Robert Downey Jr. feels that the success of Oppenheimer could herald a new era for cinema.
The 58-year-old actor starred in Christopher Nolan’s box-office smash as Lewis Strauss and believes that it could lead to a new type of blockbuster that keeps budgets under control while maintaining the hype of a major movie.
Downey told The New York Times: “Fiscally responsible event cinema. It almost laughs in the face of what I grew up in: The ’80s, bloated, big-budget behemoth that you go, ‘It doesn’t matter, because they’re still going to double their money.’”
Nolan confessed that he was also taken aback by the figures put up by the movie – which tells the story of the “father of the atomic bomb,” J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy).
Asked if others doubted the box office appeal of the film, the 53-year-old director said: “Oh yeah. They were saying that to me until the night it opened.”
He added.
So that opening weekend was thrilling. The numbers coming in were defying all of our greatest hopes. We always have done well putting challenging material out there, but it was a complete shock for (my wife and producer) Emma (Thomas) and me the level at which it worked. Because we’d made the film very efficiently.
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Nolan recently explained that he had “always wanted” to work with the Iron Man star before handing him a role in the atomic bomb blockbuster.
The Tenet director said: “With anybody you work with, with actors … you’re looking for some kind of connection emotionally, empathetically. You’re looking for some kind of generosity. He [Downey Jr. ] has this incredible generosity of spirit. It means when he’s in a scene with other people he’s making sure they are all doing their best, that they are all able to bring their best to the table. He’s helping them clarify those emotional connections.”
Oppenheimer premieres on Peacock streaming on February 16.
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Gallery Credit: Matt Singer