In the eyes of many, it’s the frontrunner in the current Oscar race. But there are some audiences around the globe who still are waiting to see Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s brilliant and intricate study of physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and the work he did on the atomic bomb at the Manhattan Project.
Japan, as a market, has yet to see Oppenheimer, as Universal studios expressed concerns over the historical subject matter and the undoubtedly difficult emotional impact that Oppenheimer’s work had on the Japanese population. In fact, legendary filmmaker Spike Lee called out Oppenheimer for neglecting to show the atom bomb’s impact on Japan. But the film will begin screening in Japan in 2024, and Nolan had this to say regarding the release:
(I’m) very pleased that people in Japan who are interested to see the film will be getting a chance. I'm also very glad that Universal, working with the local distributor Bitters End, are taking a very careful approach and being very mindful of the local sensitivities about the subject matter. But the film has played everywhere else in the world, and so, I think it's appropriate that people who are into movies in Japan, people who would be interested in seeing this work, having heard about it, the rest of the world, they'll have a chance next year.
Christopher Nolan was speaking to CinemaBlend during a recent press conference on behalf of Oppenheimer, the box-office sensation that combined with Greta Gerwig’s Barbie to be the breakout hit of the summer. Both films have demonstrated impressive legs, and are each in contention for several awards this season, at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, and eventually the Oscars.
At the same time, there’s no denying the difficult approach that Oppenheimer would have toward opening in Japan, as the builds to the eventual bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to help bring about and end to the conflict of World War II. While Nolan stops short of actually showing us the devastation caused by the bombs that Oppenheimer helped to create, there are scenes in the aftermath that make it emotionally challenging for Japanese audiences to watch.
Speaking to Time magazine, representatives for the distribution company Bitters End said:
(The decision was) made following months of thoughtful dialogue associated with the subject matter and acknowledging the particular sensitivity for us Japanese. After screening the film, we feel Christopher Nolan has created a singular cinematic experience that transcends traditional storytelling and must be seen on the big screen. We invite the audience to watch the film with their own eyes when it comes to Japan.
The film industry obviously hopes that more upcoming 2024 movies do as well as Oppenheimer, which notched $952 million in global tickets sold, with more markets (like Japan) still to come. I’m excited to see how the film performs at the upcoming slate of awards shows, and of course, to see what Nolan has next in store.
