A now-deleted viral tweet had film fans in their feelings on Friday as word started to spread that the Christopher Nolan epic Oppenheimer had been delayed.
However, the film is still right on track for its summer release at the moment.
Nolan’s latest drama focused on atomic bomb pioneer J. Robert Oppenheimer has been scheduled to go up against Greta Gerwig’s Barbie on July 21, but social media buzz started swirling that Oppenheimer had been moved to later in the year.
The news linked back to a Variety interview with Cannes programmer Thierry Fremaux where he said that the Nolan film wasn’t playing the French film festival because it was being “released at the end of the year as part of [Universal Pictures’] awards strategy.”
Well, Fremaux most likely misspoke, as Universal has not officially delayed Oppenheimer. The film is still scheduled to be released on July 21.
AP film writer Lindsey Bahr confirmed that Nolan’s latest is still planning for its summer release.
Oppenheimer has not been delayed.
— Lindsey Bahr (@ldbahr) April 14, 2023
The Wrap also heard from a source close to the film that Oppenheimer will stick with its July 21 release date.
There would be plenty of obstacles surrounding an Oppenheimer delay, as Nolan’s desire to get the film on as many IMAX screens as possible has likely required lots of preparation with the July 21 date in mind.
Also, it’s not as common for a studio to delay a major summer film this close to its release. It’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely.
If Oppenheimer were actually to move, it’s more than likely Universal would shift to a Thanksgiving window, as it would give the studio the best chance at plentiful IMAX screenings. However, awards releases happen year-round, and delaying Oppenheimer wouldn’t necessarily boost the film’s Oscar chances.
As of now, movie fans should still plan for Oppenheimer‘s release this summer. Nolan’s films have always centered on time, and it’s highly unlikely he’d have this one show up late on the 2023 film calendar. Unless Universal announces an actual delay, the tweets out there are incorrect.
OPPENHEIMER isn’t delayed. Having a July release was a prerequisite for Nolan working with Universal. They’ve also *literally* been counting down to the release since last summer’s teaser, they ran ads during the NFL playoffs, Damon says he’s seen it, etc. Much ado about nothing.
— Johnny Sobczak (@JohnnySobczak) April 14, 2023