2021 |title=Christopher Nolan Bombshell: Director Talking To Multiple Studios On Film He'll Direct About J. Robert Oppenheimer & Development Of The A-Bomb In WWII |url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/christopher-nolan-next-movie-development-of-atom-bomb-robert-oppenheimer-world-war-ii-1234829960/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910220856/https://deadline.com/2021/09/christopher-nolan-next-movie-development-of-atom-bomb-robert-oppenheimer-world-war-ii-1234829960/ |archive-date=September 10, 2021 |access-date=September 10, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{Cite magazine |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca |date=July 14, 2023 |title="This Can't Be Safe. It's Got to Have Bite": Christopher Nolan and Cast Unleash 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cast-interview-film-1235535418/ |url-status=live |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720013003/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cast-interview-film-1235535418/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 23, 2023}} Due to his strained relationship with Warner Bros., Nolan approached multiple studios, including Sony, Universal, Paramount, and Apple.{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=September 9, 2021 |title=Sony, Universal Among Studios Vying for New Christopher Nolan Movie |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sony-universal-studios-vying-for-new-christopher-nolan-movie-1235010970/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210911132439/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sony-universal-studios-vying-for-new-christopher-nolan-movie-1235010970/ |archive-date=September 11, 2021 |access-date=September 10, 2021 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Inside the Studios' (And Apple's) Frenzy to Get Christopher Nolan's Next Film |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-pitch-to-studios-including-apple-seeking-his-next-film-1235014132/ |url-status=live |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210915154038/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-pitch-to-studios-including-apple-seeking-his-next-film-1235014132/ |archive-date=September 15, 2021 |access-date=September 15, 2021}} According to insiders, Paramount was ruled out early in the process due to the replacement of the CEO and chairman, Jim Gianopulos, with Brian Robbins, an advocate for increased streaming-service releases.

Nolan signed with Universal because he had previously worked with Donna Langley, chairwoman and chief content officer of the NBCUniversal studio group, on an unsuccessful attempt to make a film version of the UK television series The Prisoner.{{cite news |last1=Lang |first1=Brent |title=Christopher Nolan on Turning 'Oppenheimer' Into a Near-$1 Billion Hit — And What's Next |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/features/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-warner-bros-feud-next-project-1235782516/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |work=Variety |date=November 8, 2023 |archive-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111202122/https://variety.com/2023/film/features/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-warner-bros-feud-next-project-1235782516/ |url-status=live }} Langley agreed with Nolan's stance on traditional film exhibition and Universal agreed to finance and distribute Oppenheimer, with production set to begin in the first quarter of 2022.{{Cite magazine |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=September 14, 2021 |title=Christopher Nolan Chooses Universal Pictures For His Film About J. Robert Oppenheimer & The A-Bomb |url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/christopher-nolan-universal-pictures-sets-next-film-j-robert-oppenheimer-development-atom-bomb-world-war-two-1234832975/ |url-status=live |magazine=Deadline Hollywood |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914210510/https://deadline.com/2021/09/christopher-nolan-universal-pictures-sets-next-film-j-robert-oppenheimer-development-atom-bomb-world-war-two-1234832975/ |archive-date=September 14, 2021 |access-date=September 14, 2021}} Universal also agreed to Nolan's terms, which included a production budget of $100 million,{{Cite web |last=Siegel |first=Tatiana |date=2024-03-12 |title=Christopher Nolan's Final 'Oppenheimer' Payday Close to $100 Million (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-pay-1235938430/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Variety |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312171444/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-pay-1235938430/ |url-status=live }} an equal marketing budget, an exclusive theatrical window ranging from 90 to 120 days, 20 percent of the film's first-dollar gross, and a three-week period both before and after the opening, in which Universal could not release another new film.

Nolan became aware of Oppenheimer as a youth, after hearing the lyric "How can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy?" in the Sting song "Russians" (1985). He was also inspired by his fears of nuclear holocaust throughout childhood, as he lived during the era of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the anti-nuclear protests in RAF Greenham Common. He felt that "while our relationship with that [nuclear] fear has ebbed and flowed with time, the threat itself never actually went away", and felt the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine had caused a resurgence of nuclear anxiety. Nolan had also penned a script for a biopic of Howard Hughes approximately during the time of production of Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004), which had given him insight on how to write a script regarding a person's life. Emily Blunt described the Oppenheimer script as "emotional" and remarked that Nolan had "Trojan-Horsed a biopic into a thriller".{{Cite web |last=Maytum |first=Matt |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan confirms Oppenheimer is his longest film yet |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-runtime-christopher-nolan-total-film-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520090628/https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-runtime-christopher-nolan-total-film-interview/ |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=Total Film |publisher=GamesRadar+}}{{Multiple image

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By September 2021, both Roven and Nolan had begun contacting Bird and Sherwin to discuss the script. During Bird's first meeting with Nolan, he had already written a spec script while they discussed the script's content, although Nolan did not disclose the script to them yet.{{Cite web |last=Bird |first=Kai |author-link=Kai Bird |date=February 18, 2024 |title=Guest Essay: J. Robert Oppenheimer Biographer on the Nearly Impossible Adaptation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/j-robert-oppenheimer-biographer-adaptation-guest-column-1235825369/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240218183806/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/j-robert-oppenheimer-biographer-adaptation-guest-column-1235825369/ |archive-date=February 18, 2024 |access-date=February 18, 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter }} Oppenheimer is the first screenplay written by Nolan in the first person, as he wanted the narrative to be conveyed from Oppenheimer's perspective. He described the "texture" of the film being "how the personal interacts with the historic and the geopolitical" with the intention of making it a cautionary tale.{{Cite magazine |last=Collis |first=Clark |date=July 11, 2023 |title=Why Christopher Nolan wrote Oppenheimer script in the first person |url=https://ew.com/movies/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-script-first-person/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712204857/https://ew.com/movies/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-script-first-person/ |archive-date=July 12, 2023 |access-date=July 12, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Grimes |first=Christopher |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Director Christopher Nolan: 'Oppenheimer is absolutely a cautionary tale' |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e47df8a6-21fa-4d8c-9817-351f1a438aef |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230721113302/https://www.ft.com/content/e47df8a6-21fa-4d8c-9817-351f1a438aef |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=Financial Times}} He began developing the script after he completed Tenet and wrote it in only a few months; he had already been thinking about making a film about Oppenheimer for over 20 years.

A major plot element is Oppenheimer's response to the long-term consequences of his actions. Nolan wished to explore the phenomenon of delayed reactions, as he felt people are not "necessarily confronted with the strongest or worst elements of [their actions] in the moment".{{Cite web |last=Ebiri |first=Bilge |author-link=Bilge Ebiri |date=July 17, 2023 |title=An Action Movie About Scientists Talking |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-behind-the-scenes.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721000250/https://www.vulture.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-behind-the-scenes.html |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=Vulture}} He also chose to alternate between scenes in color and black-and-white to convey the story from both subjective and objective perspectives, respectively,{{Cite web |last=Maytum |first=Matt |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan explains why Oppenheimer switches between black-and-white and color |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-black-and-white-color/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519174409/https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-black-and-white-color/ |archive-date=May 19, 2023 |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=Total Film |publisher=GamesRadar+}} with most of Oppenheimer's view shown via the former, while the latter depicts a "more objective view of his story from a different character's point of view".{{Cite web |last=Bahr |first=Lindsey |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan breaks down the best ways to watch a movie, ahead of his 'Oppenheimer' release |url=https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-0f8c1fdc4a358decee6105cac91a90ae |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601122503/https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-0f8c1fdc4a358decee6105cac91a90ae |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=July 19, 2023 |website=Associated Press}} Wanting to make the film as subjective as possible, the production team decided to include visions of Oppenheimer's conceptions of the quantum world and waves of energy.{{Cite web |last=Butcher |first=Sophie |date=May 6, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan On Visualising Physics In Oppenheimer's Head: 'We've Gotta See The Atoms Moving' – Exclusive |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/christopher-nolan-represents-physics-visually-oppenheimer-exclusive/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620135221/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/christopher-nolan-represents-physics-visually-oppenheimer-exclusive/ |archive-date=June 20, 2023 |access-date=June 20, 2023 |website=Empire}} Nolan noted that while Oppenheimer never publicly apologized for his role in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he still believed Oppenheimer had felt genuine guilt for his actions and thus portrayed him as exhibiting those feelings.{{Cite web |last=Ebiri |first=Bilge |author-link=Bilge Ebiri |date=July 21, 2023 |title=The 'Troubling Reverberations' at the End of Oppenheimer, Explained |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/oppenheimer-ending-explained-christopher-nolan.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721211711/https://www.vulture.com/article/oppenheimer-ending-explained-christopher-nolan.html |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=Vulture}}

{{Quote box

| quote = I think of any character I've dealt with, Oppenheimer is by far the most ambiguous and paradoxical. Which, given that I've made three Batman films, is saying a lot.

| author = — Christopher Nolan

| width = 25%

| source = Total Film

}}

Nolan began by trying to find the "thread that connected the quantum realm, the vibration of energy, and Oppenheimer's own personal journey" and sought to portray the difficulties in his life, particularly regarding his sex life. As such, Nolan wanted to candidly portray his affair with Jean Tatlock. He also wanted to explore Tatlock's influence on Oppenheimer's life, since she was a Communist, which had "enormous ramifications for [Oppenheimer's] later life and his ultimate fate".{{Cite web |last=Guerrasio |first=Jason |date=July 18, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan feels brand new |url=https://www.insider.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-interview-sex-scenes-barbenheimer-2023-7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230718223705/https://www.insider.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-interview-sex-scenes-barbenheimer-2023-7 |archive-date=July 18, 2023 |access-date=July 19, 2023 |website=Insider}} Nolan also sought to explore the relationship between Oppenheimer and Admiral Lewis Strauss, former chair of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, having been inspired by the relationship between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri as depicted in Amadeus (1984).

Another critical moment of the film was the meeting in which President Harry S. Truman called Oppenheimer a "crybaby". Nolan wanted to convey the scene from Oppenheimer's perspective and felt it was a "massive moment of disillusion, a huge turning point [for Oppenheimer] in his approach to trying to deal with the consequences of what he'd been involved with", while also underscoring that it is a "huge shift in perception about the reality of Oppenheimer's perception". He wanted to execute a quick tonal shift after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, desiring to go from the "highest triumphalism, the highest high, to the lowest low in the shortest amount of screen time possible". For the ending, Nolan chose to make it intentionally vague to be open to interpretation and refrained from being didactic or conveying specific messages in his work. However, he did have the intention to present a "strong set of troubling reverberations at the end".

Oppenheimer marks the sixth collaboration between Nolan and Cillian Murphy, and the first starring Murphy as the lead. To prepare for the role, Murphy read extensively on Oppenheimer's life and was inspired by David Bowie's appearance in the 1970s.{{Cite web |last=Cumming |first=Ed |date=February 20, 2022 |title='It's the end of a big adventure': Cillian Murphy bids farewell to Peaky Blinders |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/20/its-the-end-of-a-big-adventure-cillian-murphy-bids-farewell-to-peaky-blinders |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220080953/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/feb/20/its-the-end-of-a-big-adventure-cillian-murphy-bids-farewell-to-peaky-blinders |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |access-date=February 21, 2022 |website=The Guardian}} Nolan called Murphy one day to ask him to play the part, and Murphy enthusiastically accepted, excited to play a lead role in a Nolan film. Afterward, Nolan flew to Dublin to meet with Murphy, who read the script in Nolan's hotel room.{{Cite web |last=Bahr |first=Lindsey |date=May 3, 2023 |title=In 'Oppenheimer,' Cillian Murphy leads a Nolan epic |url=https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-cillian-murphy-christopher-nolan-9b162a6d378d2e27fd718aa4f4d57a1a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506095827/https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-cillian-murphy-christopher-nolan-9b162a6d378d2e27fd718aa4f4d57a1a |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=Associated Press}} Murphy lost an undisclosed amount of weight for the role in order to better match the real-life Oppenheimer's gaunt appearance.{{Cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=July 24, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer': Robert Downey Jr. Says Cillian Murphy Made the Greatest 'Sacrifice by a Lead Actor' He's Ever Seen in His 53-Year Career |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/robert-downey-jr-praises-cillian-murphy-oppenheimer-greatest-sacrifice-1235678306/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724145116/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/robert-downey-jr-praises-cillian-murphy-oppenheimer-greatest-sacrifice-1235678306/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=Variety}} Nolan also set up a phone call between Murphy and Nobel laureate Kip Thorne, who had previously worked with Nolan on Interstellar (2014). As a graduate student, Thorne had attended some of Oppenheimer's seminars, and explained to Murphy his experience with Oppenheimer's gift for facilitating group discussions of difficult scientific concepts.

The casting process was so secretive that some cast members did not know which role they would be playing until they signed on. Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt took pay cuts to work on the film, with each earning $4 million in lieu of their usual $10–20 million upfront salary.{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=July 20, 2022 |title=Inside Movie Stars' Salaries: Joaquin Phoenix Nabs $20M for Joker 2, Tom Cruise Heads to Over $100M and More |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/features/movie-star-salaries-joaquin-phoenix-joker-2-tom-cruise-1235320046/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720160107/https://variety.com/2022/film/features/movie-star-salaries-joaquin-phoenix-joker-2-tom-cruise-1235320046/ |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |website=Variety}} Downey went to Nolan's house to read the script, which was printed in black on red paper.{{Cite magazine |last=Collis |first=Clark |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Yes, Christopher Nolan really prints his scripts on red paper — just ask Robert Downey Jr. |url=https://ew.com/movies/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-script-red-paper/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720011657/https://ew.com/movies/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-script-red-paper/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023}} Downey would later describe Oppenheimer as "the best film" in which he has appeared to date.{{Cite web |date=July 17, 2023 |title=Robert Downey Jr hails Oppenheimer as his "best film" |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44569013/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-best-film-career/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720113845/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44569013/robert-downey-jr-oppenheimer-best-film-career/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=Digital Spy}} Downey previously met with Nolan for the role of Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow in Batman Begins (2005), but Nolan felt Downey wasn't right for the role, which went to Murphy.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/11/movies/robert-downey-jr-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer.html | title=Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr. And Missed Connections | work=The New York Times | date=February 11, 2024 | last1=Ito | first1=Robert }} Blunt met Nolan in Los Angeles and, when she was offered the role of Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer, she enthusiastically accepted; she also contacted Murphy to get an expectation of what working with Nolan would be like. Asked to play the part of Leslie Groves, Damon—who had appeared in Nolan's Interstellar—was taking a break from acting as a result of negotiations with his wife Luciana Bozán Barroso in couples therapy, but signed on to Oppenheimer as he had reserved one exception: if Nolan offered him a role in a film.{{Cite magazine |last=Collis |first=Clark |date=July 17, 2023 |title=Matt Damon told his wife he would take a break — unless Christopher Nolan called |url=https://ew.com/movies/oppenheimer-matt-damon-time-off-caveat-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721221725/https://ew.com/movies/oppenheimer-matt-damon-time-off-caveat-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy/ |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023}}

Nolan cast writer-director Benny Safdie as physicist Edward Teller after asking director Paul Thomas Anderson about his experience directing Safdie in Licorice Pizza (2021).{{Cite magazine |last=Paiella |first=Gabriella |date=July 18, 2023 |title=Benny Safdie Steps into the Spotlight with 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.gq.com/story/gq-hype-benny-safdie |url-status=live |magazine=GQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720060950/https://www.gq.com/story/gq-hype-benny-safdie |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 18, 2023}} Safdie had worked alongside a nuclear physicist at Columbia University while in high school. It is Nolan's first film since Insomnia (2002) to not feature Michael Caine.{{Cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Sean |date=July 24, 2023 |title=What Christopher Nolan Has to Say About Michael Caine's Involvement in Oppenheimer |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/christopher-nolan-michael-caines-involvement-oppenheimer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728004004/https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/christopher-nolan-michael-caines-involvement-oppenheimer |archive-date=July 28, 2023 |access-date=July 28, 2023 |website=Cinemablend}} Glen Powell auditioned and was rejected for the role that went to Josh Hartnett.{{Cite web |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/glen-powell-interview-2024 |title=Everybody wants some Glen Powell |date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=May 29, 2024 |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529040942/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/glen-powell-interview-2024 |url-status=live }} For Harry S. Truman's appearance, Nolan sought his collaborator Gary Oldman, who was on a break from filming the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses (2022–present); Oldman told Nolan that he was contractually obliged to not cut his hair, so either he could play Truman with a prosthetic cap and a wig or get someone else to play the part, which Nolan agreed.{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/style/gary-oldman-slow-horses-emmy-nomination-bfde5454 |title=Why Gary Oldman Never Revisits His Work |date=September 4, 2024 |access-date=September 5, 2024 |archive-date=September 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904225929/https://www.wsj.com/style/gary-oldman-slow-horses-emmy-nomination-bfde5454 |url-status=live }}

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| image1 = Filming of the 2022 movie Oppenheimer at UC Berkeley.jpg

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| footer = Filming at the University of California, Berkeley took place in May 2022.

}}

Pre-production had begun by January 2022 in New Mexico, where a two-day casting call took place in Santa Fe and Los Alamos for people to audition to play local residents, military personnel, and scientists.{{Cite web |last=Gomez |first=Adrian |date=January 29, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer to film in New Mexico this year |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2464714/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-to-film-in-nm-casting-call-in-santa-fe-and-los-alamos.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126235001/https://www.abqjournal.com/2464714/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-to-film-in-nm-casting-call-in-santa-fe-and-los-alamos.html |archive-date=January 26, 2022 |access-date=January 30, 2022 |website=Albuquerque Journal}}{{Cite web |last=Tashji |first=Michael |date=January 30, 2022 |title=Hundreds turn out for Oppenheimer casting call |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/hundreds-turn-out-for-oppenheimer-casting-call/article_bf6ea392-814f-11ec-9b8f-9704e961f169.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131014829/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/hundreds-turn-out-for-oppenheimer-casting-call/article_bf6ea392-814f-11ec-9b8f-9704e961f169.html |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |access-date=February 14, 2022 |website=The Santa Fe New Mexican}} Another casting call was held in February.{{Cite web |last=Vitu |first=Teya |date=February 3, 2022 |title=Two more movie shoots come to New Mexico; Oppenheimer calls for more extras |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/two-more-movie-shoots-come-to-new-mexico-oppenheimer-calls-for-more-extras/article_b18bf0d0-852e-11ec-a2a4-63dca7a0ebc9.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204032359/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/two-more-movie-shoots-come-to-new-mexico-oppenheimer-calls-for-more-extras/article_b18bf0d0-852e-11ec-a2a4-63dca7a0ebc9.html |archive-date=February 4, 2022 |access-date=February 4, 2022 |website=The Santa Fe New Mexican}}

Principal photography began on February 28, 2022, at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico,{{Cite news |last=Yuan |first=Jada |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Inside Christopher Nolan's 57-day race to shoot 'Oppenheimer' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/07/19/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-race/ |url-status=live |access-date=August 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720134633/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/07/19/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-race/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023}} and lasted for 57 days with Hoyte van Hoytema serving as cinematographer. The original shooting schedule had set aside approximately 85 days for filming. However, during pre-production, it had become clear that principal photography could not be completed within $100 million over that many days on location all over the United States.{{Cite news |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan Cut 30 'Oppenheimer' Filming Days in Order to Free Up Money for Sets, Production Designer Calls It 'The Most Incredible Thing |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-cut-oppenheimer-filming-days-save-budget-1235706328/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829170636/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-cut-oppenheimer-filming-days-save-budget-1235706328/amp/ |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |work=Variety}} To efficiently use the budget for location shooting in California and New Jersey and constructing high-quality historically accurate sets in New Mexico, Nolan compressed the shooting schedule from 85 to 57 days.{{Cite web |last=Tinoco |first=Armando |date=2023-08-30 |title=Christopher Nolan Cut 'Oppenheimer' Filming To 57 Days To Recreate Los Alamos |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/christopher-nolan-cut-oppenheimer-filming-recreate-los-alamos-1235531017/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Deadline |archive-date=September 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913162816/https://deadline.com/2023/08/christopher-nolan-cut-oppenheimer-filming-recreate-los-alamos-1235531017/ |url-status=live }} Murphy, who appears in nearly every scene, described the pace as "insane".

Oldman said he would be on set for a day in May for "one scene, a page and a half". The original choice for Oval Office location in the Nixon Presidential Library fell through a week before filming, and since Oldman's dates were unmovable, the production design team redressed the Oval Office set from the HBO series Veep (2012–2019), which according to Ruth De Jong had fallen into "nightmarish" disrepair.{{cite web |last1=Dixon |first1=Marcus |title='Oppenheimer' prod. designers Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman: Christopher Nolan on other stratosphere |date=February 6, 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5JXoZAL68o&t=1452s |publisher=Gold Derby |access-date=March 10, 2024 |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311074959/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5JXoZAL68o&t=1452s |url-status=live }} Nolan filmed his eldest child, his daughter Flora, in a scene in which she played a young woman disintegrated in a nuclear explosion. It appears in the film as one of Oppenheimer's visions, in which Nolan intended to show "that if you create the ultimate destructive power, it will also destroy those who are near and dear to you".

File:Hoyte van Hoytema 2012 Sweden.jpg.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-03-10 |title=Oscar Experts predict Hoyte van Hoytema ('Oppenheimer') will win Best Cinematography |url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2024/oscar-experts-hoyte-van-hoytema-oppenheimer-best-cinematography/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=GoldDerby |language=en-US |archive-date=May 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515122402/https://www.goldderby.com/article/2024/oscar-experts-hoyte-van-hoytema-oppenheimer-best-cinematography/ |url-status=live }}|upright]]

The film used a combination of IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large-format film. It is also the first film to shoot sections on IMAX black-and-white photographic film, which Kodak created and FotoKem developed specifically for the film.{{Cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Oppenheimer First Look: Cillian Murphy Smolders in Christopher Nolan's Atomic Bomb Drama |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2022/02/oppenheimer-first-look-cillian-murphy-christopher-nolan-1234701254/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220222191043/https://www.indiewire.com/2022/02/oppenheimer-first-look-cillian-murphy-christopher-nolan-1234701254/ |archive-date=February 22, 2022 |access-date=February 22, 2022 |website=IndieWire}}{{Cite web |title=Christopher Nolan breaks down the best ways to watch a movie, ahead of his 'Oppenheimer' release – AP News |url=https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-0f8c1fdc4a358decee6105cac91a90ae |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601122503/https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-0f8c1fdc4a358decee6105cac91a90ae |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=Associated Press|author=Bahr, Lindsey|date=June 4, 2023}} Van Hoytema used 50 mm and 80 mm Hasselblad lenses when filming on the IMAX MKIV or IMAX MSM 9802 cameras, while scenes shot on the Panavision Panaflex System 65 Studio cameras were shot using Panavision Sphero 65 and Panavision System 65 lenses.{{Cite web |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema NSC FSF ASC gets up-close & personal using Kodak 65MM large-format film on Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.kodak.com/en/motion/blog-post/oppenheimer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825053820/https://www.kodak.com/en/motion/blog-post/oppenheimer/ |archive-date=August 25, 2023 |access-date=August 27, 2023 |publisher=Kodak}} Additionally, the production had Panavision construct a custom probe lens to allow the filmmakers to use IMAX cameras for macro photography and microphotography to record the miniature effects.{{Cite web |date=August 2, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer: Panavision Invented a New IMAX Lens for Christopher Nolan's Historical Epic |url=https://www.cbr.com/oppenheimer-new-imax-lens-microphotography/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901041115/https://www.cbr.com/oppenheimer-new-imax-lens-microphotography/ |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |access-date=September 1, 2023 |website=Comic Book Resources}} Miniatures were filmed with IMAX cameras at 48 frames per second, while miniatures needing higher speed were shot on Super 35 mm film with an Arriflex 435 ES camera at 150 frames per second.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-08 | title=How Jennifer Lame and the Post Team Helped Turn 'Oppenheimer' Into an Epic Smash |url=https://cinemontage.org/how-jennifer-lame-and-the-post-team-helped-turn-oppenheimer-into-an-epic-smash/ |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=Cinemontage }}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-17 |title=Spinning beads, cloud tanks and crucibles of molten thermite |url=https://beforesandafters.com/2023/08/17/spinning-beads-cloud-tanks-and-crucibles-of-molten-thermite/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Before and Afters |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906140203/https://beforesandafters.com/2023/08/17/spinning-beads-cloud-tanks-and-crucibles-of-molten-thermite/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=What Cameras Did Christopher Nolan Use on 'Oppenheimer'? |url=https://nofilmschool.com/oppenheimer-camera-used |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=NoFilmSchool |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906140054/https://nofilmschool.com/oppenheimer-camera-used |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=How 'Oppenheimer' Pulled Off an Atomic Bomb Explosion Without CGI: A Giant Aquarium, Balloons and More |url=https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/how-oppenheimer-pulled-off-trinity-test-sequence-1235676487/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Variety |archive-date=August 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813030302/https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/how-oppenheimer-pulled-off-trinity-test-sequence-1235676487/ |url-status=live }} In the second week of April, filming took place on location at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.{{Cite web |last=Salvadore |first=Sarah |date=April 12, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy Film In Princeton For Oppenheimer? |url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/princeton/christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-film-princeton-oppenheimer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412195528/https://patch.com/new-jersey/princeton/christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-film-princeton-oppenheimer |archive-date=April 12, 2022 |access-date=April 12, 2022 |website=Patch}} Filming also occurred in California, primarily around the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.{{Cite web |last=Wendorf |first=Frances |date=May 2, 2022 |title=Florence Pugh Walks With Cillian Murphy In Oppenheimer Set Photo |url=https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-set-photo-florence-pugh-cillian-murphy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220502034534/https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-set-photo-florence-pugh-cillian-murphy/ |archive-date=May 2, 2022 |access-date=May 2, 2022 |website=Screen Rant}} Scenes set in the city of Berkeley itself were filmed in Pasadena.{{cite news |last1=Gomez |first1=Adrian |title=Production designer Ruth De Jong transported New Mexico back to the 1940s in 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/lifestyle/arts/production-designer-ruth-de-jong-transported-new-mexico-back-to-the-1940s-in-oppenheimer/article_73e843b0-2419-11ee-8a84-1f616baeadee.html |access-date=October 22, 2023 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=July 20, 2023 |archive-date=October 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022142610/https://www.abqjournal.com/lifestyle/arts/production-designer-ruth-de-jong-transported-new-mexico-back-to-the-1940s-in-oppenheimer/article_73e843b0-2419-11ee-8a84-1f616baeadee.html |url-status=live }}

During a 2021 research trip, Nolan discovered that Los Alamos had drastically changed from its 1940s appearance and could not be used for exterior shots of the town; for example, the town's equivalent of a Main Street has a Starbucks. Instead, the production team constructed a version of 1940s-era Los Alamos on top of a similar plateau at Ghost Ranch. It took three months to build the set, which was used for only six shooting days. The general plan was to shoot only exterior shots on the set at Ghost Ranch, then shoot interior shots on location inside various historic buildings in the real town of Los Alamos. Interior shooting in Los Alamos began on March 8, 2022. Many scenes in the film take place in academic lecture halls; to save time and money, the production team decided against attempting to reconstruct those halls as sets at Ghost Ranch, and shot them inside a historic Women's Army Corps dormitory in Los Alamos. Scenes were also filmed in Oppenheimer's original cabin in Los Alamos, which had been restored. Kai Bird visited the set and was impressed by Murphy's performance.{{Cite web |last=Kifer |first=Andy |date=July 10, 2023 |title=Behind 'Oppenheimer,' a Prizewinning Biography 25 Years in the Making |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/books/oppenheimer-american-prometheus-sherwin-bird.html/ |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710180206/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/books/oppenheimer-american-prometheus-sherwin-bird.html/ |archive-date=July 10, 2023 |access-date=July 19, 2023 |website=The New York Times}} The New York hotel scenes were shot in Albuquerque's Old Post Office building, while the Washington, D.C. scenes were shot in state government buildings in the state capital of Santa Fe.

Although the news coverage surrounding the film's release implied that most of the film was shot in New Mexico, the official making-of book Unleashing Oppenheimer revealed that many of the film's most important scenes were shot within the studio zone in Los Angeles County. Early on, three days were set aside for filming at UCLA's Kerckhoff Hall, which was used for both the Cambridge and Göttingen scenes.{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=140 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA140 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=July 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701180124/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA140#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles stood in for the Mark Hopkins Hotel for one of Oppenheimer's encounters with Tatlock, for the Plaza Hotel for Strauss's 1949 birthday celebration,{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=232 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA232 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=July 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701180124/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA232#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} and for an unnamed Washington, D.C. hotel for the scene where Szilard and Hill try to get Oppenheimer to sign a petition against dropping the bomb on Japan.{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=233 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA233 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625171818/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA233#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} Oppenheimer's security hearing was shot in Alhambra, California, in a "disused office building in the former manufacturing headquarters for the petrochemical company C.F. Braun & Co."{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=242 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA242 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625171224/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA242#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} The scene in which Oppenheimer's security clearance was revoked was shot on May 19, 2022, the production's last day in Alhambra.{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=244 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA244 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=July 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706111920/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA244#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}

Filming involved the use of real explosives to recreate the Trinity nuclear test, forgoing the use of computer-generated graphics.{{Cite web |last=Maytum |first=Matt |date=December 12, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan: {{'}}Oppenheimer is one of the most challenging projects I've ever taken on in terms of scale' |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-scale-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213000929/https://www.gamesradar.com/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-scale-interview/ |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=Total Film |publisher=GamesRadar+}} When this news first broke online, many fans (aware of Nolan's famous preference for in-camera practical effects) thought it meant he had set off a real atomic bomb. Nolan later remarked that it was both "flattering" and "scary" that his fans would think that of him. The production team was able to obtain government permission to film at White Sands Missile Range, but only at highly inconvenient hours, and therefore chose to film the scene elsewhere in the New Mexico desert. The production filmed the Trinity test scenes in Belen, New Mexico, with Murphy climbing a 100-foot steel tower, a replica of the original site used in the Manhattan Project, in rough weather. A special set was built in which gasoline, propane, aluminum powder, and magnesium were used to create the explosive effect. Although they used miniatures for the practical effect, the special effects supervisor, Scott R. Fisher, referred to them as "big-atures", since the special effects team had tried to build the models as physically large as possible. To make the models look closer to their intended real-life size, the team used forced perspective.{{Cite web |last=Seibold |first=Witney |date=May 23, 2023 |title=How Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Recreated A Nuclear Explosion Without Using CGI |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1294112/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-recreated-nuclear-explosion-no-cgi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524003454/https://www.slashfilm.com/1294112/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-recreated-nuclear-explosion-no-cgi/ |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |access-date=July 14, 2023 |website=/Film}}{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Josh |date=May 26, 2023 |title=How Exactly Did Oppenheimer's Special Effects Team Recreate an Atomic Blast Without CGI? |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/how-oppenheimer-recreated-atomic-blast-without-using-cgi |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722025248/https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/how-oppenheimer-recreated-atomic-blast-without-using-cgi |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=syfy.com}} Visualizations of the interactions between atoms, molecules and energy waves, as well as the depiction of stars, black holes and supernovas, were also achieved through practical methods. Nolan claimed the film contains no computer-generated effects,{{Cite web |last=Massoto |first=Erick |date=July 10, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan Explains Why There's No CGI in 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-no-cgi-christopher-nolan-explained/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722061837/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-no-cgi-christopher-nolan-explained/ |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |access-date=July 22, 2023 |website=Collider}} and used practical effects to achieve "real-world imagery".{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Tamera |date=July 10, 2023 |title=With 'Oppenheimer,' Christopher Nolan Fought for "Bite of Real-World Imagery," and Won |url=https://collider.com/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-interview/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912231645/https://collider.com/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-interview/ |archive-date=September 12, 2023 |access-date=September 29, 2023 |website=Collider}}

The last portion of principal photography was for Nolan and van Hoytema to travel to Europe to obtain establishing shots for the early European phase of Oppenheimer's life. For example, they did not bother with shooting in any actual part of the University of Cambridge; "van Hoytema simply set up a camera across the river".{{cite book |last1=Yuan |first1=Jada |title=Unleashing Oppenheimer: Inside Christopher Nolan's Explosive Atomic-Age Thriller |date=2023 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |location=New York |isbn=9798886630961 |page=248 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA248 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-date=June 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625173641/https://books.google.com/books?id=9kjsEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA248#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} Filming wrapped in May 2022.{{Cite web |last=Ruimy |first=Jordan |date=June 6, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Wraps Shooting |url=https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/6/7tnqsllc6ui1k8l5hhieijtcgu13ik |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606164108/https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/6/7tnqsllc6ui1k8l5hhieijtcgu13ik |archive-date=June 6, 2022 |access-date=June 7, 2022 |website=World of Reel}}

Editing was completed by Jennifer Lame, who had previously edited Tenet. While inspecting the footage during editing, Nolan and Lame performed "character passes" to ensure all the characters were properly displayed on screen, due to the film having a faster pace than most traditional blockbusters. Visual effects were handled by DNEG, which produced more than 100 VFX shots from more than 400 practically shot elements,{{Cite web |url=https://ymcinema.com/2023/07/31/oppenheimer-contains-only-100-vfx-shots/ |title=Oppenheimer Contains Only 100 VFX Shots – YMCinema |date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804175109/https://ymcinema.com/2023/07/31/oppenheimer-contains-only-100-vfx-shots/ |url-status=live }} marking their eighth collaboration with Nolan. Andrew Jackson was the visual effects supervisor,{{Cite magazine |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=July 21, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan Reunites With VFX Studio DNEG for Oppenheimer, Their Eighth Movie Together |url=https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-vfx-dneg-1235321241/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720193858/https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-vfx-dneg-1235321241/ |archive-date=July 20, 2022 |access-date=July 21, 2022 |magazine=Variety}} who stated that the film used mostly "invisible" visual effects through "'in-camera' special effects created on set".{{Cite magazine |last=Giardina |first=Carolyn |date=August 23, 2023 |title=No VFX in 'Oppenheimer'? "Clearly Not True" Says Film's Oscar-Winning VFX Supervisor |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/yes-oppenheimer-plenty-vfx-shots-1235573104/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926135705/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/yes-oppenheimer-plenty-vfx-shots-1235573104/ |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |access-date=September 27, 2023 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}} Digital compositing was used for the Trinity scene to add multi-layers to the explosion which was shot in a multifaceted viewpoint.{{Cite web |date=July 6, 2023 |title=How Christopher Nolan Recreated Oppenheimer's Nuclear Bomb Explosion Without CGI |url=https://movieweb.com/oppenheimer-nolan-nuclear-bomb-explosion-no-cgi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722174933/https://movieweb.com/oppenheimer-nolan-nuclear-bomb-explosion-no-cgi/ |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |access-date=July 23, 2023|author=Ganesh, Bala|work=Movieweb}} There were 160 VFX artists who worked on the film, 134 of whom were left uncredited.{{Cite web |last=Amidi |first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi |date=2023-07-24 |title=Christopher Nolan Forgot To Credit Over 80% Of VFX Crew On 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/christopher-nolan-forgot-to-credit-more-than-80-of-vfx-artists-on-oppenheimer-230775.html |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Cartoon Brew |language=en-US |archive-date=May 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515062722/https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/christopher-nolan-forgot-to-credit-more-than-80-of-vfx-artists-on-oppenheimer-230775.html |url-status=live }}

Steven Spielberg was the first person to see the final cut, in a private screening of its first 70mm print. Nolan said: "He said some very kind things, but really just to watch him watch ... I wasn't even supposed to watch it with him, but seeing the great master watching? It was sort of irresistible."{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/tenet-christopher-nolan-denis-villeneuve-dune-imax-6f8c56df96b86620932d2bc5c112389c |title=Q&A: Nolan and Villeneuve on 'Tenet' returning to theaters and why 'Dune 2' will be shown on film | AP News |website=Associated Press News |date=February 6, 2024 |access-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207103910/https://apnews.com/article/tenet-christopher-nolan-denis-villeneuve-dune-imax-6f8c56df96b86620932d2bc5c112389c |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-nolan-steven-spielberg-first-oppenheimer-70mm-print-1235902073/ |title=Christopher Nolan Showed First Oppenheimer 70MM Print to Spielberg |date=February 8, 2024 |access-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209101037/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/christopher-nolan-steven-spielberg-first-oppenheimer-70mm-print-1235902073/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Oppenheimer (soundtrack){{!}}Oppenheimer (soundtrack)}}

File:Ludwig Göransson 2018 Interview (cropped).jpg won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.]]

Ludwig Göransson composed the score for the film, after doing so for Nolan's previous film, Tenet. Göransson's score was featured in a trailer for the film on May 8, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Reul |first=Katie |date=May 8, 2023 |title=New 'Oppenheimer' Trailer Reveals a Sad Albert Einstein, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr. and More in Christopher Nolan's Star-Studded Movie |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-trailer-albert-einstein-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235542552/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230508170826/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-trailer-albert-einstein-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235542552/ |archive-date=May 8, 2023 |access-date=May 8, 2023 |website=Variety}} It was also featured in the Universal Pictures exclusive five-minute Opening Look on July 13.{{Cite web |last=Remley |first=Hilary |date=July 13, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer': 5-Minute Video Highlights the IMAX-Shot Epic & Ludwig Göransson's Score |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-opening-look-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720060950/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-opening-look-video/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 14, 2023 |website=Collider}}{{Cite tweet |number=1679521228787154944 |user=OppenheimerFilm |title=The exclusive five-minute Opening Look, edited by the film's editor Jennifer Lame, reveals new scenes, images and sounds from the IMAX®-shot epic thriller and features the film's breathtaking score by Academy Award® winner Ludwig Göransson. |date=July 13, 2023}} Nolan had advised him to use a solo violin for Oppenheimer's central theme in the film, with Göransson remarking that he had felt that it could go from "the most romantic, beautiful tone in a split second to neurotic and heart wrenching, horror sounds".

Oppenheimer{{'}}s teaser trailer was released on July 28, 2022, featuring a live countdown to 5:29 a.m. (MDT) on July 16, 2023, the 78th anniversary of the first detonation of an atomic weapon; it premiered in screenings of Nope before being posted online on Universal's social media profiles.{{Cite web |last=Parham |first=Lee |date=July 28, 2022 |title=Link Tank: First Oppenheimer Trailer is a Countdown Clock |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/link-tank-link-tank-first-oppenheimer-trailer-countdown-clock/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818005828/https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/link-tank-link-tank-first-oppenheimer-trailer-countdown-clock/ |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |access-date=August 17, 2022 |website=Den of Geek}} Empire commented that it is exemplary of Nolan's style: "heady, brooding stuff with a real sense of weight".{{Cite web |date=July 28, 2022 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Teaser Trailer Debuts Online |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-trailer-online/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509015427/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-trailer-online/ |archive-date=May 9, 2023 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |website=Empire}}

In December 2022, two trailers premiered in front of Avatar: The Way of Water, with one being exclusive to IMAX theaters and the other being shown in all other formats. The latter was eventually released online.{{Cite news |date=December 13, 2022 |title=Nolan to debut 'Oppenheimer' IMAX trailer with 'Avatar 2' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/nolan-to-debut-oppenheimer-imax-trailer-with-avatar-2/2022/12/13/949c2c9a-7ad5-11ed-bb97-f47d47466b9a_story.html |access-date=July 28, 2023 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=January 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109162220/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/nolan-to-debut-oppenheimer-imax-trailer-with-avatar-2/2022/12/13/949c2c9a-7ad5-11ed-bb97-f47d47466b9a_story.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Reul |first=Katie |date=December 19, 2022 |title='Oppenheimer' Trailer Unveils Christopher Nolan's Atomic Bomb Thriller |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/trailers/oppenheimer-trailer-christopher-nolan-new-movie-1235436149/ |url-status=live |magazine=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323175013/https://variety.com/2022/film/trailers/oppenheimer-trailer-christopher-nolan-new-movie-1235436149/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=July 28, 2023}} In May 2023, an official main trailer debuted during preview screenings of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It was subsequently released to the public on May 8, 2023, alongside a theatrical release poster.{{Cite web |last=Leston |first=Ryan |date=May 8, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Gets Lengthy New Trailer |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-gets-lengthy-new-trailer |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509013923/https://www.ign.com/articles/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-gets-lengthy-new-trailer |archive-date=May 9, 2023 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |website=IGN}}

File:BFI IMAX, Waterloo.jpg in London]]

Oppenheimer had its world premiere at Le Grand Rex in Paris on July 11, 2023,{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Robert |date=July 11, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Red Carpet Photos: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr & Christopher Nolan At Paris Premiere |url=https://deadline.com/gallery/oppenheimer-world-premiere-red-carpet-photos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720061018/https://deadline.com/gallery/oppenheimer-world-premiere-red-carpet-photos/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} followed by the British premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on July 13,{{Cite news |date=July 13, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer: Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt at London movie premiere |agency=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66196311 |url-status=live |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720063953/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66196311 |archive-date=July 20, 2023}} and the American premiere at AMC Lincoln Square 13 in New York City on July 17.{{Cite news |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=July 14, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' U.S. Premiere Cancels Red Carpet Amid SAG-AFTRA Strike, but the Film Will Still Screen |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-us-premiere-cancels-red-carpet-sag-strike-1235670707/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718191614/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-us-premiere-cancels-red-carpet-sag-strike-1235670707/ |archive-date=July 18, 2023}} Both the London and the New York premieres were affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike, as some actors left the London premiere early, and Universal Pictures canceled the red carpet event for the New York premiere. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher later claimed the studios "duped" the guild into accepting a twelve-day-extension for negotiations to continue promoting summer films like Oppenheimer.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Fran Drescher Mobbed On SAG-AFTRA Picket Lines, Says Studios Are "Doing Bad Things To Good People" |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/fran-drescher-picket-line-actors-strike-interview-1235438324/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715204659/https://deadline.com/2023/07/fran-drescher-picket-line-actors-strike-interview-1235438324/ |archive-date=July 15, 2023 |access-date=July 22, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} Oppenheimer was released theatrically on July 21, 2023, by Universal Pictures.{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Gregory |date=October 8, 2021 |title=Christopher Nolan's New Movie Oppenheimer Sets 2023 Release Date |url=https://collider.com/christopher-nolan-next-movie-oppenheimer-release-date-2023/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008180419/https://collider.com/christopher-nolan-next-movie-oppenheimer-release-date-2023/ |archive-date=October 8, 2021 |access-date=October 9, 2021 |website=Collider}} In addition to standard digital cinemas, it was also released in various film formats including IMAX 70 mm (30 prints), standard 70 mm (113 prints) and 35 mm (around 80 prints).{{Cite web |title=Where to see "Oppenheimer" in the Splendour of Glorious 7OMM |url=https://www.in70mm.com/presents/1970_imax/2023_oppenheimer/cinema/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603103305/https://www.in70mm.com/news/2023/oppenheimer_cinema/ |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |website=in70mm.com}}

The film was released on the same day as Barbie, a fantasy comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig based on Mattel's Barbie fashion dolls and media franchise, and distributed by Warner Bros. Many speculated that the decision by Warner Bros. to release Barbie on the same day as Oppenheimer was made in order to deplete ticket sales of Oppenheimer as retaliation for Nolan releasing the film with Universal.{{Cite web |title=This is the ideal viewing order for the 'Barbenheimer' double feature |work=NPR |date=July 22, 2023 |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1189062921/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-movie-double-feature |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722132125/https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1189062921/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-movie-double-feature |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |access-date=July 31, 2023 |publisher=NPR |last1=Treisman |first1=Rachel }} Due to the tonal and genre dissonance between the two films, many social media users created memes about how the two films appealed to different audiences,{{Cite web |last=Frank |first=Jason P. |date=June 29, 2023 |title=Barbenheimer Memes Are Blowing Up |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/barbenheimer-memes.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703045339/https://www.vulture.com/article/barbenheimer-memes.html |archive-date=July 3, 2023 |access-date=August 11, 2023 |website=Vulture}} and how they should be viewed as a double feature.{{Cite web |last=Ankers-Range |first=Adele |date=June 30, 2023 |title=The Internet Embraces 'Barbenheimer' With Memes, Mashups, and More |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/internet-embraces-barbenheimer-memes-mashups-more |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701041023/https://www.ign.com/articles/internet-embraces-barbenheimer-memes-mashups-more |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |access-date=August 11, 2023 |website=IGN}}. The trend was dubbed "Barbenheimer",{{Cite news |last=Moses |first=Claire |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Mark Your Calendars: 'Barbenheimer' Is Coming |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/movies/barbie-oppenheimer-release-day.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630024535/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/movies/barbie-oppenheimer-release-day.html |archive-date=June 30, 2023}} and was described as counterprogramming during a summer of "entertainment industry meltdown".{{Cite magazine |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |date=July 23, 2023 |title=The Real Meaning of 'Barbenheimer': If You Build Exciting Movies, They Will Come |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/columns/barbenheimer-lessons-barbie-oppenheimer-greta-gerwig-christopher-nolan-1235677801/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724083655/https://variety.com/2023/film/columns/barbenheimer-lessons-barbie-oppenheimer-greta-gerwig-christopher-nolan-1235677801/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=September 26, 2023 |magazine=Variety}} Cillian Murphy had endorsed the phenomenon, saying "My advice would be for people to go see both, on the same day. If they are good films, then that's cinema's gain."{{Cite news |last=Rodríguez |first=Rafael |date=July 9, 2023 |title=Cillian Murphy, 'Oppenheimer' contra 'Barbie': "Ni héroes ni villanos; me interesan las sombras" |newspaper=La Vanguardia |publisher=La Vanguardia Ediciones |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/magazine/protagonistas/20230709/9091303/cillian-murphy-actor-irlandes-oppenheimer-peaky-blinders.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710132911/https://www.lavanguardia.com/magazine/protagonistas/20230709/9091303/cillian-murphy-actor-irlandes-oppenheimer-peaky-blinders.html |archive-date=July 10, 2023}}

In March 2022, Universal Pictures halted the release of its titles in Russia, joining other major American film distributors in the boycott against the country following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.{{cite news |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title=Universal Pauses Theatrical Releases In Russia |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/universal-russia-economic-sanction-1234968417/ |access-date=August 8, 2023 |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=March 1, 2022 |archive-date=March 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303063724/https://deadline.com/2022/03/universal-russia-economic-sanction-1234968417/ |url-status=live }} Oppenheimer had also been banned by Russia's Ministry of Culture, which had refused to license screenings of the film, stating that it did not meet their goals of "preserving and strengthening traditional Russian spiritual values".{{Cite news |last=McCurdy |first=Will |date=September 27, 2023 |title='They see Hollywood movies as a right': the Russians breaking the law to watch Barbie |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/27/they-see-hollywood-movies-as-a-right-the-russians-breaking-the-law-to-watch-barbie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927132045/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/27/they-see-hollywood-movies-as-a-right-the-russians-breaking-the-law-to-watch-barbie |archive-date=September 27, 2023 |access-date=November 10, 2023 |newspaper=The Guardian}}

The film was not released in Japan until eight months after its initial global release. Variety noted the controversial reputation in Japan due to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A Universal spokesperson said that "plans have not been finalized in all markets". American films are often released in Japan a few months after the initial theatrical release.{{cite magazine |last1=Rubin |first1=Rebecca |title=Will Christoper Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' Get a Theatrical Release in Japan? |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-theatrical-release-japan-1235645752/ |access-date=August 9, 2023 |magazine=Variety |date=June 29, 2023 |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629182023/https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-theatrical-release-japan-1235645752/ |url-status=live }} In December 2023, the independent Japanese film distributor Bitters End announced that it would theatrically release the film in 2024, as Universal's distributor in Japan Toho-Towa opted not to release it.{{cite web|title='Oppenheimer' Confirmed For Theatrical Release In Japan|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nancy|last=Tartaglione|date=December 6, 2023|access-date=December 7, 2023|url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/oppenheimer-japan-release-date-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235656207/|archive-date=December 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207113715/https://deadline.com/2023/12/oppenheimer-japan-release-date-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235656207/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=December 7, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' to Release in Japan Through Indie Distributor Bitters End |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-release-japan-1235825471/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207180839/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-release-japan-1235825471/ |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |website=Variety}} The film was later released by Bitters End in Japan on March 29, and during its first three days, it was ranked as the country's highest grossing foreign film after making 379.3 million yen ($2.5 million) at the box office.{{Cite web |date=January 24, 2024 |title=第96回アカデミー賞最多13部門ノミネート「オッペンハイマー」3月29日公開決定 クリストファー・ノーラン監督作 : 映画ニュース |url=https://eiga.com/news/20240124/10/ |access-date=January 24, 2024 |website=Eiga.com |language=ja |archive-date=January 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127230018/https://eiga.com/news/20240124/10/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/01/world/asia/oppenheimer-opens-japan.html|title='Oppenheimer' Opens in Nuclear-Scarred Japan, 8 Months After U.S. Premiere|first1=Motoko|last1=Rich|first2=Kiuko|last2=Notoya|work=New York Times|date=April 1, 2024|access-date=April 17, 2024|archive-date=April 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417163825/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/01/world/asia/oppenheimer-opens-japan.html|url-status=live}}

In the United States, the film received an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association for "some sexuality, nudity, and language". It is Nolan's first film to receive that rating since Insomnia (2002).{{Cite magazine |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Earns R Rating, Imax Film Prints Are 11 Miles Long and Weigh 600 Pounds |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-r-rating-film-stock-11-miles-long-christopher-nolan-1235630631/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601214916/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-r-rating-film-stock-11-miles-long-christopher-nolan-1235630631/ |archive-date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=June 2, 2023 |magazine=Variety}} In Australia, the film received an MA 15+ rating from the Australian Classification Board board for "strong sex and a suicide scene".{{cite web |title=Oppenheimer |date=July 19, 2023 |url=https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/oppenheimer |access-date=July 31, 2023 |publisher=Australian Classification Board |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731130737/https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/oppenheimer |url-status=live }} In the United Kingdom, the film received a 15 certificate from the British Board of Film Classification for "strong language and sex", meaning anyone under the age of 15 cannot be admitted to view the film.{{Cite web |title=Oppenheimer |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/oppenheimer-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda2mjm0 |access-date=August 28, 2023 |publisher=British Board of Film Classification |archive-date=July 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230706191747/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/oppenheimer-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda2mjm0 |url-status=live }} In some countries, including those in the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia, Universal distributed a version of the film with Florence Pugh's nude body covered by a computer-generated black dress.{{cite magazine |last1=Rubin |first1=Rebecca |date=July 24, 2023 |title=Florence Pugh's Nude Scene in 'Oppenheimer' Covered Up by CGI Black Dress in India and Middle East |magazine=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-florence-pugh-nudity-india-cgi-black-dress-1235678665/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726060841/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-florence-pugh-nudity-india-cgi-black-dress-1235678665/ |archive-date=July 26, 2023}}{{cite magazine |last1=Ritman |first1=Alex |date=July 25, 2023 |title=Topless Florence Pugh Scene in 'Oppenheimer' Digitally Censored (With a CGI Black Dress) in Middle East, India |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/topless-florence-pugh-oppenheimer-cgi-black-dress-middle-east-india-1235544323/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726074013/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/topless-florence-pugh-oppenheimer-cgi-black-dress-middle-east-india-1235544323/ |archive-date=July 26, 2023}}{{cite magazine |last1=Smith |first1=Ryan |date=July 24, 2023 |title=Florence Pugh 'Oppenheimer' nude scenes censored in absolutely bizarre way |url=https://www.newsweek.com/florence-pugh-oppenheimer-nude-scenes-censored-bizarre-way-1814828 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725164749/https://www.newsweek.com/florence-pugh-oppenheimer-nude-scenes-censored-bizarre-way-1814828 |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |magazine=Newsweek}}

In India, Oppenheimer was released with all scenes depicting nudity, sex and cigarette smoking being censored, earning the U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) while retaining the running time.{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Moulik |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Opted for Self-Censorship in India but Runtime Remains the Same |url=https://in.ign.com/oppenheimer/189604/news/oppenheimer-opted-for-self-censorship-in-india-but-runtime-remains-the-same |access-date=July 24, 2023 |website=IGN |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724145325/https://in.ign.com/oppenheimer/189604/news/oppenheimer-opted-for-self-censorship-in-india-but-runtime-remains-the-same |url-status=live }}

The audio of the scene in which Tatlock directs Oppenheimer to read a verse from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita, "I am become Death, destroyer of worlds", remained intact.{{Cite magazine |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |date=July 23, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Sacred Text Reading Sex Scene Raises Hackles in India: 'This is a Direct Assault on Religious Beliefs of a Billion Tolerant Hindus' |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/oppenheimer-hindu-sacred-text-sex-scene-india-bhagavad-gita-1235677691/ |url-status=live |magazine=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724025612/https://variety.com/2023/film/asia/oppenheimer-hindu-sacred-text-sex-scene-india-bhagavad-gita-1235677691/ |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=July 24, 2023}} As NDTV reported, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur questioned how the CBFC certified the film with the verse heard during such circumstance in the first place, and asked the scene to be deleted.{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Akhilesh |editor1-last=Kumar |editor1-first=Akhil |title=Upset At Bhagavad Gita Mention In 'Oppenheimer' Sex Scene, Minister Demand Cuts |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/oppenheimer-sex-scene-oppenheimer-bhagavad-gita-scene-anurag-thakur-upset-at-objectionable-seen-in-oppenheimer-minister-pulls-up-film-certification-bo-4235672 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |publisher=NDTV |date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724170844/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/oppenheimer-sex-scene-oppenheimer-bhagavad-gita-scene-anurag-thakur-upset-at-objectionable-seen-in-oppenheimer-minister-pulls-up-film-certification-bo-4235672 |url-status=live }} Hindu nationalists were angered by the scene and demanded its removal.{{Cite news |last=Mogul |first=Rhea |date=July 24, 2023 |title=Sex scene with Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh in 'Oppenheimer' becomes latest target of India's Hindu nationalists |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/24/media/india-oppenheimer-backlash-hindu-right-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=July 24, 2023 |agency=CNN |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724073658/https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/24/media/india-oppenheimer-backlash-hindu-right-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live }} Among them was journalist Uday Mahurkar, who wrote an open letter to Nolan calling the scene a "direct assault on religious beliefs of a billion tolerant Hindus", and demanded its removal from all releases of Oppenheimer across the world. On the other hand, actor Nitish Bharadwaj told The Times of India that "The use of this verse in the film should also be understood from Oppenheimer's emotional state of mind. A scientist thinks of his creation 24x7x365 days, irrespective of what he is doing. His mind space is consumed fully of his creation & the physical act is just a natural mechanical act."{{cite news |title=Nitish Bharadwaj reacts to the 'Oppenheimer' Bhagwad Gita controversy, says 'it should also be understood from Oppenheimer's emotional state of mind' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/nitish-bhardwaj-reacts-to-the-oppenheimer-bhagwad-gita-controversy-says-it-should-also-be-understood-from-oppenheimers-emotional-state-of-mind/articleshow/102087662.cms?from=mdr |access-date=August 10, 2023 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=July 28, 2023 |archive-date=August 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810105251/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/nitish-bhardwaj-reacts-to-the-oppenheimer-bhagwad-gita-controversy-says-it-should-also-be-understood-from-oppenheimers-emotional-state-of-mind/articleshow/102087662.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}

Oppenheimer was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray, regular Blu-ray and DVD formats including digital on November 21, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Moreau |first=Jordan |date=October 17, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Sets Digital Release, 4K Blu-Ray With Over 3 Hours of Special Features |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-digital-release-date-4k-blu-ray-1235758911/ |access-date=October 17, 2023 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=October 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231017142306/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-digital-release-date-4k-blu-ray-1235758911/ |url-status=live }} As the former two releases sold out days after release, Universal worked on restocking before the holiday season.{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Dade |date=November 28, 2023 |title=Universal "Working To Replenish" Sold-Out Stock Of 'Oppenheimer' 4K Discs In Time For Holidays |url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/universal-oppenheimer-sold-out-4k-discs-christopher-nolan-best-buy-amazon-1235641121/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129135717/https://deadline.com/2023/11/universal-oppenheimer-sold-out-4k-discs-christopher-nolan-best-buy-amazon-1235641121/ |url-status=live }} Nolan was vocal during the home release campaign of the film about the importance of physical media libraries, stating that letting films only exist digitally or on streaming services allows companies to have too much control and creates a danger for film preservation.{{Cite magazine |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=November 14, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan Says Buy 'Oppenheimer' on Blu-ray 'So No Evil Streaming Service Can Come Steal It From You': 'We Put a Lot of Care' Into Home Release |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-buy-oppenheimer-blu-ray-evil-streamers-1235790376/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=November 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127193941/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-buy-oppenheimer-blu-ray-evil-streamers-1235790376/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=McCormack |first=Olivia |date=November 17, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan talks streaming, actors and "Oppenheimer" |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/11/17/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-style-session/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120022927/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/11/17/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-style-session/ |url-status=live }} The film was released for streaming in the United States exclusively on Peacock and in Canada on Amazon Prime Video on February 16, 2024.{{cite web|title=Oppenheimer Gets Peacock Release Date as Streamer Licenses Other Christopher Nolan Films|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-peacock-streaming-release-date-dark-knight-trilogy-1235786541/|last=Weprin|first=Alex|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=January 12, 2024|access-date=January 14, 2024|archive-date=January 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113174420/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-peacock-streaming-release-date-dark-knight-trilogy-1235786541/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=January 10, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer' streaming on Prime Video Canada in February |url=https://homewithbrian.ca/2024/01/10/oppenheimer-streaming-prime-video-canada/ |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Home with Brian |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119140010/https://homewithbrian.ca/2024/01/10/oppenheimer-streaming-prime-video-canada/ |url-status=live }}

Additionally, it began streaming on Jio Cinema in India from March 21, 2024.{{cite web |title=Oppenheimer's OTT release: When and where to watch 2023's most celebrated movie |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/oppenheimers-ott-release-when-and-where-to-watch-2023s-most-celebrated-movie/articleshow/107947975.cms |website=The Economic Times |access-date=March 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316024318/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/oppenheimers-ott-release-when-and-where-to-watch-2023s-most-celebrated-movie/articleshow/107947975.cms |archive-date=March 16, 2024 |date=March 16, 2024 |url-status=live}}

Oppenheimer grossed $330.1 million in the United States and Canada and $645.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $975.8 million; $190 million of which came from IMAX alone.{{Cite web |last=Malhotra |first=Rahul |date=April 21, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer' Passes Mammoth IMAX Box Office Haul Nine Months After Debut |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-imax-box-office-190-million/ |access-date=May 22, 2024 |website=Collider |archive-date=May 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520230531/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-imax-box-office-190-million/ |url-status=live }} It is the third-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time behind Joker (2019) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).{{Cite news |title=Top 2023 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-2023 |access-date=August 6, 2023 |newspaper=The Numbers}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-second-biggest-r-rated-movie-global-box-office/|title='Oppenheimer' Passes 'Deadpool 2' to Become Second-Biggest R-Rated Movie in Global Box Office History|website=Collider |date=September 2, 2023 |access-date=September 11, 2023|archive-date=September 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907160554/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-second-biggest-r-rated-movie-global-box-office/|url-status=live}} In September 2023, Oppenheimer became the highest-grossing biographical film of all time, surpassing Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).{{Cite news |last=Pulver |first=Andrew |date=September 18, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer overtakes Bohemian Rhapsody to become biggest biopic of all time |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/18/oppenheimer-overtakes-bohemian-rhapsody-to-become-biggest-biopic-of-all-time |access-date=September 19, 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918205307/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/18/oppenheimer-overtakes-bohemian-rhapsody-to-become-biggest-biopic-of-all-time |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Chris |date=September 16, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Will Surpass 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to Become Highest-Grossing Biopic Ever |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-biopic-ever/ |access-date=September 17, 2023 |website=Collider |archive-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917153354/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-biopic-ever/ |url-status=live }}

By August 2023, Oppenheimer had become the highest-grossing film ever to not reach the top spot at the domestic box office, although in its sixth weekend it topped the worldwide box office with a total of $38.12 million, surpassing Barbie for the first time.{{Cite magazine |last=Starkey |first=Adam |date=August 30, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' beats 'Barbie' at global box office for first time |url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/oppenheimer-beats-barbie-at-global-box-office-first-time-3490804 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |magazine=NME |archive-date=August 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830095534/https://www.nme.com/news/film/oppenheimer-beats-barbie-at-global-box-office-first-time-3490804 |url-status=live }} It is also the highest grossing World War II-related film, surpassing Dunkirk (2017), also a Nolan film.{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-world-war-ii-film-b2389969.html |title= Oppenheimer becomes highest-grossing WWII film of all time |last= Hirwani |first= Peony |date= August 8, 2023 |newspaper=The Independent |access-date= August 10, 2023 |archive-date= August 11, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230811011110/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-world-war-ii-film-b2389969.html |url-status= live }}{{Cite web |date=August 18, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' sets unique box office record |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/film/oppenheimer-sets-unique-box-office-record-3485502 |url-status=live |access-date=August 27, 2023 |magazine=NME |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827022129/https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/film/oppenheimer-sets-unique-box-office-record-3485502 }} Additionally, Oppenheimer became one of the top five highest-grossing IMAX releases, earning $183 million (approximately 20% of its total gross), over $17 million of which was earned from the 30 screens showing IMAX 70 mm prints.{{Cite news |date=August 22, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer becomes top 5 IMAX movie of all time, joins Avengers Endgame, Avatar |url=https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-becomes-top-5-imax-movies-of-all-time-joins-avengers-endgame-avatar-627720 |url-status=live |access-date=August 27, 2023 |agency=WION |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903222644/https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-becomes-top-5-imax-movies-of-all-time-joins-avengers-endgame-avatar-627720 }} The film was booked to be rereleased in IMAX theaters on November 3, including six IMAX 70 mm prints, as these theaters reported selling out during the initial release.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-imax-re-release-1235774308/|title=Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' Sets Imax Re-Release After Huge $183 Million Summer Run|work=Variety|date=October 31, 2023|access-date=November 1, 2023|archive-date=October 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031222147/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-imax-re-release-1235774308/|url-status=live}} Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $201.9{{nbsp}}million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Oscar Best Picture Winner 'Oppenheimer' Is No. 5 In Deadline's 2023 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/oppenheimer-movie-profits-1235900658/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=May 1, 2024 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501195442/https://deadline.com/2024/05/oppenheimer-movie-profits-1235900658/ |url-status=live }}

In the United States and Canada, Oppenheimer was released alongside Barbie,{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=July 18, 2023 |title='Barbie' & 'Oppenheimer' To Rattle The Globe With Combined $260M+ Opening – Box Office Preview |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-opening-1235440879/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718205001/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-opening-1235440879/ |archive-date=July 18, 2023 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} in what became known as 'Barbenheimer'. The week of their releases, AMC Theatres announced that over 40,000 AMC Stubs members had already pre-booked tickets to both films on the same day.{{Cite web |last=Fuster |first=Jeremy |date=July 17, 2023 |title=AMC Says 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' Double-Feature Ticket Sales Have Doubled in Past Week |url=https://www.thewrap.com/amc-barbie-oppenheimer-double-feature-ticket-sales/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720063954/https://www.thewrap.com/amc-barbie-oppenheimer-double-feature-ticket-sales/ |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 17, 2023}} After grossing $33 million on its first day (including $10.5 million from Thursday night previews), it went on to debut to $82.5 million,{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-box-office-second-weekend-christopher-nolan-movies-comparison/|title=Oppenheimer Box Office Overtakes More Christopher Nolan Movies In Just 10 Days|website=Screen Rant|date=July 29, 2023|first=Brennan|last=Klein|access-date=July 29, 2023|archive-date=July 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729191350/https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-box-office-second-weekend-christopher-nolan-movies-comparison/|url-status=live}} finishing second behind Barbie and marking one of the best opening weekends ever for an R-rated drama.{{Cite web |last=Whitten |first=Sarah |date=2023-07-23 |title='Barbenheimer' tops $235 million in domestic debut, eyes second-highest box office weekend ever |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/23/barbie-and-oppenheimer-opening-weekend-box-office-results.html |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=CNBC |archive-date=December 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212172735/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/23/barbie-and-oppenheimer-opening-weekend-box-office-results.html |url-status=live }} 64% of the audience was male, with 33% being 18–34 years old. The Barbenheimer phenomenon was credited with boosting interest in the film, with a total of 79% of tickets sold over the weekend being for the two films (27% for Oppenheimer), a combined total of 18.5 million people.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=July 23, 2023 |title='Barbie' Still Gorgeous With Best YTD $155M Opening; 'Oppenheimer' Ticking To $80M+ In Incredible $300M+ U.S. Box Office Weekend – Sunday AM Update|url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/box-office-barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-1235443828/ |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721142533/https://deadline.com/2023/07/box-office-barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-1235443828/ |url-status=live }} The opening weekend was Nolan's best for an original film, being the highest of his filmography outside of the latter two films from The Dark Knight trilogy.{{Cite web |date=July 23, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Box Office Opening Is Bigger Than Inception, Interstellar, & All But 3 Nolan Movies |url=https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-box-office-christopher-nolan-best-opening/ |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=ScreenRant |archive-date=July 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723195017/https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-box-office-christopher-nolan-best-opening/ |url-status=live }} It achieved the third-highest opening weekend for a biopic film, behind The Passion of the Christ (2004) and American Sniper (2014).{{cite news |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=July 23, 2023 |title='Barbie' & 'Oppenheimer': A Rundown Of All The Box Office Records Broken |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-records-1235445928/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230723211424/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-records-1235445928/ |archive-date=July 23, 2023 |access-date=July 23, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}

Oppenheimer made $46.2 million in its second weekend (a drop of 44%), remaining in second behind Barbie.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=July 30, 2023 |title='Barbie', 'Oppenheimer' & 'Haunted Mansion' Fuel Record Final Weekend In July With $217M+: How Long Does This Box Office Boom Last As Strikes Continue? – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-second-weekend-box-office-haunted-mansion-1235450156/ |access-date=July 30, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729155341/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-second-weekend-box-office-haunted-mansion-1235450156/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=July 30, 2023 |title=Box Office: 'Barbie' Scores Massive $93 Million, 'Oppenheimer' Adds Huge $46 Million in Second Weekends |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-box-office-oppenheimer-second-weekend-records-1235681039/ |access-date=July 30, 2023 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730201329/https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-box-office-oppenheimer-second-weekend-records-1235681039/ |url-status=live }} The film made $28.7 million in its third weekend, finishing third behind Barbie and newcomer Meg 2: The Trench.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=August 6, 2023 |title=2023 Domestic Box Office Surges Past $6 Billion This Weekend Due To 'Barbie', 'Oppenheimer', 'Turtles' & 'Meg 2' As Strikes Continue – Sunday Update |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/box-office-barbie-oppenheimer-meg-2-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1235454860/ |access-date=August 6, 2023 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805151123/https://deadline.com/2023/08/box-office-barbie-oppenheimer-meg-2-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1235454860/ |url-status=live }} On August 16, Oppenheimer surpassed Sing (2016) to become the highest-grossing film to never reach the number one spot at the box office.{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Chris |date=August 16, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Poised to Become Highest-Grossing Movie in Domestic History To Never Top Box Office |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-film-never-top-domestic-box-office/ |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=Collider |archive-date=August 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230816202445/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-highest-grossing-film-never-top-domestic-box-office/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Jenna |date=August 16, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Set to Break a Unique Box Office Record |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/oppenheimer-break-unique-box-office-record-number-1/ |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=Comicbook.com |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817040730/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/oppenheimer-break-unique-box-office-record-number-1/ |url-status=live }} During its fourth weekend, the film made $18.8 million (a drop of 35%) rising back up to second place.{{Cite web |title=Oppenheimer (2023) – Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppenheimer-(2023) |access-date=August 30, 2023 |website=The Numbers |archive-date=August 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830085930/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppenheimer-(2023) |url-status=live }} In its fifth and sixth weekends, the film grossed $10.7 million and $9 million (a drop of 43% and 16% respectively), finishing in third and fourth place at the box office and passing $300 million domestically in its sixth weekend. Following its 13 Oscar nominations, the film expanded from 1,008 theaters to 2,262 in its 28th week of release and made $1 million, an increase of 284% from the previous weekend.{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=January 28, 2024 |title='The Beekeeper' Looks To Sting 'Mean Girls' During Woeful Weekend Without Wide Releases; How 'Barbenheimer' & Oscar Best Pic Noms Fared – Sunday Box Office Update |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/box-office-mean-girls-beekeeper-1235806489/ |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=January 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127185236/https://deadline.com/2024/01/box-office-mean-girls-beekeeper-1235806489/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-10 |title=Cillian Murphy wins best actor as Oppenheimer sweeps awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-68505409 |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=BBC News |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312112051/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/entertainment-arts-68505409 |url-status=live }}

In Japan, Oppenheimer was released on March 29, 2024.{{Cite news |date=2024-03-11 |title=Hiroshima residents hope Oppenheimer Oscars draw attention to A-bomb reality |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/hiroshima-residents-hope-oppenheimer-oscars-draw-attention-to-a-bomb-reality |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312012146/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/hiroshima-residents-hope-oppenheimer-oscars-draw-attention-to-a-bomb-reality |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |access-date=2024-03-12 |work=The Straits Times |issn=0585-3923}}{{Cite news |title='Oppenheimer' to show in Japan in 2024 after months of controversy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/07/oppenheimer-japan-release/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240408215226/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/07/oppenheimer-japan-release/ |archive-date=April 8, 2024 |access-date=March 12, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Prior to its release, it attracted controversy there, and Warner Bros. issued an apology following criticism of the Barbenheimer phenomenon as insensitive.{{Cite news |last1=Cain |first1=Sian |last2=Holmes |first2=Oliver |date=2023-08-01 |title=Barbenheimer backlash: Warner Bros apologises after its Japan arm complains |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/01/not-big-in-japan-country-rejects-co-marketing-of-barbie-and-oppenheimer-as-trivialising-nuclear-war |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801044124/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/01/not-big-in-japan-country-rejects-co-marketing-of-barbie-and-oppenheimer-as-trivialising-nuclear-war |archive-date=August 1, 2023 |access-date=2024-03-31 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}} Despite the outcry, the film would do very well in Japan, grossing $2.5 million and placing third in the country's box office during its opening weekend.{{cite news |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=March 31, 2024 |title=Box Office: 'Oppenheimer' Opens in Japan With $2.5 Million |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/global/box-office-oppenheimer-opens-japan-final-market-1235956510/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409091921/https://variety.com/2024/film/global/box-office-oppenheimer-opens-japan-final-market-1235956510/ |archive-date=April 9, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=Variety}}{{cite web |title=Oppenheimer-Japanese Weekend |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2304737281/weekend/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417192214/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2304737281/weekend/ |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |publisher=Box Office Mojo}}{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/oppenheimer-japan-reaction-guest-column-1235942666/|title=USC Film School's Vice Dean Akira Mizuta Lippit On Reaction To 'Oppenheimer' In Japan & How Release Uncertainty Became Inseparable From Film's Content; Then Box Office Surged – Guest Column|first=Akira Mizuta|last=Lippit|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 29, 2024|access-date=September 16, 2024}}

The film received a range of comments from the Japanese public. Some theaters displayed content warnings for the film.{{Cite news |last=Wang |first=Irene |date=March 29, 2024 |title=Japan finally screens 'Oppenheimer', with trigger warnings, unease in Hiroshima |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/japan-finally-screens-oppenheimer-with-trigger-warnings-unease-hiroshima-2024-03-29/ |access-date=May 6, 2024 |work=Reuters}} A number of people from Hiroshima who viewed the film reported feeling discomfort and distress while watching it.{{Cite web |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |date=2024-03-29 |title='Oppenheimer' Opens In Japan Amid Reports Of Praise Mixed With Discomfort: Reactions |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/oppenheimer-japan-opening-reaction-1235871494/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=April 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407192409/https://deadline.com/2024/03/oppenheimer-japan-opening-reaction-1235871494/ |url-status=live }} One point of contention was on the choice to not visually depict the nuclear bombing of Japan. A number of Japanese people praised the choice and others felt that it resulted in the downplaying or glorification of the bombing.{{Cite web |last=Zhou |first=Li |date=2024-04-02 |title=Oppenheimer's Japan premiere renews critiques about what the film left out |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/24118314/oppenheimer-japan-premiere-christopher-nolan-hiroshima-nagasaki |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Vox |language=en |archive-date=May 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240509033430/https://www.vox.com/culture/24118314/oppenheimer-japan-premiere-christopher-nolan-hiroshima-nagasaki |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Ushe |first=Naledi |title='Oppenheimer' premieres in Japan. Some Hiroshima survivors, Japanese residents are distressed. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/04/02/oppenheimer-japan-premiere-reactions/73176881007/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240506190752/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2024/04/02/oppenheimer-japan-premiere-reactions/73176881007/ |url-status=live }} Takashi Hiraoka, former mayor of Hiroshima, reportedly felt that the horror of nuclear weapons had not been sufficiently portrayed in the film. A number of people reported feeling that Oppenheimer was glorified in the film for his role in developing the bomb, and a number of people felt that he was also a victim of his circumstances and experienced distress from it. Masao Tomonaga, who experienced one of the nuclear bombings, felt that the film was "anti-nuclear" and expressed disappointment in the lack of a scene for the atomic bombing in Japan, but was reportedly satisfied with the portrayal of Oppenheimer's distress after the bombings. A Hiroshima resident was reported advocating for more people to see the film, and another advocated for fewer.

When commenting on Oppenheimer's success in the country, USC School of Cinematic Arts' Vice Dean of Faculty, Akira Mizuta Lippit, stated in an article for Deadline Hollywood in May 2024, "Previous films about Japan, good and bad, some offensive or ignorant, have nonetheless enjoyed box office success in Japan," noting how films like Pearl Harbor and The Last Samurai were "embraced by Japanese audiences," whereas other films like Memoirs of a Geisha were "a little less so."

Outside the United States and Canada, Oppenheimer grossed $98 million in its opening weekend.{{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Barbie' An Even Bigger Knockout With $356M+ Global Bow, 'Oppenheimer' Increases Genius To $180M+ WW Launch – International Box Office Actuals Update |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-margot-robbie-ryan-gosling-gloabl-international-box-office-1235443180/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=July 24, 2023 |access-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726083458/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-margot-robbie-ryan-gosling-gloabl-international-box-office-1235443180/ |url-status=live }} The following weekend, it earned $77.1 million, dropping by 21% to become Nolan's highest-grossing film in 30 countries, including India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Turkey.{{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Barbie' Pirouettes To Powerhouse $775M Global; 'Oppenheimer' A Phenom At $400M WW – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-second-weekend-global-international-box-office-1235450844/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731102143/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-second-weekend-global-international-box-office-1235450844/ |url-status=live }} In its third weekend, Oppenheimer grossed $52.8 million (a drop of 31%){{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Barbie' & 'Oppenheimer' Reach Major Milestones, 'Meg 2' Chomps On $142M Global Debut; Disney Tops $4B WW For The Year So Far – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-milestones-global-international-meg-2-opening-china-1235455131/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=August 7, 2023 |access-date=August 7, 2023 |archive-date=August 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812053048/https://deadline.com/2023/08/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-milestones-global-international-meg-2-opening-china-1235455131/ |url-status=live }} and $32 million in its fourth weekend.{{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Barbie' Sails Past $1.18B Global, 'Oppenheimer' Closing In On $650M, 'Meg 2' Tops $250M & 'Gran Turismo' Starts Early Overseas Engines – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/barbie-oppenheimer-gran-turismo-meg-2-global-international-box-office-1235475535/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=August 13, 2023 |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731102143/https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-oppenheimer-barbenheimer-second-weekend-global-international-box-office-1235450844/ |url-status=live }} It held well in the following weeks, making $32 million and $29.1 million in its fifth and sixth weekends.{{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Oppenheimer' Rises To $718M Global, 'Barbie' Basks In $1.28B, 'Meg 2' Chomps Past $300M; 'Blue Beetle' Scurries To $18M Overseas Start – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/oppenheimer-barbie-blue-beetle-meg-2-global-international-box-office-1235523488/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=August 20, 2023 |access-date=August 20, 2023 |archive-date=August 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820195038/https://deadline.com/2023/08/oppenheimer-barbie-blue-beetle-meg-2-global-international-box-office-1235523488/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |date=August 27, 2023 |title='Barbie' Reaches $1.34B, Will Become WB's Biggest Movie Ever Worldwide On Monday; 'Oppenheimer' Nears $800M Global – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/08/barbie-oppenheimer-records-china-global-international-box-office-1235529072/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Deadline |archive-date=August 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828084002/https://deadline.com/2023/08/barbie-oppenheimer-records-china-global-international-box-office-1235529072/ |url-status=live }} As of September 10, 2023, the highest-grossing territories were the UK ($75 million), China ($61.6 million), Germany ($51.9 million), France ($43.1 million) and Australia ($25.9 million).{{cite web |last1=Tartaglione |first1=Nancy |title='Equalizer 3' Clocks Franchise-Best WW Debut; 'Oppenheimer' Reaches $851M Global With Strong China Start, 'Barbie' Dances To $1.38B+ – International Box Office |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/the-equalizer-3-oppenheimer-china-barbie-global-international-box-office-1235535334/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=September 3, 2023 |access-date=September 3, 2023 |archive-date=September 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904055556/https://deadline.com/2023/09/the-equalizer-3-oppenheimer-china-barbie-global-international-box-office-1235535334/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|List of accolades received by Oppenheimer (film){{!}}List of accolades received by Oppenheimer (film)}}

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| footer = Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt garnered critical acclaim for their performances and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress, with Murphy and Downey Jr. winning.

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Oppenheimer received critical acclaim.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:{{Cite magazine |date=July 25, 2023 |title='Barbenheimer' box office shows audiences want more movies without a Jedi or superhero |magazine=Fortune |url=https://fortune.com/2023/07/25/barbenheimer-box-office-audiences-want-more-movies-without-jedi-superhero/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-date=August 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802165125/https://fortune.com/2023/07/25/barbenheimer-box-office-audiences-want-more-movies-without-jedi-superhero/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=July 22, 2023 |title=Barbie vs Oppenheimer at Box Office: Who won at the preview and what else now? |newspaper=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/barbie-vs-oppenheimer-at-box-office-who-won-at-the-preview-and-what-else-now/articleshow/102024360.cms?from=mdr |access-date=October 15, 2023 |issn=0013-0389 |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016043056/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/barbie-vs-oppenheimer-at-box-office-who-won-at-the-preview-and-what-else-now/articleshow/102024360.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=August 6, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer sets another box office record |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44744128/oppenheimer-box-office-record-ww2/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |publisher=Digital Spy |archive-date=August 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819021550/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a44744128/oppenheimer-box-office-record-ww2/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Chris |date=July 28, 2023 |title='Barbenheimer' Set for Biggest Second Weekend Presales of All Time |url=https://collider.com/barbie-oppenheimer-biggest-second-weekend-presales-ever/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |website=Collider |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731200926/https://collider.com/barbie-oppenheimer-biggest-second-weekend-presales-ever/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=October 11, 2023 |title=Why Christopher Nolan is "Especially Honored" By Oppenheimer's Latest Award Win |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/oppenheimer-director-christopher-nolan-to-be-honored-by-american-federation-of-scientists |access-date=October 15, 2023 |publisher=Syfy |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016043056/https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/oppenheimer-director-christopher-nolan-to-be-honored-by-american-federation-of-scientists |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Dubey |first=Nivedita |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer's Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Christopher Nolan's Best |url=https://www.cbr.com/oppenheimer-rotten-tomatoes-score-nolan-best/ |access-date=September 27, 2023 |website=Comic Book Resources |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924154010/https://www.cbr.com/oppenheimer-rotten-tomatoes-score-nolan-best/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Atinon |first=Amery |title=OPPENHEIMER is a Chilling, Brilliant Character Study that Lands Among Nolan's Best |url=https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/news/article/7797/oppenheimer-is-a-chilling-brilliant-character-study-that-lands-among-nolans-best/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |publisher=University of Melbourne Student Union |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016043059/https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/news/article/7797/oppenheimer-is-a-chilling-brilliant-character-study-that-lands-among-nolans-best/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Fuge |first=Jonathan |date=July 20, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan Says It Would Be a 'Privilege' to Direct a James Bond Movie |url=https://movieweb.com/christopher-nolan-would-be-a-privilege-to-direct-james-bond-movie/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |publisher=MovieWeb |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724211153/https://movieweb.com/christopher-nolan-would-be-a-privilege-to-direct-james-bond-movie/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Bentz |first=Adam |date=September 19, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer's Box Office Success Hailed By Denis Villeneuve & Paul Thomas Anderson |url=https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-box-office-denis-villeneuve-paul-thomas-anderson-response/ |access-date=October 15, 2023 |website=Screen Rant |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929053521/https://screenrant.com/oppenheimer-movie-box-office-denis-villeneuve-paul-thomas-anderson-response/ |url-status=live }}}} Critics praised the film primarily for its screenplay, cast performances, and visuals.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:{{Cite web |title=Oppenheimer First Reviews: Breathtaking, Ballsy and One of the Best Biopics Ever Made |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/oppenheimer-first-reviews/ |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=July 20, 2023 |archive-date=July 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719222224/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/oppenheimer-first-reviews/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=July 11, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer': First Reactions After Paris Premiere |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-first-reactions-christopher-nolan-movie-1235533586/ |access-date=July 23, 2023 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722225356/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oppenheimer-first-reactions-christopher-nolan-movie-1235533586/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Chris |date=August 8, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' Screenplay Is Selling Out |url=https://collider.com/oppenheimer-screenplay-on-sale/ |access-date=September 27, 2023 |website=Collider |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829185300/https://collider.com/oppenheimer-screenplay-on-sale/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Wilkes |first=Emma |date=July 24, 2023 |title=The battle of Barbenheimer – which film came out on top? |url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/film/news/the-battle-of-barbenheimer-31420/ |access-date=September 27, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone UK |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805160904/https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/film/news/the-battle-of-barbenheimer-31420/ |url-status=live }}}} It was frequently ranked as one of Nolan's best films,{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |date=July 12, 2023 |title='A spectacular achievement':first reactions praise Oppenheimer |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/12/oppenheimer-movie-reactions-christopher-nolan-release |access-date=September 27, 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=September 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920070233/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/12/oppenheimer-movie-reactions-christopher-nolan-release |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=July 20, 2023 |title="Oppenheimer" Review Round-Up: One of the Best Biopics Ever Made |url=https://www.motionpictures.org/2023/07/oppenheimer-review-round-up-one-of-the-best-biopics-ever-made/ |access-date=September 27, 2023 |publisher=Motion Picture Association |archive-date=September 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927080406/https://www.motionpictures.org/2023/07/oppenheimer-review-round-up-one-of-the-best-biopics-ever-made/ |url-status=live }}{{efn|Hindustan Times reported that the film was also hailed as one of the best films of the 21st century{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/10-reasons-why-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-is-touted-as-the-best-film-of-the-century-101689740417760.html |title=10 Reasons why Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' is touted as the best film of the century|access-date=September 11, 2023|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=July 19, 2023|archive-date=August 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818065419/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/10-reasons-why-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-is-touted-as-the-best-film-of-the-century-101689740417760.html#:~:text=Writer%2Ddirector%20Paul%20Schrader%2C%20known,further%20added%20to%20the%20anticipation.|url-status=live}}}} and one of the best of 2023, although some criticism was aimed towards the writing of the female characters. {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|93|8.6|508|Oppenheimer marks another engrossing achievement from Christopher Nolan that benefits from Murphy's tour-de-force performance and stunning visuals.|ref=yes|access-date=September 4, 2024}} {{Metacritic film prose|90|69|ref=yes|access-date=August 26, 2023}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 93% overall positive score, with 74% saying they would definitely recommend the film.

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave Oppenheimer a perfect four out of four, describing it as "magnificent" and "one of the best films of the 21st century".{{Cite news |last=Roeper |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Roeper |date=July 19, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' a momentous achievement, at times pensive, at times explosive |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2023/7/19/23800288/oppenheimer-review-movie-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-robert-downey-jr-emily-blunt-matt-damon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720055301/https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2023/7/19/23800288/oppenheimer-review-movie-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-robert-downey-jr-emily-blunt-matt-damon |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 20, 2023 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times }} The A.V. Club{{'s}} Matthew Jackson deemed it a "masterpiece", adding that "it's Christopher Nolan's best film so far, a step up to a new level for one of our finest filmmakers and a movie that burns itself into your brain".{{Cite news |last=Jackson |first=Matthew |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer review: Christopher Nolan delivers his masterpiece |work=The A.V. Club |url=https://www.avclub.com/a-review-of-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1850654105 |url-status=live |access-date=July 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720064141/https://www.avclub.com/a-review-of-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-1850654105 |archive-date=July 20, 2023}} Empire{{'}}s Dan Jolin labeled it a "masterfully constructed character study", taking particular note of Murphy's performance and van Hoytema's IMAX cinematography.{{Cite magazine |last=Jolin |first=Dan |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Review |magazine=Empire |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/oppenheimer/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721135011/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/oppenheimer/ |archive-date=July 21, 2023}} Peter Suderman, writing for Reason, said that the film leaves the viewer with a sense of "fear and foreboding about the horror of full-on nuclear conflict in the wake of the nuclear bomb. Humanity is both great {{em|and}} terrible. Oppenheimer isn't just a movie—it's a warning."{{Cite magazine |last=Suderman |first=Peter |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer' is an intimate epic about the man who built the bomb |url=https://reason.com/2023/07/21/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-is-an-intimate-epic-about-the-man-who-built-the-bomb/ |access-date=July 26, 2023 |magazine=Reason |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725113604/https://reason.com/2023/07/21/christopher-nolans-oppenheimer-is-an-intimate-epic-about-the-man-who-built-the-bomb/ |url-status=live }}

Matt Zoller Seitz, writing for RogerEbert.com, awarded Oppenheimer a full four out of four rating. He lauded Nolan's storytelling, exploration of Oppenheimer's character and its technical achievements, concluding: "As a physical experience, Oppenheimer is something else entirely{{mdash}}it's hard to say exactly what and that's what's so fascinating about it". He also compared the role of the conversation between Oppenheimer and Einstein in the film to the role of "Rosebud" in Citizen Kane.{{Cite news |last=Zoller Seitz |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Zoller Seitz |title=Oppenheimer movie review & film summary |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/oppenheimer-film-review-2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720182719/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/oppenheimer-film-review-2023 |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |website=RogerEbert.com}} Peter Travers described the film as a "monumental achievement" and "one of the best films you'll see anywhere".{{Cite news |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Review: 'Oppenheimer' emerges as a monumental achievement on the march into screen history |url=https://goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/review-oppenheimer-emerges-monumental-achievement-march-screen-history-101524268 |access-date=July 21, 2023 |work=Good Morning America |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721091440/https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/review-oppenheimer-emerges-monumental-achievement-march-screen-history-101524268 |url-status=live }} Caryn James of BBC Culture similarly termed it "boldly imaginative and [Nolan's] most mature work yet", adding that it combined the "explosive, commercially-enticing action of The Dark Knight trilogy" with the "cerebral underpinnings" of Memento, Inception and Tenet.{{Cite news |last=James |first=Caryn |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer review: A "magnificent" story of a tragic American genius |work=BBC Culture |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230719-a-magnificent-story-of-a-tragic-american-genius |url-status=live |access-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719222320/https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230719-a-magnificent-story-of-a-tragic-american-genius |archive-date=July 19, 2023}} IGN critic Siddhant Adlakha ranked Oppenheimer 10/10, describing it as "a three-hour biopic that plays like a jolting thriller" and Nolan's most "abstract" work yet.{{Cite web |first=Siddhant |last=Adlakha |date=July 19, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/oppenheimer-review |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=IGN |archive-date=July 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230728150832/https://www.ign.com/articles/oppenheimer-review |url-status=live }}

In August 2023, it ranked number three on Collider{{'}}s list of "The 20 Best Drama Movies of the 2020s So Far," with the site writing that Nolan "explores the world's obsession with destructive nuclear weapons from the perspective of their creator; using the Greek myth of Dante {{sic}} as an inspiration, Oppenheimer makes it clear that once this type of power is unleashed, it is bound to be used again."{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/best-drama-movies-2020s/|title=The 10 Best Drama Movies of the 2020s So Far, Ranked|website=Collider|date=August 24, 2023|access-date=August 24, 2023|archive-date=August 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824200648/https://collider.com/best-drama-movies-2020s/|url-status=live}}

In March 2025, it ranked number two on Comic Book Resources{{'}} list of "10 Great Dramas From the 2020s That Are Already Instant Classics," with Dante Santella writing "Loaded with relevant themes that pertain to global policy, the film is not only a great dramatic tale but also a prophetic warning. Whether enjoyed as entertainment or analyzed for its subject matter, Oppenheimer is the rare kind of movie that can be appreciated over time, thereby keeping the film’s classical legacy intact for fans."{{cite web | first=Dante| last=Santella| url=https://www.cbr.com/best-2020s-drama-films-instant-classic/| title=10 Great Dramas From the 2020s That Are Already Instant Classics | website=Comic Book Resources | date=March 16, 2025 }} The New York Times also listed the film as among "The Movies We've Loved Since 2000."{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2025 |title=The Movies We've Loved Since 2000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/movies/best-movies-since-2000.html |access-date=April 10, 2025 |website=The New York Times }}

Despite praising the film's themes and performances, CNN's Brian Lowry believed that "Nolan juggles a lot, in a way that somewhat works to the movie's detriment".{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=July 20, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' unleashes Christopher Nolan on the 'father' of the atomic bomb |agency=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/20/entertainment/oppenheimer-review/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721135029/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/20/entertainment/oppenheimer-review/index.html |archive-date=July 21, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-16 |title=Analysis: Women in physics often go unrepresented in popular media. Here's why that's a detriment to the field |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/analysis-women-in-physics-often-go-unrepresented-in-popular-media-heres-why-thats-a-detriment-to-the-field |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719034553/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/analysis-women-in-physics-often-go-unrepresented-in-popular-media-heres-why-thats-a-detriment-to-the-field |archive-date=July 19, 2023 |access-date= |website=pbs.org }} Owen Gleiberman of Variety found the film's first half "mesmerizing" and "tick[ing] with cosmic suspense", but wrote that "a certain humming intensity leaks out of the movie" after the Trinity Test sequence, which was itself described as a "letdown".{{Cite web |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |date=2023-07-19 |title='Oppenheimer' Review: Christopher Nolan Makes a Riveting Historical Psychodrama, but It Doesn't Build to a Big Bang |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/oppenheimer-review-christopher-nolan-cillian-murphy-1235672159/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called the film "a brilliant achievement in formal and conceptual terms", praising Nolan for capturing "the kinetic excitement of intellectual discourse" and comparing the film's complex narrative structure to a "Cubistic portrait". However, she found some of the cameos by supporting actors such as Malek "distracting", and noted that the film's black-and-white scenes could feel "overlong" despite ultimately working in service of Nolan's narrative intentions.{{Cite web |last=Dargis |first=Manohla |date=July 19, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Review: A Man for Our Time |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/movies/oppenheimer-review-christopher-nolan.html}} In a mixed review, Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe called the film "visually stunning but emotionally empty", criticizing Nolan's screenplay for rendering Oppenheimer an "enigma whose inner life is expressed by gimmicky cuts to scenes of outer space rather than evidence of human emotions." Furthermore, Henderson negatively characterized the film's second half as "an interminable series of scenes set in courtrooms and at congressional hearings", and felt Pugh and Blunt were "wasted" in "severely underwritten" roles.{{Cite web |last=Henderson |first=Odie |date=July 19, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' brings out the best and worst in Christopher Nolan|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/07/19/arts/oppenheimer-brings-out-best-worst-christopher-nolan/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=The Boston Globe|language=en-US}}

While praising how the film acknowledges the contribution of "American scientists and American enterprise", Brett Mason complained that it omits the crucial contributions of non-Americans who ensured the work was able to commence as early as December 1941: "Nolan completely ignores the crucial role that British science and Australian physicist Mark Oliphant played in jump-starting the quest."{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Brett |date=July 28, 2023 |title=Americans had shelved the A-bomb until an Australian broke ranks |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/americans-had-shelved-the-a-bomb-until-an-australian-broke-ranks-20230726-p5dres.html |access-date=July 30, 2023 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=July 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230729110707/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/americans-had-shelved-the-a-bomb-until-an-australian-broke-ranks-20230726-p5dres.html |url-status=live }} Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Justin Chang defended Nolan's accurate depiction of how Oppenheimer could not see the true victims of his work. Chang wrote that instead of satisfying "representational completists" by detouring to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, "Nolan treats them instead as a profound absence, an indictment by silence".{{cite news |last1=Chang |first1=Justin |title='Oppenheimer' doesn't show us Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's an act of rigor not erasure. |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-11/oppenheimer-atomic-bomb-hiroshima-nagasaki-christopher-nolan |access-date=August 23, 2023 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=August 11, 2023 |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823033158/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-11/oppenheimer-atomic-bomb-hiroshima-nagasaki-christopher-nolan |url-status=live }} Chang later won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism for that article.{{Cite news |last=James |first=Meg |date=May 6, 2024 |title=Los Angeles Times' former film critic Justin Chang wins Pulitzer Prize for criticism |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-05-06/pulitzer-prize-la-times-former-film-critic-justin-chang |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240506195407/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-05-06/pulitzer-prize-la-times-former-film-critic-justin-chang |archive-date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=May 6, 2024 |language=en-US}} Richard Brody of The New Yorker described the film as a "History Channel movie with fancy editing" and wrote, "I was tempted to call it a movie-length Wikipedia article. But after a look online, I realized I was giving Wikipedia too little credit—or Christopher Nolan, the movie's writer and director, too much".{{Cite magazine |title='Oppenheimer' Is Ultimately a History Channel Movie with Fancy Editing |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/oppenheimer-is-ultimately-a-history-channel-movie-with-fancy-editing |magazine=The New Yorker |date=July 26, 2023 |last=Brody |first=Richard |access-date=February 20, 2024 |archive-date=August 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804113143/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/oppenheimer-is-ultimately-a-history-channel-movie-with-fancy-editing |url-status=live }}

For IndieWire{{'}}s annual critics poll, in which 158 critics and journalists from around the world voted, Oppenheimer was placed second in their Best Film list, with 69 overall mentions and 17 first-place votes. Nolan was also ranked second on the Best Director list, while his screenplay was placed eighth. Murphy was the highest-placed actor on the Best Performance list (fourth overall) while Van Hoytema's work topped the Best Cinematography list.{{Cite web |last=Blauvelt |first=Christian |date=December 11, 2023 |title=2023 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 158 Critics from Around the World |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/best-of/best-movies-2023-critics-survey-poll-performances-1234933605/ |access-date=December 12, 2023 |publisher=IndieWire |archive-date=December 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211153707/https://www.indiewire.com/features/best-of/best-movies-2023-critics-survey-poll-performances-1234933605/ |url-status=live }} Oppenheimer also appeared in over 410 critics' lists of the best films released in 2023, and was ranked first in 99 of them.{{Cite web |title=Best Movies of 2023 |url=https://criticstop10.com/best-movies-of-2023/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218182848/https://criticstop10.com/best-movies-of-2023/ |archive-date=December 18, 2023 |access-date=December 28, 2023 |publisher=CriticsTop10}}

Oliver Stone deemed the film "a classic, which I never believed could be made in this climate".{{Cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=August 1, 2023 |title=Oliver Stone Turned Down an Oppenheimer Movie, Calls Christopher Nolan's Film a 'Classic' He 'Never Believed Could Be Made in This Climate' |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-classic-oliver-stone-turned-down-film-1235684929/ |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=Variety |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117185402/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-classic-oliver-stone-turned-down-film-1235684929/ |url-status=live }} Paul Schrader called Oppenheimer, "the best, most important film of this century",{{Cite web |last=Sharf |first=Zack |date=July 18, 2023 |title='Oppenheimer' Is the 'Best' and 'Most Important Film of This Century,' Raves Paul Schrader: 'This One Blows the Door Off the Hinges' |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-best-film-century-paul-schrader-1235672941/ |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=Variety |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118063816/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/oppenheimer-best-film-century-paul-schrader-1235672941/ |url-status=live }} while Denis Villeneuve called it "a masterpiece".{{Cite web |last=Bahr |first=Lindsay |date=September 19, 2023 |title=For filmmakers, 'Oppenheimer's' $900M-plus haul is an important moment for Hollywood and theaters |url=https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=Associated Press |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119000205/https://apnews.com/article/oppenheimer-box-office-success-christopher-nolan-imax-413bc36ac6ae68f422c06c9b1cc0ab0a |url-status=live }} Steven Soderbergh said of the film, "Oppenheimer is a real accomplishment. I read somewhere that Chris [Nolan] implied that this is the movie he's been building toward, and I think he's right. And I'm thrilled that it's a massive hit."{{Cite magazine |last=Stern |first=Marlow |date=August 7, 2023 |title=Steven Soderbergh Talks Helping Christopher Nolan and Eating the Rich |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/steven-soderbergh-interview-command-z-christopher-nolan-hollywood-strike-streaming-1234799431/ |access-date=January 18, 2024 |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-date=September 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907230756/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/steven-soderbergh-interview-command-z-christopher-nolan-hollywood-strike-streaming-1234799431/ |url-status=live }} Spike Lee also praised the film, calling it a "great film", but felt that it should have shown what happened to the Japanese people, given the film's length.{{Cite web |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=October 6, 2023 |title=Spike Lee Wishes 'Oppenheimer' Showed 'What Happened to the Japanese': 'People Got Vaporized' |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/spike-lee-oppenheimer-japanese-people-christopher-nolan-1235747617/ |access-date=April 27, 2024 |website=Variety |archive-date=January 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111134023/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/spike-lee-oppenheimer-japanese-people-christopher-nolan-1235747617/ |url-status=live }} Japanese director Takashi Yamazaki said, "As a person of Japanese ancestry and descent, my response to Oppenheimer [is that] I would like to dedicate a different film to that when that day comes."{{cite web |last=Yam |first=Kimmy |date=March 11, 2024 |title='Godzilla Minus One' director responds to 'Oppenheimer' plot as a 'person of Japanese ancestry' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/godzilla-one-director-takashi-yamazaki-oppenheimer-rcna142784 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319143938/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/godzilla-one-director-takashi-yamazaki-oppenheimer-rcna142784 |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=NBC News}} Other filmmakers, including A. V. Rockwell, Joe Dante, Reinaldo Marcus Green, Chad Hartigan, Max Hechtman, Don Hertzfeldt, Matt Johnson, Raine Allen-Miller, James Ponsoldt and Adam Wingard cited it as among their favorite films of 2023.{{cite web |date=December 31, 2023 |title=38 Directors Pick Their Favorite Films of 2023 |url=https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/directors-best-movies-tv-2023|website=IndieWire}}{{Cite Instagram |author-link=Max Hechtman |user=maxhechtman |postid=C1hwqM7u8p4 |date=December 31, 2023 |title=Happy New Year everyone! And as my last post of 2023, here's my list of the top 10 films of the year. What were some of your favorites from this year? See you in 2024.|access-date=February 13, 2025 |link=https://www.instagram.com/maxhechtman/p/C1hwqM7u8p4/}}

Korean film critic Yim Jeong-sik said "Oppenheimer depicts the tragedy of the combination of science and politics. Oppenheimer developed the atomic bomb to stop the Nazis from developing nuclear weapons, but the result was the bomb dropped on Japan and countless casualties. The film coldly shows how science loses its purity and becomes a tool of the state through the process of Oppenheimer's choice combining with America's imperial ambitions."{{Cite web |last=Yim |first=Jeong-sik |date=2023-10-04 |title=[임정식의 시네마 크리티크] '과학과 제국의 결혼'은 과연 행복한가-<오펜하이머> |trans-title=[Im Jeong-sik's Cinema Critic] Is the 'marriage of science and empire' truly happy? - <Oppenheimer> |url=https://www.ilemonde.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=17750 |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Le Monde Diplomatique |language=ko}}

The renewed attention to the Trinity site and associated nuclear testing encouraged the United States Congress to revise the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (1990), which provided compensation programs for people affected by radiation and nuclear testing during the Cold War, known as "Downwinders" and primarily consisting of the Navajo Nation. The United States Senate approved amendments to accommodate additional services to people in New Mexico, but it has not passed through Congress as the House of Representatives had not yet debated its inclusion as part of the national defense bill for the 2024 fiscal year.{{Cite web |last=Rushton |first=Griffin |date=July 30, 2023 |title=Senate approves New Mexico Downwinders' inclusion in RECA amendment |url=https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/senate-approves-new-mexico-downwinders-inclusion-in-reca-amendment/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731124931/https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/senate-approves-new-mexico-downwinders-inclusion-in-reca-amendment/ |archive-date=July 31, 2023 |access-date=July 30, 2023 |publisher=KOB}}{{update inline|date=February 2025}}

File:Photograph of the portrait of Jose de San Martin hanging on the wall in the Oval Office of the White House, directly... - NARA - 199470.tif did not arrive at the White House until 1946, more than a year after his meeting with Oppenheimer.{{cite web |title=Oscar Ivanissevich and President Truman View Painting of General San Martin, a Gift from Argentina |url=https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/photograph-records/66-3282 |publisher=Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum |access-date=December 8, 2023 |archive-date=August 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814180051/https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/photograph-records/66-3282 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Wille |first1=Germán |title=¿Error de fechas? La historia detrás del prócer argentino que aparece en la película Oppenheimer |trans-title=Date error? The story behind the Argentine hero who appears in the film Oppenheimer |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/error-historico-la-historia-detras-del-procer-argentino-que-aparece-en-la-pelicula-oppenheimer-nid23072023/ |newspaper=La Nación |access-date=December 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202204052/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/error-historico-la-historia-detras-del-procer-argentino-que-aparece-en-la-pelicula-oppenheimer-nid23072023/ |archive-date=December 2, 2023 |language=es |date=July 24, 2023 |url-status=live}}]]

Some scenes in the movie were taken word-for-word out of the book or real life events.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Nate |date=July 25, 2023 |title=What's Fact and What's Fiction in Oppenheimer? |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/oppenheimer-historical-accuracy-what-really-happened.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807214015/https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/oppenheimer-historical-accuracy-what-really-happened.html |archive-date=August 7, 2023 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=Vulture}} Many of the changes are small embellishments or changes from real life. For example, Oppenheimer was not as excited about his discovery of black holes as shown in the film since he did not know how significant it would become. The study was indeed released on the same day Germany invaded Poland, as shown in the film. During the Trinity test, Donald Hornig had his hand on the kill switch for a faster reaction time and not near it as depicted in the film. Truman did call Oppenheimer a "crybaby" but in a letter to Dean Acheson one year later, not immediately after meeting Oppenheimer.{{Cite web |last=Diaz-Maurin |first=François |date=July 28, 2023 |title=A Manhattan Project historian comments on 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://thebulletin.org/2023/07/a-manhattan-project-historian-comments-on-oppenheimer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806081634/https://thebulletin.org/2023/07/a-manhattan-project-historian-comments-on-oppenheimer/ |archive-date=August 6, 2023 |access-date=August 19, 2023 |publisher=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists}}

It was also pointed out that the incorrect American flag was used. In the film, the current 50-star flag is shown. This version was not adopted until 1960. During the war, the American flag had only 48 stars as Hawaii and Alaska had yet to become states.{{cite web |first=Tommy |last=McArdle | url=https://people.com/eagle-eyed-historians-spot-mistake-in-oppenheimer-involving-the-american-flag-7565185 | title=Eagle-Eyed Historians Spot Mistake in 'Oppenheimer' Involving the American Flag | work=People |date=July 25, 2023 | access-date=March 11, 2024 | archive-date=September 4, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904105707/https://people.com/eagle-eyed-historians-spot-mistake-in-oppenheimer-involving-the-american-flag-7565185 | url-status=live }}

The scene where Oppenheimer poisons his tutor's apple at university is based on accounts that Oppenheimer gave of the incident, but it is unclear whether it occurred in real life.{{Cite news |last=Chilton |first=Louis |date=July 28, 2023 |title='A serious accusation': Did Oppenheimer's apple-poisoning incident really happen? It's complicated |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oppenheimer-poison-apple-grandson-b2383414.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826065956/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/oppenheimer-poison-apple-grandson-b2383414.html |archive-date=August 26, 2023}} Oppenheimer is depicted as putting potassium cyanide in the apple before having a change of heart the next day and narrowly preventing it from being eaten. There is no evidence that Niels Bohr nearly ate the apple or had any involvement in the incident. Oppenheimer and Einstein were friends,{{cite book |last1=Schweber |first1=Silvan S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mpgs6qqNERwC&pg=PA265 |title=Einstein and Oppenheimer: The Meaning of Genius |date=2008 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-04335-0 |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |pages=265–274 |author1-link=Silvan S. Schweber |access-date=September 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230910195824/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Einstein_and_Oppenheimer/Mpgs6qqNERwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA265&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=September 10, 2023 |url-status=live}} but the specific conversations which the film revolves around never happened. Oppenheimer took his concerns about an unstoppable chain reaction to physicist Karl Compton at MIT, not Einstein. Although the film portrays Groves' aggressive recruitment of Oppenheimer, Arthur Compton at the Metallurgical Laboratory had earlier recruited and appointed Oppenheimer to take over the research into the bomb-design part of what became the Manhattan Project.{{Cite web |title=J. Robert Oppenheimer's Interview |url=https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/voices/oral-histories/j-robert-oppenheimers-interview/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Atomic Heritage Foundation - Nuclear Museum |archive-date=January 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104105947/https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/voices/oral-histories/j-robert-oppenheimers-interview/ |url-status=live }}

As Strauss correctly points out in the film's dialogue, Oppenheimer never expressed regret for the atomic bombings, but as Chang explained in his Pulitzer Prize-winning article, the true situation not depicted in the film was that Oppenheimer avoided giving an apology when confronted by a reporter during his 1960 visit to Tokyo and Osaka. In addition to their interpersonal conflicts, Strauss had another reason to undermine Oppenheimer's credibility by revoking his security clearance: Oppenheimer was opposed to further development of the hydrogen bomb by the United States. Scott Sagan describes the loss of Oppenheimer's influence as a possible constraint upon the nuclear arms race between the United States and USSR as a "broader tragedy" less clearly depicted in the film than the scientist's personal tragedy, but he called the production "highly accurate" otherwise for a Hollywood film.{{cite web |last1=De Witte |first1=Melissa |date=July 26, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer and the pursuit of nuclear disarmament |url=https://news.stanford.edu/2023/07/26/oppenheimer-pursuit-nuclear-disarmament/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913025023/https://news.stanford.edu/2023/07/26/oppenheimer-pursuit-nuclear-disarmament/ |archive-date=September 13, 2023 |access-date=September 16, 2023 |website=Stanford News}}

Many efforts undertaken at other Manhattan Project sites like Hanford, Washington and Oak Ridge, Tennessee were not shown. Most of them, overseen by General Leslie Groves, focused on understanding and producing the radioactive material that powered the nuclear explosions.{{cite web |last1=Gilinsky |first1=Victor |date=July 28, 2023 |title=Thought-provoked by 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://thebulletin.org/2023/07/thought-provoked-by-oppenheimer/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806002301/https://thebulletin.org/2023/07/thought-provoked-by-oppenheimer/ |archive-date=August 6, 2023 |access-date=September 23, 2023 |website=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists}} In addition to the team at Los Alamos, those working at other Project sites, particularly the University of Chicago's Metallurgical Laboratory, also expressed concerns about using the atomic bomb against Japan.{{cite web |last1=Goldston |first1=Robert J. |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Widening the field of view on 'Oppenheimer' |url=https://thebulletin.org/2023/08/widening-the-field-of-view-on-oppenheimer/#post-heading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927123002/https://thebulletin.org/2023/08/widening-the-field-of-view-on-oppenheimer/#post-heading |archive-date=September 27, 2023 |access-date=September 27, 2023 |publisher=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists}} The film was criticised for its omission of the 30 Native American families who were forcibly displaced from Los Alamos in 1942 to make space for the experiment.Criticisms of Oppenheimer{{'}}s omission of Native American families:

1. {{Cite web |last=Montilla |first=Carla |date=October 4, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer - An Exploration of Nuclear Legacy and Its Omissions |url=https://nuclearnetwork.csis.org/oppenheimer-an-exploration-of-nuclear-legacy-and-its-omissions/ |access-date=October 4, 2023 |website=Nuclear Network |via=Center for Strategic and International Studies}}
2. {{Cite web |last=Goffe |first=Nadira |date=July 26, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer{{'}}s Glaring Omission |url=https://slate.com/culture/2023/07/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-manhattan-project-nuclear-testing-los-alamos-trinity-victims.html |access-date=July 26, 2023 |website=Slate |issn=1091-2339}}
3. {{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=Chantel L. |date=September 2023 |title=The People the Oppenheimer Film Erased |url=https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2023-09/features/people-oppenheimer-film-erased |access-date=October 1, 2023 |via=Arms Control Association}}
4. {{Cite news |last=Hay |first=Andrew |date=July 29, 2023 |title=Oppenheimer and the story behind those who lost their land to the lab |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/oppenheimer-story-behind-those-who-lost-their-land-lab-2023-07-28/ |access-date=July 29, 2023 }}

Another technical problem accurately represented throughout the film was plutonium production. This can be analyzed through the occurrence of discussions of fizzle, ingenuity, engineering breakthroughs and setbacks, and once again, the determination to succeed. The film focused on the great cost it took to obtain the plutonium, as well as the overall process of breeding plutonium. Enrico Fermi, a main scientist involved in the Manhattan Project, was the one who discovered that plutonium was the element necessary to produce a spontaneous fission reaction.{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=Bruce |title=The Physics of the Manhattan Project |publisher=Springer |year=2014 |isbn=978-3-662-43533-5 |edition=third |location=Department of Physics Alma College, Alma Michigan, USA |publication-date=2014 }} His contributions to the Manhattan Project were not included in the film as much as they were recognized in real-life.

In the film, a scene depicts the May 31, 1945, meeting of the Interim Committee, which J. Robert Oppenheimer attended as a member of the Scientific Panel of consultants. In this scene, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson is portrayed ordering the removal of Kyoto from the list of top atomic bomb targets, allegedly because it was a favored honeymoon destination for him and his wife. However, historian of science and nuclear weapons, Alex Wellerstein, clarifies that this portrayal is a myth. According to Wellerstein, Stimson's diary from his 1926 travels with his wife does not mention Kyoto, and the only brief visit they made there was in 1929, during a single night stay while on a "fact-finding" mission related to his role as Governor-General of the Philippines. The film's depiction overlooks that Stimson's objection to targeting Kyoto was primarily strategic rather than personal. He expressed this viewpoint to President Truman on multiple occasions, including at the Potsdam Conference. Stimson wrote in his diary on July 24, 1945, "He [Truman] again reiterated with the utmost emphasis his own concurring belief on that subject, and he was particularly emphatic in agreeing with my suggestion that if elimination was not done, the bitterness which would be caused by such a wanton act might make it impossible during the long post-war period to reconcile the Japanese to us in that area rather than to the Russians."{{cite web |last=Wellerstein |first=Alex |title=Henry Stimson Didn't Go to Kyoto on His Honeymoon |website=Nuclear Secrecy Blog |date=2023-07-24 |url=https://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2023/07/24/henry-stimson-didnt-go-to-kyoto-on-his-honeymoon/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |archive-date=April 21, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421001650/https://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2023/07/24/henry-stimson-didnt-go-to-kyoto-on-his-honeymoon/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Wellerstein |first=Alex |title=The Kyoto Misconception |website=Nuclear Secrecy Blog |date=2014-08-08 |url=https://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2014/08/08/kyoto-misconception/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |archive-date=April 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414075252/https://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2014/08/08/kyoto-misconception/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main| List of accolades received by Oppenheimer (film)}}

Oppenheimer earned a leading 13 nominations at the 96th Academy Awards, becoming Nolan's most Oscar-nominated film.{{cite web |title=2024 {{!}} Oscars.org {{!}} Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2024 |access-date=January 23, 2024 |publisher=Oscars.org |date=January 23, 2024 |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123165951/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last=Vanhoose |first=Benjamin |date=February 24, 2024 |url=https://people.com/sag-awards-2024-winners-list-8598909 |title=SAG Awards 2024: See the Complete List of Winners |access-date=March 1, 2024 |magazine=People |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227153759/https://people.com/sag-awards-2024-winners-list-8598909 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=January 23, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer': Big Oscar Noms Mark a First for Christopher Nolan |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2024-oscars-oppenheimer-nominated-13-oscars-1235803622/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301153751/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2024-oscars-oppenheimer-nominated-13-oscars-1235803622/ |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |url-status=live}} At the ceremony, the film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Murphy, Best Supporting Actor for Downey Jr., Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score.{{cite web |last1=Lang |first1=Brent |last2=Moreau |first2=Jordan |title='Oppenheimer' Reigns at Oscars with Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director: Full Winners List |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/oscar-winners-2024-list-1235932341/ |website=Variety |access-date=March 10, 2024 |date=March 10, 2024 |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311045043/https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/oscar-winners-2024-list-1235932341/ |url-status=live}} Besides composer Göransson, all recipients were first-time Oscar winners, including Nolan, Thomas, Roven, Downey Jr. and van Hoytema, who had each earned previous Academy Award nominations.{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Andi |last2=A. Lincoln |first2=Ross |title=All 32 First-Time Winners at the 2024 Oscars |url=https://www.thewrap.com/first-time-oscar-winners-2024/ |website=TheWrap |access-date=March 12, 2024 |date=March 11, 2024 |archive-date=March 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312002318/https://www.thewrap.com/first-time-oscar-winners-2024/ |url-status=live}} Oppenheimer became both the highest-grossing and longest Best Picture winning film since 2003's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.{{cite web |last=Blauvelt |first=Christian |title='Oppenheimer' Wins Best Picture Oscar |url=https://www.indiewire.com/awards/results/oppenheimer-wins-best-picture-oscar-1234960903/ |website=IndieWire |access-date=March 12, 2024 |date=March 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240311041343/https://www.indiewire.com/awards/results/oppenheimer-wins-best-picture-oscar-1234960903/ |archive-date=March 11, 2024 |url-status=live}} The film was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Blunt, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, and Best Sound.

The film won numerous other accolades. It won a leading five Golden Globe Awards, receiving Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director for Nolan, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Murphy, Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for Downey Jr., and Best Original Score for Göransson at the 81st ceremony.{{cite magazine |last=Warner |first=Kara |date=January 8, 2023 |title=Where to Watch Every Golden Globes 2024 Winner |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/awards-insider-golden-globes-2024-winners-where-to-watch |access-date=January 9, 2023 |magazine=Vanity Fair |archive-date=January 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108163218/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/awards-insider-golden-globes-2024-winners-where-to-watch |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last=Shoard |first=Catherine |date=December 11, 2023 |title=Golden Globes nominations 2024: 'Barbie' leads the pack with 'Oppenheimer' hot on heels |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/11/golden-globes-2024-barbie-leads-the-pack-with-oppenheimer-hot-on-heels |access-date=December 12, 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=December 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212055538/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/11/golden-globes-2024-barbie-leads-the-pack-with-oppenheimer-hot-on-heels |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=January 7, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer' & 'Poor Things' Win Top Movie Prizes at Golden Globes – Complete Winners List |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/2024-golden-globes-winners-1235697375/ |access-date=January 7, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=January 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107232737/https://deadline.com/2024/01/2024-golden-globes-winners-1235697375/ |url-status=live}} The National Board of Review and the American Film Institute named Oppenheimer one of the top-ten films of 2023.{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=Hilary |date=December 6, 2023 |title=National Board of Review Names 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Best Film of 2023 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2023-national-board-of-review-winners-list-1235714873/ |access-date=December 6, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207134955/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2023-national-board-of-review-winners-list-1235714873/ |archive-date=December 7, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=December 7, 2023 |title=AFI Names 10 Best Films and TV Series of 2023: 'Barbie', 'Past Lives', 'Oppenheimer', 'Succession', 'Beef', and More |url=https://www.indiewire.com/awards/results/2023-afi-top-10-films-tv-shows-list-1234932652/ |access-date=December 9, 2023 |website=IndieWire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208141831/https://www.indiewire.com/awards/results/2023-afi-top-10-films-tv-shows-list-1234932652/ |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |url-status=live}} Oppenheimer received nominations for 13 Critics' Choice Movie Awards (winning eight), 13 British Academy Film Awards (winning seven), 14 Saturn Awards (winning four), and four Screen Actors Guild Awards (winning three),{{cite web |last=Shanfeld |first=Ethan |date=January 15, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer' Leads Critics Choice Awards with 8 Wins, 'Barbie' Scores 6 — Full Winners List |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/critics-choice-awards-2024-winners-list-1235870581/ |access-date=January 15, 2024 |website=Variety |archive-date=January 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115001757/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/critics-choice-awards-2024-winners-list-1235870581/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Lawless |first=Jill |date=January 18, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer' and 'Poor Things' lead otherwise surprising set of Bafta nominations |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-barbie-snubs-b2480840.html |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=The Independent |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118133513/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-barbie-snubs-b2480840.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=February 5, 2024 |title='Avatar: The Way of Water', 'Oppenheimer', 'Star Trek: Picard' Among Winners at Saturn Awards |url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/2024-saturn-awards-winners-list-1235815080/ |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=February 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205173200/https://deadline.com/2024/02/2024-saturn-awards-winners-list-1235815080/ |url-status=live}} while its score earned three nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards (winning one).{{cite web |last=del Barco |first=Mandalit |date=November 10, 2023 |title=2024 Grammy nominations led by SZA, Billie Eilish and Phoebe Bridgers |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/11/10/1212067095/2024-grammy-nominations-complete-list |access-date=December 7, 2023 |publisher=NPR Music |archive-date=November 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128042247/https://www.npr.org/2023/11/10/1212067095/2024-grammy-nominations-complete-list |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last=Vanhoose |first=Benjamin |date=February 5, 2024 |title='Barbenheimer' at the Grammys! 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Both Win at 2024 Grammy Awards Ahead of Oscars |url=https://people.com/grammy-awards-2024-barbie-oppenheimer-both-win-ahead-of-oscars-8558785 |access-date=March 6, 2024 |magazine=People |archive-date=February 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219171710/https://people.com/grammy-awards-2024-barbie-oppenheimer-both-win-ahead-of-oscars-8558785 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Haage |first=Anthony |date=March 5, 2024 |title='Oppenheimer's' Best Picture Odds Say It's a 2024 Oscars Winner – Here's Why It's Not |url=https://www.gamblingsites.com/blog/oppenheimer-best-picture-odds/ |access-date=March 6, 2024 |publisher=Gambling Sites |archive-date=April 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240408215159/https://www.gamblingsites.com/blog/oppenheimer-best-picture-odds/ |url-status=live}}

• List of films about nuclear issues
• List of World War II films since 1990
• Oppenheimer, a 1980 TV series about Oppenheimer, portrayed by Sam Waterston
• Fat Man and Little Boy, 1989 film about the Manhattan Project, starring Paul Newman as General Groves and Dwight Schultz as Oppenheimer
• Day One, 1989 TV film about the Manhattan Project, starring Brian Dennehy as General Groves and David Strathairn as Oppenheimer
• Doctor Atomic, a 2005 opera about Oppenheimer, composed by John Adams

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Johnson-Roehr |first1=S. N. |title=The Annotated Oppenheimer |journal=JSTOR Daily |date=March 7, 2024 |url=https://daily.jstor.org/the-annotated-oppenheimer/ |access-date=March 8, 2024}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Bird |first1=Kai |title=The Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer |journal= New York Times |date=July 17, 2023|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/opinion/kai-bird-oppenheimer-christopher-nolan.html|access-date=November 5, 2024}}

{{wikiquote}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb title}}

{{Christopher Nolan}}

{{Albert Einstein}}

{{Harry S. Truman}}

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