Christopher Nolan has reflected on the state of the movie business and the success of Oppenheimer after its record-breaking box office performance.
Speaking to Empire magazine, Nolan shared his optimism for the future of movies following a year of mega-hits, including Oppenheimer, which he called the "most successful" film of his career. The biographical thriller about Robert Oppenheimer was also Nolan's first R-rated film in 20 years and the longest movie in his catalogue.
"I've just made a three-hour film about Robert Oppenheimer, which is R-rated and half in black-and-white – and it made a billion dollars. Of course, I think films are doing great," he laughed. "The crazy thing is that it's literally the most successful film I've ever made."
He continued, "I've been doing this for 20 years, and in the United Kingdom, it's my highest-grossing film. So, I feel great about the state of the movie business based on my own experience. But also based on seeing other movies break out, seeing audiences come back."
Nolan told the outlet that he experienced some audience reactions first-hand as he and his producer wife, Emma Thomas, snuck into a few public screenings of his latest blockbuster over the summer. He said it was a "remarkable experience" and "quite overwhelming" to see the scenes play out in front of a packed house.
"The audience's desire to be surprised, to see something new, to see something they did not know they wanted, that's always been the most powerful force in theatrical film," Nolan said of the cinemagoing experience. "So it was wonderful to see that this year."
Oppenheimer grossed over $954 million at the worldwide box office to become the third-highest-grossing film of 2023 while shattering numerous other records. It received various accolades, including eight Golden Globe nominations, but did not get a shout in the Oscars VFX race after failing to make the initial shortlist.
The film also received near-universal acclaim upon its release, with critics praising its sharp screenplay, impressive visuals, and the performances from the cast. IGN's 10/10 review of Oppenheimer called it "a full-tilt biopic" that presents "a disturbing, mesmerizing vision of what humanity is capable of bringing upon itself."
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X @AdeleAnkers.
