Before Christopher Nolan offered Cillian Murphy the leading role in his epic drama Oppenheimer, the Peaky Blinders star almost had the chance to play the theoretical physicist much earlier in 2014’s atomic bomb series titled Manhattan. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Manhattan writer Lila Byock confirmed that Murphy was one of the actors they considered for the role of J. Robert Oppenheimer along with Emmy nominee Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear).
“We wanted Oppenheimer to feel both like he possessed a certain undeniable charisma, a presence onstage, but also that he was playing a different instrument. He needed to feel alien, or other, in some ways,” Manhattan showrunner Sam Shaw said.
The character was ultimately played by Daniel London (Patch Adams) in the WGN America-produced series, which centered around the creation of the atomic bomb and the scientists living in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The short-lived period drama starred John Benjamin Hickey, Ashley Zukerman, Rachel Brosnahan, David Harbour, Neve Campbell, and more.
Oppenheimer’s Successful Opening Weekend
Following its explosive theatrical debut last Friday, Oppenheimer currently holds a total gross of over $200 million at the worldwide box office. This marks the highest opening weekend for a Christopher Nolan original film outside of his The Dark Knight trilogy.
Oppenheimer is a thriller that thrusts audiences deep inside the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. It is being led by Nolan’s long-time collaborator Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, who’s known as the father of the Atomic Bomb. Joining him is an A-list cast consisting of Emily Blunt as Katherine Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves Jr., Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, and Michael Angarano as Robert Serber. Additional cast includes Gary Oldman, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Dylan Arnold, Josh Peck, David Krumholtz, Devon Bostick, Alden Ehrenreich, and Matthew Modine.
The film is written and directed by Christopher Nolan, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. Nolan and Emma Thomas are producing through their Syncopy banner, along with Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven.The film is now playing in theaters worldwide.
