5 Stunning Videos to Take You Behind-the-Scenes of Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer'

Name: Oppenheimer | Screenplay
Description: Oppenheimer | Screenplay

From the film's iconic score to its award-winning visual effects, watch how Christopher Nolan and his team of talented collaborators created what filmmaker Paul Schrader called the ‘Most Important Film of This Century.’

January 23, 2024

In 2023, Oppenheimer became the highest-grossing biopic ever earning over $950 million worldwide, and was part of a historic cultural phenomenon that brought attention to the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer through the film itself as well as numerous collaborative NBC News specials and more.

This month, it became the first film in over forty years to win five Golden Globe awards, and it was nominated for 13 Academy Awards.

Starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as Kitty Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, and Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, the film will begin streaming only on Peacock on February 16.

Take a deep-dive into the creative process behind the film with the 5 behind-the-scenes videos below.

Oppenheimer | Cinematography

In talking to Hoyte about it early on we wanted to shoot the film in large format for the immersive quality. We wanted to really take the audience to these places.

— Christopher Nolan

Oppenheimer | Score

I used a lot of synthesizers, but the heartbeat of the music is all organic. Chris called me one day and said ‘hey can you write a 30-minute courtroom trial piece of music?' And I was like, 'okay.' Chris had an idea of scoring that scene like an action movie and I thought that was something very interesting.

— Ludwig Göransson, Composer

Oppenheimer | Visual Effects

We used a lot of different traditional methodologies. You know- working with cloud tanks, water, all different kinds of macro lenses, high-speed cameras, and some very low-tech approaches to some of these concepts.

— Mike Chambers, Visual Effects Producer

Oppenheimer | Hair and Makeup

For a makeup artist and hairdresser, it’s a dream for us because we’re challenged in this case aging over many decades it’s a very complicated difficult thing to do.

— Luisa Abel, Head of Makeup and Prosthetic Department

Collaborating with Luisa was vital every step of the way. We came up with general plans for each cast member to work out their story arch and their timelines.

— Jaime Leigh McIntosh, Head of Hair Department

Oppenheimer | Screenplay

At the end, I watched the credits role and then I got up and walked over to Nolan and I gave him a big hug and whispered in his ear, 'it’s brilliant'.

— Kai Bird, Co-Author, American Prometheus and Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography