Nolan Goes Nuclear with No CGI: Oppenheimer Promises Zero Green Screen Shots

CGI has become the norm in Hollywood, where it's often easier or more practical to recreate a setting than to shoot on location. However, shooting on green screen presents some artistic challenges and is much more generic than the typical old-school way of filmmaking.

As such, director Christopher Nolan has recently been going off the rails regarding his commitment to no green screen for the upcoming summer blockbuster - Oppenheimer. There are rumors that Oppenheimer is Nolan's best film yet, thanks to its stunning visuals and superb acting.

However, when audiences pack theaters for the July 21 premiere, they can expect minimal special effects. Even though the movie is set in the 1940s and features atomic bomb explosions, Nolan insists there will be no green screen. In fact, he went nuclear at the prospect of adding CGI to the summer epic.

Oppenheimer relies on few special effects

Christopher Nolan is one of Hollywood's most respected visionaries. The filmmaker has delivered a string of classics, from Memento and The Dark Knight Rises to Inception and Dunkirk. Nolan has always insisted on his own unique style, including shooting primarily on location.

Despite Inception and other Nolan films using CGI, it turns out the 52-year-old director is not a fan. In fact, Nolan has gone on record expressing his distaste for CGI, even going so far as to insist it won't make its way to Oppenheimer.

The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, which tells the incredible story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the inventor of the atomic bomb.

The footage of Oppenheimer's atomic bomb is blowing people away

There is no doubt that fans cannot wait for the debut of Oppenheimer. The summer epic will be shown in IMAX theaters and will even feature new filmmaking technology developed specifically for the black-and-white footage. But that is about as far as Nolan plans to take technology into the project.

Nolan even went so far as to recreate the Trinity test in New Mexico to avoid replacing the footage with CGI. According to Nolan, avoiding green screen was necessary to properly demonstrate the devastation of the nuclear bomb. Those who witnessed the recreation noted how similar it was to the original test explosion.

Oppenheimer prepares to compete with Barbie at the box office

These days, people do not get too excited about most new releases in theaters. However, summer always brings a few new blockbusters. So many fans are looking forward to the rivalry that is sure to develop between Oppenheimer and Barbie. Both summer blockbusters are scheduled to open on the same weekend, which will lead to instant comparisons. And while the two movies couldn't be more different, it should spark a fun debate about the best movie of the summer of 2023.

Source: Collider.