After a memorable Oscars snub for one 2008 blockbuster, Oppenheimer looks to be Christopher Nolan’s best chance of award redemption. The J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic continues obliterating box office records after passing the $700 million mark at the box office. Not only is Oppenheimer the highest-grossing R-rated movie of 2023, but it is also the highest-grossing WW2 movie of all time. Boosted by the “Barbenheimer” event alongside Barbie, Oppenheimer became an instant win for Nolan, and the achievements haven’t slowed down.
Oppenheimer, of course, is Christopher Nolan’s twelfth directed movie. After making his directorial debut with 1998’s Following, the filmmaker’s follow-up led by Guy Pearce, Memento, served as his breakthrough project. Nolan then continued making a name for himself, releasing a new film every two or three years. Through standouts like The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar, and Tenet, Nolan became synonymous with mind-bending thrillers. Granted, he also built a reputation within the superhero genre after directing 2005’s Batman Begins. However, redemption for Batman Begins‘ 2008 sequel is where Oppenheimer can come in.
Oppenheimer Could Win Best Picture 15 Years After Dark Knight’s Oscars Snub
If Oppenheimer wins an Academy Award for Best Picture, it would officially redeem The Dark Knight‘s infamous Oscars snub following its 2008 release. Nolan’s Batman masterpiece, which broke numerous box office records, is considered one of the best movies to come out of the 2000s and easily one the best of the superhero genre of all time. Despite its critical acclaim, it was a major snub for Best Picture at the 2009 Academy Awards ceremony, and there was a wide belief that The Dark Knight could have beaten the year’s competition.
Despite The Dark Knight‘s Best Picture Oscar snub, Nolan celebrated eight nominations connected to his movie, including two wins through Best Sound Editing and Heath Ledger’s posthumous Best Supporting Actor win for his performance as the Joker. The Dark Knight probably should have been Nolan’s Best Picture win, but his real chances came from Inception and Dunkirk, both of which were nominated but lost out on the awards. Nolan was also nominated for Best Director for his work on the first WW2 movie, so Oppenheimer‘s success at the Oscars would fulfill more redemption than just The Dark Knight‘s snub.
How Likely It Is That Oppenheimer Will Win Best Picture
Shortly after its release, Oppenheimer immediately attracted Oscars buzz, primarily led by its stellar cast performances. Cillian Murphy’s portrayal as the “father of the atomic bomb” is already considered a shoo-in nomination for Best Actor, and co-stars Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and Matt Damon are also predicted to receive nominations. Aside from various technical nominations, it’s extremely likely that Oppenheimer and Nolan will receive Best Picture and Best Director nominations. The vastness of the storytelling, in addition to remarkable performances and stunning cinematography, can’t go unnoticed. The pop culture notoriety has also helped propel Oppenheimer as a box office juggernaut. That said, it will face steep competition.
Expectations for Barbie to be up for Best Picture is growing, but Oppenheimer‘s biggest competition will be Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, arriving in October 2023. If any movie could ruin Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture Oscar chances with Oppenheimer, it would be the upcoming film led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. However, the fact that Killers of the Flower Moon is getting a limited theatrical release before dropping on Apple TV+ could end up hurting Scorsese’s Best Picture chances. The wider buzz surrounding Oppenheimer may very well end up going in Christopher Nolan’s favor, helping him get that Best Picture win 15 years after that significant snub.
