Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was one of the most impactful films of 2023. The film about the Father of Atomic Bomb’s life is currently leading the Oscars race with 13 nominations. Although the entire cast delivered phenomenal performances, the first person to watch the 70mm print of the movie was not Cillian Murphy or Robert Downey Jr.- it was Steven Spielberg.
Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan are some of the finest filmmakers in the industry. They have also been spotted praising each other in the past. While the fans often engage in a debate in a quest for the best filmmakers, the legends never fail to appreciate the work of their contemporaries. The Interstellar director had an extraordinary experience when he screened Oppenheimer for Spielberg.
Christopher Nolan shared his experience of screening Oppenheimer for Steven Spielberg
Oppenheimer was one of the most anticipated flicks of 2023 due to a plethora of reasons. From a massive star cast to the high-profile clash against Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, several reasons contributed to the success of the Cillian Murphy film. It was also the first flick that used IMAX’s black and white photographic film.
During a recent interview alongside director Dennis Villeneuve with the Associated Press, Christopher Nolan shared that the first one to witness the 70 mm print of Oppenheimer was none other than Steven Spielberg.
“When I first got the 70mm/5perf print, I showed it to Steven Spielberg. He had called me about something else and I had just got the print as well and I hadn’t shown it to anyone. I mean, the studio had seen it. But we screened it for him on his own. I sat behind him and watched him watch the film. It was an extraordinary experience.”
The Dune director added that Steven Spielberg adored the film. Nolan continued that he was not even supposed to watch the film with him but it became irresistible for him.
“He said some very kind things, but really just to watch him watch. I wasn’t even supposed to watch it with him, but seeing the great master watching? It was sort of irresistible.”
Earlier, Steven Spielberg praised the movies of Christopher Nolan and even stated that The Dark Knight deserved a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Nolan also shared with Empire magazine that Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark had a massive impact on his life while growing up.
What did Christopher Nolan say about Dune: Part Two?
During the interview with the Associated Press, a sense of camaraderie was felt between Nolan and Dennis Villeneuve. Both the filmmakers showed respect and appreciation for the films of each other. After the recent early screening of Dune: Part Two, several videos on the internet are showing a happy Christopher Nolan sharing some good words about the sequel.
In a video shared by the Raiders of the Lost Podcast, the mind-bending filmmaker compared Dune 2 to his favorite Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back. Nolan doubled down on the appreciation of the first part and added that the upcoming sequel is an exciting expansion.
“For me, I don’t think it says too much to say that if Dune: Part One was Star Wars, this to me is very much The Empire Strikes Back, which is my favorite of the Star Wars films. I just think it’s an incredibly exciting expansion of all of the things you introduce in the first one.”
Dune, inspired by the works of Frank Herbert was critically appreciated by critics and the audiences. The setup of the epic story and the technical aspects of the film were a hit among everyone and led the fans to be madly excited about the sequel. Along with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, prominent names like Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken will also be spotted in the upcoming sequel.
Dune: Part Two will be released on March 1, 2024, while Oppenheimer can be rented on Apple TV+.
