There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the upcoming “Oppenheimer” movie, especially if you live in the Bay Area or grew up here.
The picture was partly filmed at U.C. Berkeley, among other places, and chronicles the life and work of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. The controversial scientist taught at Berkeley from 1929 to 1943 before relocating to the desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he helmed the creation of the first atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project.
Starring Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Kitty Oppenheimer, as well as Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Florence Pugh, the IMAX-shot film was written and directed by Christopher Nolan. With “Oppenheimer” expected to hit theaters on July 21, keep reading for everything to know about the hotly anticipated new movie, whether you’re one of Nolan’s devoted followers or are just a sucker for a good historical biopic.
Books on J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb, including the biography “American Prometheus” are among those on a bookstore shelf in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The 2023 movie “Oppenheimer” was based on “American Prometheus.”
Robert Alexander/Getty Images
What is “Oppenheimer” about?
The plot synopsis of Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” movie remains limited, even two months ahead of its premiere, but we know the biographical thriller will center around theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is referred to as the father of the atomic bomb — a distinction he came to almost immediately regret. Oppenheimer played a leading role in the Manhattan Project, America’s World War II-era initiative to create the world’s first nuclear weapons.
We’re not sure how much of Oppenheimer’s life will be covered in the film but promotional stills and trailers have appeared to focus extensively on his involvement with nuclear weapons tests and his 1954 U.S. security-clearance hearing that was based on his ties to the Communist Party.
Is “Oppenheimer” based on a book?
While the exact focus of the “Oppenheimer” movie is still up in the air, we do know the book is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, which was published in 2005. The acclaimed biography of Oppenheimer explores his life in detail, from his early education to his epochal contributions to physics at Berkeley, in Los Alamos and beyond.
The book’s jacket describes its story as a “compelling portrait of a brilliant, ambitious, complex and flawed man.” Nolan backed up that last part in describing his film’s depiction of Oppenheimer during a recent interview with Total Film magazine. “I think of any character I’ve dealt with, Oppenheimer is by far the most ambiguous and paradoxical,” the English filmmaker said.
That’s saying something, considering this is the guy who made an entire movie about a mysterious vigilante with no short-term memory.
Three men in suits walk across U.C. Berkeley’s Edwards Field in the “Oppenheimer” trailer. The new Christopher Nolan movie is set to be released in July 2023.
Universal PicturesWhat parts of Berkeley were used in “Oppenheimer”?
While the bulk of the movie will apparently take place in New Mexico, as the creation of the atomic bomb unfolds, Bay Area locals will get to see Edwards Stadium on the big screen, home to the Cal’s soccer and track and field teams. The stadium first opened in 1932 and has been seen in trailers for the film. As SFGATE previously reported, Cillian Murphy was also seen being filmed while walking into the Berkeley physics building, a hall that recently underwent a name change.
How long is “Oppenheimer” going to be?
If you’ve long been a fan of Christopher Nolan’s movies, you’ll know they tend to get lengthy. As with past favorites of his like “The Dark Knight,” “Inception” and “Interstellar,” be prepared to grab a large bucket of popcorn, sit back and settle in for an epic film. “It’s slightly longer than the longest we’ve done,” Nolan told Total Film. “It’s kissing three hours.”
In case you wondered, Nolan’s longest film to date is “Interstellar,” which clocked in at 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Director Christopher Nolan (center) stands behind actor Cillian Murphy (far right) on the set of “Oppenheimer.”
Universal PicturesIs “Oppenheimer” a black-and-white movie?
The trailers for “Oppenheimer” have shown off some gorgeous black-and-white cinematography but the movie will also include color. In his sit-down with Total Film, Nolan revealed that the biopic will switch between the two visual styles. More notably, “Oppenheimer” has the distinction of being the first movie to have been shot in IMAX black-and-white analog photography, per IndieWire.
Actors Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt shoot a scene in Christopher Nolan’s 2023 movie, “Oppenheimer.”
Universal PicturesWill “Oppenheimer” stream on Netflix?
The movie is slated to have a theatrical run of about 100 days, also according to IndieWire, meaning you’ll be able to catch it on the big screen well into autumn. Special engagements during that run will include screenings in 70 mm, 35 mm and IMAX formats.
After that, “Oppenheimer” is expected to be available to stream, but it still may not hit Netflix at that point. The movie is being produced by Universal Pictures, which currently has a deal with Peacock to stream its new releases. However, that deal was set to expire after 18 months, which would be at the end of June 2023, according to USA Today, meaning the “Oppenheimer” streaming rights may be up for grabs.
This story was edited by Hearst Newspapers Managing Editor Kristina Moy; you can contact her at [email protected].