Christopher Nolan Explains Oppenheimer’s Black and White Scenes

Christopher Nolan explained his choice to use black and white scenes in his upcoming historical thriller Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer is a widely anticipated film about physicist J Robert Oppenheimer working with a team of scientists during the Manhattan Project, leading to the development of the atomic bomb. Nolan recently spoke with AP News about shooting the film in IMAX, as well as his creative choices on the page and on the screen.

“I knew that I had two timelines that we were running in the film,” Nolan said. “One is in color, and that’s Oppenheimer’s subjective experience. That’s the bulk of the film. Then the other is a black and white timeline. It’s a more objective view of his story from a different character’s point of view.”

This wouldn’t be the first time Nolan used black and white scenes in his filmography. In his 2000 psychological thriller, Nolan had two timelines: the color scenes were played in reverse chronological order, and the black and white scenes were in forward chronological order. This upcoming film will be an example of how he uses color to distinguish perspectives.

When is the Oppenheimer release date?

Oppenheimer releases on July 21, 2023. The cast includes Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Jack Quaid, David Dastmalachina, Jason Clarke, Josh Peck, Devon Bostick, Gary Oldman, and Casey Affleck.