Christopher Nolan Wants to “Move On” From Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer earned the honor of being one of the biggest films of 2023, capturing moviegoers’ attention on a massive scale. The film broke multiple records, both as part of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon and as its own blockbuster, which has even come to the surprise of the film’s director and writer, Christopher Nolan. As a new interview with Nolan reveals, however, he has a unique perspective on the ongoing conversation around Oppenheimer.

“I definitely– part of me wants to leave the story behind,” Nolan told Yahoo! Entertainment in a recent interview. “I mean, it’s a great privilege to be able to talk about a film that you’ve made that’s now going into the home and on 4k and Blu-ray and all the rest. It’s great to be able to sit here and talk to you about the success of the movie. That’s a huge privilege. But the subject matter is very dark. It’s nihilistic. And, yeah, there’s part of me that’s quite keen to move on and maybe do something, you know, not quite as bleak.”

What Is Oppenheimer About?

Oppenheimer follows the life of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project, and his contributions that led to the creation of the atomic bomb. The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, Michael Angarano as Robert Serber, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Dylan Arnold as Frank Oppenheimer, David Krumholtz as Isidor Isaac Rabi, Matthew Modine as Vannevar Bush, Josh Peck as Kenneth Bainbridge, Devon Bostick as Seth Neddermeyer, Matthias Schweighöfer as Werner Heisenberg, Christopher Denham as Klaus Fuchs, Guy Burnet as George Eltenton, Danny Deferrari as Enrico Fermi, Emma Dumont as Jackie Oppenheimer, Gustaf Skarsgård as Hans Bethe, Trond Fausa Aurvåg as George Kistiakowsky, and Gary Oldman as Harry S. Truman.

“It’s a story of immense scope and scale,” Nolan previously said of the film in an interview with Total Film late last year. “And one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on in terms of the scale of it, and in terms of encountering the breadth of Oppenheimer’s story. There were big, logistical challenges, big practical challenges. But I had an extraordinary crew, and they really stepped up. It will be a while before we’re finished. But certainly as I watch the results come in, and as I’m putting the film together, I’m thrilled with what my team has been able to achieve.”

When Will Oppenheimer Arrive on VOD?

Last month, it was confirmed that Oppenheimer hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on November 21st. The home release will include an extensive collection of special features, including the global debut of ‘The Story of Our Time: The Making of Oppenheimer.’ This 70+-minute immersive piece showcases exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and extensive interviews with Nolan and his creative collaborators, offering unrestricted access inside the process, performances, effects, music, and artistry responsible for this extraordinary film. 

Additional features include the NBC News companion documentary, ‘To End All War: Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb,’ as well as a ‘Trinity Anniversary Panel Discussion’ featuring a panel moderated by Emmy-winning journalist Chuck Todd, with Christopher Nolan, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Kip Throne; world-renowned physicist Dr. Carlo Rovelli; Dr. Thom Mason, director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory; and Kai Bird, the Pulitzer Prize-winning co-author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, on which the film is based.