Due to popular demand, “Oppenheimer” has extended its 70mm run at Imax theaters nationwide through the end of August. The previous end date, which was already an extension of the film's original run in Imax 70mm format, was Aug. 17. Tickets for Christopher Nolan's atomic bomb drama are already on sale through Aug.
'Oppenheimer' exclusive theatrical run will last 123 days as Uni sets home ent release. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer will have played exclusively in theatres for 123 days by the time Universal Pictures Home Entertainment releases the global box office smash and awards contender on home entertainment.
The Oppenheimer phenomenon continues on the biggest screens. Due to popular demand, Christopher Nolan's epic biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by a sensational Cillian Murphy) will stay in IMAX theaters nationwide through the end of August.
IMAX has a 180-minute runtime limit due to the physical size of the film platters. Studios and exhibitors are not pressured to make IMAX movies longer than three hours. Oppenheimer's success pushed IMAX earnings past $1 billion in 2023.
The whole film is shot using IMAX cameras, so watching it on a screen that supports the expanded aspect ratio and enhanced picture quality makes it a visual treat, and the sound design in the film is begging to be appreciated through a proper cinema sound system.
IMAX 70mm explained by Christopher Nolan | Oppenheimer
Is Oppenheimer 70mm or IMAX?
“Oppenheimer” was shot using some of the highest resolution film cameras that exist. Like “Dunkirk ” and “Tenet,” “Oppenheimer” was filmed entirely on large format film stock, meaning a combination of IMAX 65mm and Panavision 65mm (think David Lean/"Lawrence of Arabia"), that's then projected in 70mm.
Because it's twice as large as 35mm, films in 70mm would often be in very wide formats and because you're shooting on larger negatives you get a bigger, brighter, and more detailed and vivid picture.
The movie's return to IMAX 70mm—a format that increases image resolution tenfold from standard projection formats—paired with a strong awards season run puts “Oppenheimer” in a position to bolster its box office performance this weekend and in the leadup to the Oscars on March 10.
“The reason we're still in those theaters is because the audience is demanding it,” Thomas said. “This is not something that we can impose — I wish we could, but it's genuine.”
So Nolan, in order to remain under the movie's $100 million budget (a small budget compared to what he's previously commanded), even reduced his own directing, writing, and producing fees on “Oppenheimer” so he could maximize what he earned on the back end.
Oppenheimer's return to IMAX 70mm in January 2024 presents another opportunity for audiences to see Christopher Nolan's acclaimed film on the big screen. The film has been highly profitable for IMAX, grossing an estimated $183 million and contributing to a 50% increase in profits in the third quarter of 2023.
Oppenheimer explodes onto 4K UHD with a stunning HDR transfer that showcases the film's dual aspect ratios, allowing us to revel in the myriad IMAX sequences and appreciate the innovative storytelling technique of this brilliant biopic.
All IMAX projectors, except the standard GT system, can project 3D images. GT 3D projectors require two separate lamps and polarized projection optics.
For me, the intro sequence was worth 70mm IMAX alone. It was absolutely breathtaking and I felt it used the format perfectly. Also the insane quality of the shots because of the film was amazing to see, I've never seen something so clear.
RealD 3D and Imax Digital 3D both utilize passive 3D technology which makes use of relatively lightweight eyewear. These passive 3D glasses use polarizing filters to allow each eye to see a slightly different image. HDTVs like LG's latest Cinema 3D TVs work in a similar fashion.
“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled,” Nolan said. “The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you're really letting the screen disappear. You're getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses.
What is IMAX 70mm? It's the original IMAX film format, and older IMAX films still exist on this format. Nowadays, most IMAX films are shot on digital cameras and shown on IMAX quality projectors, which are about 20 times as expensive as normal digital projectors.
