Oppenheimer Returning to Theaters (but With a Catch)

Nearly one year after it won Best Picture at the Oscars, Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic Oppenheimer is set to return to theaters. However, the film will only be playing in IMAX locations, with screenings beginning on Friday, February 28th. Those interested can pre-order their tickets on the official IMAX website. Tickets for showtimes of digital and 70MM screenings are now available on the site. The IMAX website also has a complete list of participating theaters, so viewers can find a location closest to their area. Only three theaters in the U.S. are showing Oppenheimer in 70MM.

Released in 2023, Oppenheimer was one of the most critically acclaimed films of that year. The word of mouth helped propel it to a $975.5 million worldwide gross, a highly impressive total considering the movie’s run time and subject matter. Of course, Oppenheimer was part of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon that dominated theaters in summer 2023, as it debuted on the same day as Greta Gerwig’s widely praised Barbie.

In addition to scoring at the box office, Oppenheimer was a big winner on the awards circuit the year it came out. It won seven Oscars at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.). Because of the film’s overwhelming success critically and commercially, Nolan’s final payday for Oppenheimer was nearly $100 million.

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Since his time helming the Dark Knight trilogy, Nolan’s work has been synonymous with the IMAX format, and Oppenheimer is no exception. Even though it’s not an action blockbuster, the drama was made with IMAX in mind, and it boasts impressive set pieces (most notably, the Trinity Test) that demand to be seen on the largest of screens. Though Oppenheimer has been available to watch on home media for quite some time, cinephiles will probably jump at the chance to experience the film in IMAX again to fully immerse themselves in Nolan’s impeccable craftsmanship. As Nolan fans await the director’s take on The Odyssey next summer, another rewatch of Oppenheimer in theaters could tide them over.

Interested viewers should book their tickets as soon as possible. This appears to be a limited engagement that will end in early March. Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, which opens on March 7th, is getting an IMAX release, so those screens will need to be free by the time it arrives. Are you planning on checking out Oppenheimer in IMAX this week? Let us know in the comments!