Universal
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has been confirmed for a theatrical release in Japan. Although no exact date was given, local distributor Bitters End said today that the biographical epic will hit Japanese theaters in 2024. The decision was made “after months of thoughtful dialogue on the issue and in recognition of the special sensitivity for us Japanese,” Bitters End said in a statement released early Thursday morning in Tokyo (read it in full below).
Oppenheimer began its global rollout in July this year, but given the sensitivity of the subject matter, there were doubts about its release in Japan – the film centers on the complicated and brilliant physicist tasked with leading the Manhattan Project, the secret attempt to create the atomic bomb and the moral and political struggles that followed.
The film does not explicitly depict the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This decision was made, Nolan told NBC, because the film is told subjectively from Oppenheimer’s point of view. “To deviate from his experience would betray the narrative… He learned about the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the radio – just like the rest of the world.”
This summer, the phrase #NoBarbenheimer trended in Japan as many Twitter users were angered by fan-made online memes and images that felt nuclear weapons and the devastating consequences of the bombs were being trivialized.
From Universal, Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek and Kenneth Branagh.
It has grossed over $950 million worldwide. It is the No. 3 film of 2023 and the No. 1 biopic of all time.
Bitters End has a long history of working with award contenders. Other Universal titles released in Japan include Darkest Hour and Licorice Pizza.
Here is the full statement from Bitters End:
“We, Bitters End, will release Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ in Japan in 2024. The decision was made after months of careful discussion on the issue and recognizing the special sensitivity for us Japanese. After screening the film, we believe Christopher Nolan has created a unique cinematic experience that goes beyond traditional storytelling and needs to be seen on the big screen. We invite the audience to see the film about Japan with their own eyes.”