Only 19 U.S. theaters will show ‘Oppenheimer’ in 70mm Imax. It’s epic. (2024)

FAQs

Will Oppenheimer come back to IMAX 70mm? ›

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.

Easily worth the high ticket price ($25 at my theater) and frustration seeing the aspect ratio and resolution continually change. The normal, digital version is cropped and lower resolution, but there wouldn't be any distracting format changes pulling you out of the story (which is excellent, by the way).

There are 30 movie theaters in the world where you can see "Oppenheimer" in Imax 70 mm.

Oppenheimer will be proudly presented at select IMAX 70mm film locations delivering a distinctive and unique way to experience the film, the way director Christopher Nolan intended. Only in IMAX theatres will sequences shot with IMAX film cameras expand vertically to fill the entire screen.

IMAX 70mm is even bigger because film runs through the camera and projector horizontally, so each frame uses 15 perforations of the film compared to the vertical 5 perforations of regular 70mm. This makes the frames 3.4 times bigger than on 'standard' 70mm film.

166 mins | Rated PG-13 (for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.)

NOLAN'S FAVORITE THEATRICAL FORMATS

For Nolan, the “best possible experience” to view “Oppenheimer” in theaters is the IMAX 70mm film presentations.

Croppenheimer? Oppenheimer was shot using a combination of 65mm film (5 perforations) and IMAX 65mm film (15 perforations). If you go to an IMAX 70mm screening, you'll see the scenes shot in IMAX format full-screen (and the rest will have black bars at the top and bottom).

For most of “Oppenheimer,” in IMAX, the dialogue's volume was so loud it was difficult to hear, or it was drowned out by background sound features common in Nolan films. But I realize that movie preferences are highly subjective, and it seems the majority of audiences like rumbling, ear-splitting sound effects.

Oppenheimer was filmed in a combination of IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film. For the first time ever, sections were filmed in IMAX black and white analogue photography during backwards time shifting in the story.

What is the best screen to see Oppenheimer on? ›

Yes, Nolan seems to suggest IMAX – any IMAX, really – would be the best way to watch “Oppenheimer.” Which makes sense, because Nolan shot “Oppenheimer” with IMAX film cameras.

Under “camera,” you're looking for the IMAX MSM, the IMAX MKIV, or the IMAX MKIII. But the key point is the “printed film format,” where it needs to say “70mm (horizontal)” or “70mm (also horizontal)” — indicating an IMAX 70mm release. If a movie checks all of those boxes, you've got true IMAX.

For the movie to work best, that moment has to have an impact as profound as the blast itself. I wouldn't go so far as to say that if you haven't seen Oppenheimer in 70 mm IMAX, you haven't seen it at all, or even that it's worth waiting to see it until you can watch it that way.

Hella worth it!! This is a fair point and perfectly valid. However, as a counter-point, it's my personal belief that a movie doesn't have to have 'spectacle' pieces to make good use of IMAX. Oppenheimer has some really excellent cinematography and IMAX really helps to show that off as best as possible.

Max subscribers danced the night away with Barbie, and now Peaco*ck subscribers can pull up a seat for the other inescapable movie of the summer: Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer won best picture and six more Oscars on Sunday, and it's streaming exclusively on NBCUniversal's streaming service.

Oppenheimer Is Still Playing In Limited Theaters

The film is now only available in select theaters, but its staying power will remain in the lead-up to the 2024 Oscars. This included an early 2024 IMAX re-release to give audiences another chance to see Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX.

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The fans have spoken and we, along with our partners at Legendary and IMAX, have listened, and we're thrilled to return this beloved film to the biggest of the big screens across the country to once again share Dune: Part Two with moviegoers in this premium format.”