Christopher Nolan’s explosive biopic could likely find its way to Peacock, though not any time soon.
In the recent clash of cinema giants, both Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer emerged as victors. Despite Barbie taking the top spot at the domestic box office, earning $162 million, Oppenheimer’s respectable earnings of $82.4 million for a three-hour biographical drama about the creator of the atomic bomb is quite a feat.
In the world of streaming, Barbie will land on Max, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Oppenheimer, distributed by Universal Pictures, is expected to grace Peacock.
The crucial question that remains is: when will Oppenheimer be available for streaming? Here is our estimation.
Stream Oppenheimer Movie – Oppenheimer’s Online Debut: When Can We Expect It?
Oppenheimer will likely have two windows for streaming. The first is the digital release date, which allows viewers to purchase or rent the film online via platforms like Amazon, Apple, YouTube, Vudu, among others.
The soonest digital release for Oppenheimer will be 90 days post its theater release, falling on October 19. However, it could be delayed up to 120 days (November 18) or beyond.
When Nolan parted ways with Warner Bros., his stipulation for new collaborators was a 90-120 day exclusive theatrical window for his films. Universal, who won distribution rights for Nolan’s projects, publicly confirmed this window in 2021 through the studio’s chairman, Donna Langley.
Estimations suggest that Oppenheimer’s exclusive theatrical window will center around 100 days (October 29). Since digital releases usually occur on Tuesdays, the following Tuesday happens to fall on Halloween, which might not be the perfect fit. But then again, what could be more terrifying than the dawn of nuclear weaponry?
Stream Oppenheimer Movie – When Will Oppenheimer Land on a Streaming Platform?
As Universal Pictures is distributing Oppenheimer, it’s most likely to eventually make its way to Peacock… at some point.
Fast X, which premiered on May 19 in theaters, hasn’t yet announced a digital release date or a date to stream on Peacock.
Looking back, Super Mario Bros. was released on April 5 and had a digital release on May 16 (41 days later). It finally made it to Peacock on August 3 (or 120 days later).
Considering Oppenheimer’s extended theatrical window, we can expect a similar prolonged timeline. If the digital release happens in mid- to late-October, then Oppenheimer could potentially arrive on Peacock around mid-December, fittingly during the holiday season.
Projection: The Streaming Release of Oppenheimer
The streaming launch of Nolan’s Oppenheimer is subjected to his stringent rules around his films’ theatrical windows, making it challenging to pinpoint exact dates. However, it’s certain that it won’t follow the usual Universal Pictures’ timeline. It’s speculated that Oppenheimer will be available digitally-on-demand by mid-October, slightly ahead of the speculated 100 days post-theatrical release but before the Halloween rush. It’s also predicted that the film will be featured on Peacock by mid-December, allowing the digital release to enjoy a two-month span and making Peacock a tempting choice for holiday gift subscriptions.
Oppenheimer’s Theatrical Release
Oppenheimer premiered in the U.K. on July 13, amidst the impending SAG-AFTRA strike, with the cast leaving the premiere early to join the strike as shared by Nolan himself. The movie made its official debut in theaters on July 21, the same day the Barbie movie was released. This dual-release led to the term “Barbenheimer” as movie fans couldn’t resist watching both films consecutively.
Oppenheimer’s Theatrical Window Duration
According to a report by Variety, Nolan requested Universal to ensure an exclusive theatrical window ranging from 90 to 120 days for the film.
The Streaming Availability of Oppenheimer
Even though Barbie, released simultaneously with Oppenheimer, made its digital debut in September, Oppenheimer was granted a longer theatrical stint. By November, it was confirmed that the film would be available in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital formats from Nov. 21, with Universal Pictures adding that the new release would come with over three hours of bonus content.
Streaming Platforms for Oppenheimer
Pre-orders for the film are already open on Amazon, and it will also be purchasable on Apple TV+, Vudu, Xfinity, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. As Oppenheimer is a Universal Pictures production, it’s expected to be available for streaming on Peacock and Prime Video eventually. As reported by Variety in, Universal films are typically released on Peacock after their theatrical run, before finally being made available on Prime Video, as per the Wall Street Journal.
The Plot of Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is a captivating biographical film that delves into the life and work of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who spearheaded the Manhattan Project, the initiative that birthed the world’s first atomic bomb in the United States. The official statement from Universal outlines the plot as follows:
Oppenheimer is a tale of a man whose genius, arrogance, and unwavering determination irrevocably altered the warfare landscape, resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, and spawned widespread panic. The narrative spotlights J. Robert Oppenheimer’s significant contribution to the crafting of the atomic bomb during the Second World War.
