Audiences in Japan will finally have the opportunity to see the acclaimed hit film, Oppenheimer, in theaters next year. As reported by The Associated Press, Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed historical drama will be released in Japanese theaters in 2024 courtesy of distributor Bitters End. The distributor announced the news on Thursday (Dec. 7).
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After being released in theaters across the world in July, the film has since become a global hit and phenomenon, depicting the life of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the lead scientist behind the Manhattan Project, which created the atomic bomb. Bitters End announced that the decision to release the film in Japan was made, “following months of thoughtful dialogue associated with the subject matter and acknowledging the particular sensitivity for us Japanese.”
OPPENHEIMER TO OFFICIALLY RECEIVE THEATRICAL RELEASE IN JAPAN
Bitters End added on the upcoming theatrical release in Japan that Oppenheimer is “a singular cinematic experience that transcends traditional storytelling and must be seen on the big screen.” Japan is one of the few countries where Oppenheimer wasn’t released in theaters.
The film chronicles the development and creation of the atomic bomb during World War II. While the film addresses the bombings of Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. during the war, where tens of thousands of people died and others were left with devastating injuries, it does depict the bombings of the cities. The issue was a hotly debated topic in the media.
Since the film’s original release, it’s become a worldwide hit, grossing over $950 million worldwide. It also scored well with critics, with a 93% rating on the Tomatometer. However, the question remained if the film would ever receive a theatrical release in Japan.
The release of Oppenheimer at the same time as the hit Warner Bros. movie Barbie, based on the Mattel doll franchise, also created a global buzz across social media with the “Barbenheimer” blitz. There was some controversy over the memes that would depict photoshopped images of Barbie and a mushroom cloud, which reportedly provoked criticism in Japan as a trivialization of the bombings during WWII.
Eventually, Warner Bros. Japan’s account on X (formerly Twitter) issued an apology on the social media memes, writing, “We apologize to those who felt uncomfortable because of these inconsiderable reactions.”
The announcement didn’t mention a specific release date in Japanese theaters, other than that it will be out later in 2024. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the film stars Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, David Krumholtz, and Kenneth Branagh. The hit film is now available on Digital VOD and DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD formats.
About Oppenheimer
Release Date: July 21, 2023 (USA & UK)
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Produced by: Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Christopher Nolan
Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema
Edited by: Jennifer Lame
Music by: Ludwig Göransson
Production: Syncopy Inc., Atlas Entertainment
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Genre: Epic Thriller
Runtime: 3 hours
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey, Jr., Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh
Logline: Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot 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.
What do you think about the news? Have you seen Oppenheimer yet? What are your thoughts about Nolan’s depiction of the events surrounding the Manhattan Project? Let us know your thoughts about the film on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: AP News
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