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Is Oppenheimer streaming?

This weekend is one of the most-anticipated box-office showdowns in years as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer opens against the live-action Barbie movie. And not even an atomic bomb is going to prevent Barbie‘s pink apocalypse from reigning supreme. But serious movie fans and Nolan die-hards have already positioned Oppenheimer to be a strong #2.

Frequent Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man they call “the father of the atomic bomb.” And the stars really lined up to work with Nolan in this movie. Emily Blunt co-stars as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, with Matt Damon as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Casey Affleck as Boris Pash, Rami Malek as David Hill, Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr, Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, and Matthew Modine as Vannevar Bush.

Now, we’ll answer your burning question about whether Oppenheimer is streaming.

Is Oppenheimer streaming?

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer.
Image via Universal Pictures

No, not yet. Nolan is very openly against the idea of streaming his movies at the same time that they are in theaters. He was particularly upset about Warner Bros. sending its 2021 film lineup to the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max on the same day that they opened in theaters, as well as the botched release of his last movie, Tenet. That’s why Nolan ended his two-decade association with WB to make Oppenheimer for Universal Pictures.

Will Oppenheimer be available to stream at home?

A man walks through fire and smoke in "Oppenheimer."
Universal Pictures

Yes. And since Oppenheimer is a Universal Pictures release, this means it will stream on Peacock. But given Nolan’s feelings about streaming, don’t expect Oppenheimer to join Peacock within a traditional window. It’s far more likely that Universal will extend this flick’s stay in theaters rather than attempt to rush it to streaming.

Nolan’s movies have become such events unto themselves that Oppenheimer is likely to get a ful digital and 4K and Blu-ray release for weeks or months before a streaming option arrives. The good news for Amazon Prime Video subscribers is that Universal Pictures has a deal with that streamer as well. So Oppenheimer will likely end up on that platform as well, just a few months after it premieres on Peacock.

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Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
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