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Why There Are No Deleted Scenes in Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is a massive film, but it's not going to get any longer on its eventual home release.
Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a huge movie, a three-hour epic telling a story that spans decades and features a cast of dozens of major stars. It's a film so big that you can easily imagine a cutting room floor littered with at least a dozen other alternate narrative paths, leading to an eventual Blu-ray release packed with deleted scenes that would've made the film even bigger.
According to star Cillian Murphy, though, you'd be wrong.
RELATED: 9 Mesmerizing Biopics to Watch After Oppenheimer
Speaking to Collider about the film (in a longer interview prior to the current SAG-AFTRA strike), Murphy -- who plays the title physicist -- explained that there isn't much extra material to be had for Oppenheimer enthusiasts itching for more. Despite its prodigious runtime, he says there are no deleted scenes because, well, Nolan arrives on set with a script that's got everything he needs, no more, and no less.
"There’s no deleted scenes in Chris Nolan movies," Murphy explained. "That’s why there are no DVD extras on his movies because the script is the movie. He knows exactly what’s going to end up– he’s not fiddling around with it trying to change the story. That is the movie."
Yes, as Murphy notes, previous Nolan efforts have also been light on deleted scenes when they make their way to DVD and Blu-ray. And as Collider pointed out in its piece on the subject, Nolan has previously explained why. It's simple: He does all of his editing in the script phase, trimming the story down to exactly what he needs, and since he's got plenty of clout with studios at this point, that's usually what ends up on the screen.
"I tend to try and weed things out on paper because it’s crazy expensive to shoot things that aren’t going to be in the film,” Nolan told MTV back in the Dark Knight Rises days. “It also takes up a lot of time and energy. Pretty much with all my films, there are very few deleted scenes, which always disappoints the DVD crowd."
So there you have it. When Oppenheimer eventually hits Blu-ray after its massive theatrical run, don't expect a lot of deleted scenes. If you do want more of Oppenheimer's story, though, you can always go stream To End All War: Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb, on Peacock now.
Oppenheimer is now playing in theaters. Get tickets at Fandango.
