Is Oppenheimer based on a true story?

One of the most-awaited films of the year, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, is set to hit the screens on July 21, 2023, all over the world. Based on the real-life journey of the prolific Robert J Oppenheimer, a man who was instrumental during World War II, Nolan borrowed the idea of his film from the 2005 biography by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin called American Prometheus.

Oppenheimer features a stellar ensemble cast including Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, Robert Downey Jr. and Josh Hartnett. The short and crisp synopsis of the movie on Mubi reads,

"A film about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb during WWII."

Nolan's upcoming venture has a total budget of $200 million including production and marketing expenses.

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The true story behind Nolan's Oppenheimer

The trailer released by Universal Pictures has left fans worldwide wondering whether or not the protagonist will be shown in a bad light. Nolan's craft showcases a blend of horror, suspense and thrill which is evident in this biopic. Interestingly, this movie will run with a script that has been written in first person as Nolan wanted the story to be conveyed from the scientist's perspective.

The American theoretical physicist, Julius Robert Oppenheimer, was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory and played the most integral part in the Manhattan Project being the creator of first-ever nuclear weapons during World War II. He pursued a bachelor's degree in chemistry at Harvard University before he went on to study physics to earn a PhD at the University of Cambridge and the University of Göttingen.

He was known for his scientific contributions to the field of nuclear physics and quantum mechanics apart from his academic contributions at University of California, Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology.

However, following his induction into the Manhattan Project, Robert Oppenheimer became the mastermind behind the weapons of mass destruction that wreaked havoc on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Needless to say, he was among the few observers of the Trinity test that was held on July 16, 1945.

After the devastating impact of the marriage between science and warfare, the United States appointed Oppenheimer as the chairman of the General Advisory Committee of the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

Oppenheimer actively advocated against global nuclear proliferation and emphasized the importance of nuclear control, given the tense Cold War climate with the Soviet Union. He strongly opposed the government's pursuit of a hydrogen bomb during a heated debate in 1949–1950.

American President John F. Kennedy awarded the scientist with the Enrico Fermi Award as a means of political rehabilitation for he was stripped of his political connections by a governmental security clearance due to his associations with the Communist Party in 1954.

The film delves into the disputed and complicated morality of the real-life figure in the world of nuclear physics. Moreover, it showcases the rising tensions on a global scale at a time when power-hungry states were after the newest technology that could lead to catastrophic consequences.

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Releasing on July 21, 2023, Oppenheimer is another big addition in terms of production value to the list of movies that have made it big - Tenet, The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Inception, and Interstellar.

The film has been shot in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film by Hoyte van Hoytema.