The rumours have been confirmed. Christopher Nolanโs next film will depict the story of American theoretical physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer (also referred to as the Father of the Atom Bomb), and his role in developing the very first nuclear weapon during World War II. With longtime collaborator Cillian Murphy signed on to portray historyโs destroyer of worlds, the Oppenheimer movie hasnโt just announced its lead talentโฆ but also its release date. By July 21st of 2023, assuming everything goes to plan, weโre in for yet another classic Nolan cinema experience (shot in glorious IMAX 65mm + 65mm large-format vision).
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin (the latter of whom passed away this past week), in addition to Murphy, Nolan will reunite with:
- Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet)
- Editor Jennifer Lame (Tenet; plus some familiar non-Nolan titles such as Manchester by the Sea, Hereditary, Midsommar, Marriage Story, Judas & the Black Messiah)
- Composer Ludwig Goransson (Tenet; also Creed, Black Panther, Childish Gambinoโs entire discography)
- as well as wife / producing partner Emma Thomas and Altas Entertainmentโs Charles Roven
โEvery time I see [Christopher Nolan] or every time we talk about doing something, we have a laugh about whether or not Iโm going to be wearing a bag over my head at some point in the story,โ jokes Cillian Murphy; having previously appeared as Dr Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow in The Dark Knight trilogy, Robert Fischer in Inception, and Shivering Soldier in Dunkirk.
โSo it is a gag that has developed. I donโt know why he insists on doing that [Laughs].โ
RELATED: Cillian Murphy Almost Became The Nolan Trilogy Batman
The Oppenheimer movie will, of course, also be produced under Nolanโs banner Syncopy, of which he jointly helms with Emma Thomas. Production is slated to kick off in earnest sometime around early 2022.
The biggest bombshell dropped in last monthโs reportage surrounding Christopher Nolanโs Oppenheimer wasnโt the film itself nor Murphyโs speculated casting: it was which studio heโd partner with. Up until recently, the high-concept director had maintained an extremely profitable relationship with Warner Bros, producing every one of his films under its banner since Insomnia (2002) starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. After their marriage deteriorated in an extremely public fashion, however โ and following a very intense bidding war โ Christopher Nolan departed for a new home at Universal, which happily met the auteurโs list of demands.
Hereโs the list of the topline requests Christopher Nolan will receive from Universal for his Oppenheimer movie (all sums in USD):
- $100 million production budget
- $100 million marketing budget
- 20% of the first-dollar box office gross
- Total creative control
- 100-day threatrical run (minimum)
- Additonally, the studio will not release another movie three weeks before or three weeks after his next film hits cinemas (whatโs known as a โblackout periodโ)
โIt wasnโt a negotiation,โ writes Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter.
โIt was, rather, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish a relationship with one of the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century.โ
โChristopher Nolan and Emma Thomasโ films have shattered the limits of what cinematic storytelling can achieve,โ says Donna Langley, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Chairman.
โWe are thrilled to be working alongside them on this exceptional and extraordinary project and are grateful for their shared passion and commitment to the theatrical experience.โ
RELATED: Christopher Nolanโs Next Movie Will Be Another WWII Drama
As you may recall, the reason behind this professional migration can be traced back to when Warner Bros drew Nolanโs outrage in 2020; when the former announced a day-and-date simultaneous release plan for tentpole films through its streaming platform, HBO Max. And letโs just say fumbling the rollout of Tenet certainly didnโt help the matter.
โThereโs such controversy around it because they didnโt tell anyone,โ Christopher Nolan told ET Online.
โIn 2021, theyโve got some of the top filmmakers in the world, theyโve got some of the biggest stars in the world who worked for years in some cases on these projects very close to their hearts that are meant to be big-screen experiences.โ
โTheyโre meant to be out there for the widest possible audiencesโฆ And now theyโre being used as a loss-leader for the streaming service โ for the fledgling streaming service โ without any consultation. So, thereโs a lot of controversy.โ
And this was one wound time didnโt heal. Nolan would later double down on his stance with a statement that cut straight to the bone, denouncing the Warner Bros pandemic strategy.
โSome of our industryโs biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.โ
โWarner Bros had an incredible machine for getting a filmmakerโs work out everywhere, both in theatres and in the home, and they are dismantling it as we speak. They donโt even understand what theyโre losing.โ
โTheir decision makes no economic sense, and even the most casual Wall Street investor can see the difference between disruption and dysfunction.โ
Warner Bros has since rectified the reactionary decision by confirming new movies will only be released theatrically from 2022. And once more for emphasis, Christopher Nolanโs Oppenheimer movie starring Cillian Murphy will be released on July 21st of 2023 (the annual slot typically saved for a Nolan flick) โ stay tuned for more details.
Side Note: Incidentally, 2023 is also when Cillian Murphy is scheduled to reprise his role as Thomas Shelby, OBE to begin filming the Peaky Blinders movie. Safe to say, heโs got a busy few years ahead of him.
