Oppenheimer, the most-awaited & epic movie, has been on the watch list of everyone. Wondering about Oppenheimer filming locations? We’ve got you covered. But first, this epic biographical movie focuses on the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the ‘father of the atomic bomb’.
He’s a theoretical physicist who creates the first nuclear weapon that changes the nature of war. The movie features Cillian Murphy as the lead character with multiple popular characters. The movie is scheduled to release exclusively in theatres on 21 July 2023.
Oppenheimer is filmed in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format and Is recommended to watch in IMAX 70 mm theatre. Now let’s jump into the Oppenheimer movie filming locations.
Where Was Oppenheimer Filmed?
The pre-production of the movie was underway by January 2022. Filming officially took place in February 2022 and wrapped up by May 2022. Then, the post-production started and Jennifer Lame initiated editing.
But the cast traveled through multiple beautiful locations during the filming that added to the masterpiece. The filming occurred in Los Alamos, California, Princeton, and other places.
1. Los Alamos, New Mexico:
The filming of Oppenheimer started in New Mexico, and castings took place at Santa Fe and Los Alamos. Many people auditioned as residents, scientists, and military personnel. Los Alamos is the location where the creation of the atomic bomb took place in real life.
Filming there was a challenging task for the crew. The team said they faced ‘very harsh conditions out there’ and that ‘there were huge practical challenges’. To get as close to the real-life scenario as possible, the team built an architectural design of the 1940s. Los Alamos has a codename of ‘Site Y’, and residents even refer to the place as ‘The Hill’.
Another neighborhood, Santa Fe stands for ‘Holy Faith’ and has been used to feature the Trinity Test. This is the same deserted place where the first atomic bomb was tested.
2. Oppenheimer’s House, New Mexico:
You will be thrilled to know when Oppenheimer was a professor at Los Alamos, he lived with his family in a nearby location. Christopher Nolan’s team filmed the scenes of Oppenheimer’s personal life in the same house. The house featured in the movie is Oppenheimer’s real house!
3. Sierra Madre, California:
California played a major role in filming the movie, just like it did for Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan did his best to make this movie close to a realistic story. The team featured a century-old house located in Sierra Madre. This house is dated back to 1904!
The filming occurred in the upper bedroom, living room, and outside of the $3.188 million property, essentially a Cultural Heritage Commission-designated historical site.
4. Princeton, New Jersey:
Wondering about Oppenheimer filming locations in New Jersey? The filming occurred at Princeton University, where Oppenheimer met his colleagues in 1947 and 1966. Oppenheimer became the director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.
Apart from the lead characters, Downey Jr was also spotted by residents filming in the East Pyne library building. Other locations were the streets of New Jersey to display the post-war effects.
5. University Of California & University Of Cambridge:
The filming location of Oppenheimer’s movie includes the great University of California & University of Cambridge. Before the incident, J Robert Oppenheimer was a professor from 1929 to 1943 at the University of Cambridge. The film even displays his life as a normal professor.
The university became one of the primary locations of the movie. Many residents spotted the lead character Murphy at Wheeler Hall and near the primary library! The crew even traveled to the University of California, where J Robert Oppenheimer was a professor too.
Oppenheimer’s and Jean’s love interest started at this place. The team did their best to make the campus look exactly like it did in the 1940s. Oppenheimer’s office and Edwards Stadium are also featured in the movie.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The University of California & University of Cambridge served as the primary place during the filming of Oppenheimer. These are the universities where Oppenheimer used to be a professor in real life!
Christopher Nolan did not set off a real nuke to film the movie. He recreated the nuke without CGI, and it was an 11-minute computer creation by effects company BUF.
Princeton University is the location featured in the movie where Oppenheimer met his colleagues for the first time.
No, there are not many references to Oak Ridge in the movie. Most filming locations were in Los Alamos, California, and other places.
Conclusion:
Are you excited to watch this masterpiece of Christopher Nolan? Oppenheimer locations hold a special meaning in the movie. The director and his team tried to depict the movie close to the real happening.
Most of the locations featured in the movie are where Oppenheimer has stepped on. You’re welcome to stay tuned with us for more updates! Feel free to drop your opinions on the filming locations in the comments section below.
While sipping coffee, you can find Ayman writing about various topics like movie recommendations, gaming, and tech. She has always loved writing and is now following her passion. Ayman is constantly pushing herself to achieve new heights of success and is always ready to take on new challenges and explore new opportunities.
