Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan has responded to criticism of the film for not including the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In the biopic, viewers saw how J Robert Oppenheimer created the atomic bomb and the guilt he was left with in later life regarding the weapon's destructive capability. However, the decision not to depict the bombing of the two cities on screen caused criticism among some viewers.
Now, in an interview with Variety, Nolan has explained why he intentionally chose not to show the destruction: He wanted to depict how Oppenheimer himself learnt about the bombing instead.
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"The film presents Oppenheimer's experience subjectively. It was always my intention to rigidly stick to that," Nolan explained.
Related: How to watch Oppenheimer right now - is it available to stream?
"Oppenheimer heard about the bombing at the same time that the rest of the world did," the director continued.
"I wanted to show somebody who is starting to gain a clearer picture of the unintended consequences of his actions. It was as much about what I don't show as what I show."
Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer was released to huge critical and commercial acclaim, becoming the highest-grossing biopic ever with a $942 million worldwide gross.
The film is also Nolan's third biggest release, sitting behind The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.
Related: Oppenheimer's Christopher Nolan explains why you might struggle to hear his dialogue
Oppenheimer will be available to watch at home later this month, with a digital and physical release confirmed for November 21 in the US and November 22 in the UK.
A streaming release date is yet to be confirmed, with the movie likely to be made available on platforms in early 2024.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Brenna Cooper is a freelance journalist, who currently specialises in entertainment reporting. She joined Digital Spy in 2022, writing TV and movies stories for the site. After graduating with an NCTJ accredited Journalism Masters from the University of Sheffield in 2020 she has since embarked on a freelance career.
Brenna previously produced lifestyle content for Checklists.co.uk and has a specific interest in music, reviewing live acts and interviewing bands such as Confidence Man and Amyl and the Sniffers.
