Christopher Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer” is set to receive a theatrical release in Japan in 2024, according to the Japanese distributor Bitters End. The decision comes after months of careful consideration and dialogue regarding the film’s subject matter, particularly its depiction of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb,” and the development of the weapon during World War II. The film, which has already been released in most territories and garnered over $950 million in box office revenue, faced scrutiny for its approach to addressing the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nolan’s decision to address but not explicitly depict these events sparked debate, especially given the sensitive nature of the topic in Japan.
Bitters End acknowledged the particular sensitivity for the Japanese audience but expressed that after screening “Oppenheimer,” they found it to be a “singular cinematic experience that transcends traditional storytelling and must be seen on the big screen.” The decision to release the film theatrically in Japan follows previous controversies, such as the apology from the Japanese distributor of the Warner Bros. movie “Barbie” for social media posts related to the “Barbenheimer” blitz, which combined images of Barbie and a mushroom cloud, drawing criticism for minimizing the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
