Just How Big is the Oppenheimer Movie Budget, Realistically?
It would appear that Nolan's new movie might have a significantly bigger budget than initially assumed.
Oppenheimer is unquestionably one of this summer's most anticipated films, its only rival being Greta Gerwig's Barbie, which, coincidentally, is set to be released on the same day as Christopher Nolan's latest blockbuster, precisely one week from today. However, despite the high level of anticipation for both movies, both seem to be mired in controversy over their budgets at the moment.
A few months ago, both Warner Bros. and Universal declared that not only were Barbie and Oppenheimer going to be released on the same date, but they also had the same budget of around $100 million for production plus an extra $100 million for marketing. However, the producers of Barbie were recently accused of deceiving the public when it was revealed that Barbie's total budget was actually $45 million more than initially claimed.
Similarly, Oppenheimer seems guilty of the same thing, but on a much larger scale. Nolan himself recently disclosed Oppenheimer's true production budget during the film's red-carpet premiere in London.
‘It’s a big story and needs a big talent. It’s a 180-page script and it’s a $180 million movie,’ Nolan said.
It seems that Universal misrepresented Oppenheimer's actual cost to shield themselves from potential lawsuits if the movie underperformed at the box office. The newly revealed figure makes a lot more sense, as producing a three-hour movie with practical special effects for just $100 million would have been simply impossible.
Furthermore, Oppenheimer boasts a cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, and Robert Downey Jr. Big-name actors like these command substantial compensation, even if most of them appear in supporting roles.
Nevertheless, some fans insist that Nolan must have made a mistake and included the marketing budget in his estimate of the film's total production costs.
Regardless, one thing is certain - Oppenheimer will be a spectacle to behold, and no matter the budget, it will surely look impressive.
Oppenheimer will be released in theatres across the U.S. on 21 July 2023.
Source: Variety.