Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)

Sad Professor · 19-09-2021 7:12pm #1

No title yet but Nolan has settled on his next project: a film about one of the fathers of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, which is expected to start shooting early next year. Following his falling out with Warner Bros over its day-and-date release strategy with HBO Max, Nolan has taken the project to Universal where he had made significant demands including a 100m production budget, 100m marketing budget, total creative control, 20 percent of first dollar gross, and a 100 day theatrical window. More info on this and the studios who competed for the film below:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-nolan-pitch-to-studios-including-apple-seeking-his-next-film-1235014132/

After a string of big blockbusters, this would seem to be (relatively) smaller scale film for Nolan, his smallest budget since The Prestige.

MfMan · 19-09-2021 8:40pm

Will Cillian Murphy get a (the) job?

santana75 · 19-09-2021 8:54pm

This has the potential to be an amazing film. Such and interesting subject matter in the hands of Nolan.......something in cinema to be genuinely excited about.

pixelburp · 19-09-2021 9:31pm

$200 million for what ostensibly reads like a typical Hollywood biopic? Now that's clout. Where would $100 million even go on something like that?

Slydice · 19-09-2021 10:01pm

Be cool if they include the Oppenheimer speech that was used in the 2012 Godzilla teaser trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRhx4UGwlbM

Slydice · 19-09-2021 10:02pm

found it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb13ynu3Iac

Sad Professor · 19-09-2021 10:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117912882#Comment_117912882

The production budget of 100m isn’t that much higher than what passes for mid-budget these days. A big name director with several big name stars would easily spend that much. Also this is Nolan - I doubt there will be anything typical about it.

20-09-2021 6:45am

Think there was a HBO movie made about Oppenheimer before, Murdoch played him!

pixelburp · 20-09-2021 11:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117913215#Comment_117913215

I dunno, I was thinking specifically about the typical Hollywood biopic; like if Google is to believed, Respect, the biopic about Aretha Franklin, has a $55 million budget. That would have been my guess for how much these kinds of mid-tier, prestige grasping films budget for these days. Even Joker was a mere $40 million and in theory, it had access to the superhero slush-fund.

You're probably right about it being a Noland film it won't be typical - but then. The director is due a palette cleanser, and wouldn't be the first director to knock out a small-scale passion project based on the accumulated clout.

Agent Coulson · 20-09-2021 11:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117913634#Comment_117913634

That was Fat Man and Little boy with Paul Newman

The BBC made a great series on him back in the early 80's.

There has been plenty of Manhattan Project movies and mini series made over the years as well.

Sad Professor · 20-09-2021 12:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117914388#Comment_117914388

A lot of prestige movies now days are indie films which get limited theatrical releases and rely on word of mouth from festivals. As biopics/Hollywood dramas go I think this will be more along the lines of The Aviator or anything Scorsese has done in the last 20 years, nearly all of which cost around 100 million to make, i.e. a film with aspirations to win awards and make money at the box office and featuring big name stars who want certain luxuries (the main one being time) while on set. Also, the way Hollywood accounting works you just can't spend more money on the marketing than on the production. If Nolan wants this to get a big theatrical release then he needs spend enough money to justify it.

Sad Professor · 08-10-2021 7:41pm

Title is officially "Oppenheimer". Cillian Murphy to star. Release has been set for July 2023.

The studio describes it as an “epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.”

Hoytema and Göransson are returning (no Zimmer)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cillian-murphy-christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-1235028622/

JP Liz V1 · 09-10-2021 9:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117912672#Comment_117912672

Looks like a lead role for him

Slydice · 09-10-2021 10:42pm

Why do I feel tempted to (and sometimes do) rewatch that Oppenheimer clip each time I see it now?

pixelburp · 10-10-2021 7:54am

I'm mostly curious where and how the movie makes a bunch of scientists fretting over their Inventions purpose an "epic thriller" but that's possibly just the marketing at work.

The real question in all this, so far unasked: given Christopher Nolan's love of shooting in-camera, practical FX - and knowing WB let him crash a real 747 jet for Tenet - will we see the same for this shoot? First Hollywood film to detonate an atomic bomb? 😁

reboot · 10-10-2021 7:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117913634#Comment_117913634

Also the Germans and Poles have made "Adventures of a Mathmatician,"from the book.Quite critical of the US philosophical/military position.

magicbastarder · 10-10-2021 8:34am

This is a cracking - and long - read on the topic for anyone who's interested. 'American Prometheus', a bio of Oppenheimer.

https://www.easons.com/american-prometheus-kai-bird-9781843547051?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnoqLBhD4ARIsAL5JedIp0myImaBx1BSJRmDvr1Qv9YhAfs0ncfdAjGhFv3ALiQO7yA09L4YaAqeaEALw_wcB

TheValeyard · 11-10-2021 5:56pm

Delighted for Murphy, he's a great actor.

JP Liz V1 · 20-10-2021 5:37pm

Emily Blunt in talks to join

Loafing Oaf · 21-10-2021 1:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117994765#Comment_117994765

I am become Scarecrow, destroyer of worlds

santana75 · 21-10-2021 8:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118049260#Comment_118049260

She's a class act and I really hope she comes onboard. Can't recall a bad movie she's been in.

Agent Coulson · 02-11-2021 4:55pm

Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon have joined the cast.

pixelburp · 02-11-2021 5:05pm

Robert Downey Jr. in a Christopher Nolan film? That feels wrong somehow and I can't put my finger on why.

Without googling, I think this is his first role since the MCU? (cos I'm being kind and ignoring Dolittle!)

JP Liz V1 · 02-11-2021 5:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118107879#Comment_118107879

He has done more producing than acting so it is hard for him to distance himself from Tony Stark Iron Man, he is a good actor so looking forward to how he fairs in this

I enjoyed The Judge

Need a Username · 02-11-2021 10:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117912672#Comment_117912672

Whenever there is a Nolan film on know Murphy will appear and when he was announced as cast in this I rolled my eyes - another minor role for him when he could lead any movie.

I just found out he is actually playing Oppenheimer !!!

I nearly threw myself out of this tax!!!

Finally the starting roll.

Abraham Thomas · 16-11-2021 12:34pm

So, another Christopher Nolan biographical drama. I only found out about this last week and am looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. Whoo. With Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon, this film has a promising cast. Phew.

JP Liz V1 · 10-12-2021 1:25am

Florence Pugh, Rami Malek and Benny Safdie have joined the ensemble

Tony EH · 13-12-2021 3:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117912882#Comment_117912882

200 mil...

...for a biopic?

Fuck me that's some money to be tossing around for something like that.

It'll be interesting to see where this goes though. The history of WWII is pretty close to my heart and it has always been a part of my life due to family involvement, but there's always been a tendency to back away from the stories of the people who were associated with the Manhattan project and present an overly simplistic view. Oppenheimer was a very complex figure who later came to feel a very tangible guilt over what he'd done and how it had impacted the world. Leo Szilard too (I wonder if he'll be mentioned).

Looking forward to this based on Nolan's track record. I know some don't rate him. But I've always been, at the very least, entertained despite my own criticisms of his stuff.

JP Liz V1 · 07-02-2022 10:02pm

Dane DeHaan is the latest to be cast

Agent Coulson · 22-02-2022 8:38pm

Kenneth Branagh joins the cast.

First look at Cillian as Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer himself

Wombatman · 22-02-2022 8:56pm

Is that not Edward Norton in the bottom picture?

Agent Coulson · 22-02-2022 9:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118675099#Comment_118675099

No it's J Robert Oppenheimer in New Jersey, 1947 © Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.

pixelburp · 22-02-2022 9:25pm

Dear god you could cut yourself on Murphy's cheekbones.

MfMan · 23-02-2022 1:18pm

Potential release date of July 23. That a bit off the main 'Oscar course'? Cillian should be good odds to get a 'Best..' nod if flick is any good.

silliussoddius · 23-02-2022 5:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118677847#Comment_118677847

You'd expect him to get a nod if he puts in a good performance. I find it hilarious and worrying that there is a specific time that films should be released to increase their chances at Oscar success, if a film is worthy can it lose out due to bad memory?

Useless Lump · 24-02-2022 5:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118679367#Comment_118679367

yes it has happened.

I don’t remember specifics but it came to attention that very worthy films were starting to get overlooked and films released closer to the Oscars were getting the nods.

I’m there is a lot about it online.

JP Liz V1 · 02-03-2022 1:39am

Jason Clarke joins

recyclops · 02-03-2022 9:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117999805#Comment_117999805

Picked this up last week and haven't been able to put it down since.

Excellent read and sadly all the more relevant now as talks of nuclear weapons and their potential is on the news a bit more than usual.

magicbastarder · 02-03-2022 11:42am

Picked this up last week and haven't been able to put it down since.

it's a chunky book, your arms must be getting tired

Agent Coulson · 03-03-2022 7:40pm

James D'Arcy & Michael Angarano join the cast.

Nice to see a good all star cast.

Watched the Great Escape a few days ago and it had me thinking those WW2 movies did like having all star casts.

Steveimitation · 04-03-2022 12:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118717548#Comment_118717548

Great actor. Still underrated somehow. How many top actors can Nolan cast in one film? A lot it would seem

MisterAnarchy · 04-03-2022 12:54am

I was watching Memento the other and noticed that its David Julyan who did the score.

He also scored Following, Insomniac, and The Prestige, strange that Nolan stopped working well him as his scores were excellent.

The dialogue in Memento is crystal clear unlike Nolans more recent work.

Hego Damask · 12-05-2022 11:23pm

I am looking forward to this ...

sam t smith · 12-05-2022 11:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118718540#Comment_118718540

The old ones are the best. 🤟🏻

Falthyron · 13-05-2022 12:27pm

Nolan loves his big spectacle scene: crashing an airplane (Tenet), Spitfires (Dunkirk), Flipping a truck (Dark Knight), corridor fight (Inception). I'm guessing the 200m budget is so he can detonate an atomic bomb somewhere. Can't wait!

TheIrishGrover · 13-05-2022 3:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118729157#Comment_118729157

Tenet was especially bad. In a very dense film you don't want to be second guessing the dialogue. I saw it in the cinema and it was EXTREMELY loud. Pointlessly loud. I thought some of the most effective bits of Dunkirk were the scenes in the Spitfires. Totally music-free. The awesome visuals complimented by the excellent sound (Hearing every creak and ping of the Spitfire body flexing and moving)

TheIrishGrover · 13-05-2022 3:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119056453#Comment_119056453

You jest but SOMETHING physical and full scale is going to go boom!

Tony EH · 13-05-2022 4:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057530#Comment_119057530

The scenes in the cockpit were great. The aerial sequences, as a whole though, left a lot to be desired.

silliussoddius · 13-05-2022 5:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057543#Comment_119057543

Maybe a real nuke?

pixelburp · 13-05-2022 9:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119057740#Comment_119057740

They weren't great and very sterile. Nolan's actual action direction can be a lite choppy at times and lacking energy, and this was a good example IMO. Dunkirk was a misfire for me overall, an experiment in narrative structure that held little appeal otherwise. And curiously sloppy for a modern flick (thinking of those glass apartments in the backdrop of various shots of apparent 1940 Dunkirque)

Tony EH · 14-05-2022 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119058686#Comment_119058686

It was more the tactics employed that irked me with regard to the aerial scenes. The Luftwaffe pilots, especially, acted as if they were suicidal morons. A single Heinkel attacking shipping in an area rife with enemy aircraft is just ridiculous. Not only that, the Heinkel pilot goes around for a second attack even though there's Spitfires on his tail. That's just terrible stuff. Not only that but the Spitfires, themselves, were flying their sortie at a couple of thousand feet. That's a death trap. Whoever was the historical advisor on that movie was either ignored or just wasn't up to the job.

I know Nolan hates CGI, and that's fine, and he probably could only get his hands on a couple of Buchons and a single Spanish "Heinkel". But really, you can employ the odd camera trick to make a few planes look like a lot more. 'The Battle of Britain' managed that in 1969.

Although, over all, I quite liked the film and elsewhere Dunkirk's scenes were handled well, Velux windows aside 😁 . The scenes on the Mole and the "little armada" were done pretty good. But all of the sequences in the air were carried out quite badly and Tom Hardy's super RAF pilot was incredibly awful. Completely unnecessary heroics too that just took a couple of notches off the whole thing.

Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)

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