How to Watch 'Oppenheimer'

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

published 10 March 2024

When the 2024 Academy Awards nominations came out last January, it was no surprise that Oppenheimer racked up the most noms of the year. The epic Christopher Nolan movie—a.k.a. one half of Barbenheimer—has been a frontrunner for the Oscars since it made its debut in theaters on July 21, 2023, with countless film fanatics heading to theaters in droves to see the nearly three-hour biopic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb (played by Cillian Murphy). In that (admittedly vast) runtime, Nolan tells the story of Oppenheimer's life from his early days as a renowned scientist, to his complicated love life (featuring supporting performances from Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh), to his leadership of the Manhattan Project during World War II, to his public downfall in the years after the war, due to a private government hearing on his alleged communist ties spearheaded by Lewis L. Strauss (Robert Downey, Jr.).

As shown by the many awards Oppenheimer has racked up this season, from the Golden Globes to countless critics' organizations, the film stands tall as one of the best drama movies of 2023. Murphy and Downey give career-best work in the film, with the former transforming over the course of the movie from a theoretical thinker on science and faith to a disillusioned man who has been forced to face the consequences of his involvement in the dawn of the nuclear arms race. If that subject doesn't sound like it would birth an entertaining story, then you're underestimating Nolan's ability to imbue even a closed-door legal hearing with impressive dramatic stakes. Also, the Trinity Test detonation sequence is a must-watch for anyone looking for a scene that will literally take their breath away.

a man (cillian murphy as j robert oppenheimer) wearing goggles looks through a circular window as a bright light flashes across his face, in 'oppenheimer' — A still from 'Oppenheimer.'

Luckily, the film arrived on streaming a good month before the Oscars (which is more than we can say for late-to-streamer films like Poor Things and Anatomy of a Fall).

How to Watch 'Oppenheimer'

Oppenheimer is currently available to stream on Peacock, after arriving on the platform on February 16. Though the NBC-owned streamer does offer a free tier, viewers will have to subscribe to one of the platforms paid tiers to watch the film. Peacock costs $5.99/month with ads or $11.99/month add-free. In addition, Oppenheimer is also available to rent or purchase digitally on platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and more.

For anyone hoping to catch Cillian Murphy's haunted expression on the big screen, Oppenheimer is still showing in limited theaters as of Oscar weekend; check here for Oppenheimer tickets.

TOPICS

Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.