Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon Join Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”

Matt Damon at
Matt Damon at "The Last Duel" red carpet during the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September. Photo by Luca Carlino/NurPhoto/Shutterstock (12442621ar)

Christopher Nolan is currently plotting his next project, and it seems he’ll be working with a pretty star-studded cast. Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon are the latest A-listers set to join his upcoming WWII drama, Oppenheimer.

Nolan’s next directorial endeavor will tell the tale of the American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy previously joined the project in the titular role, and it was later announced that Emily Blunt is set to portray his wife Katherine Oppenheimer.

Robert Downey Jr. is expected to portray Lewis Strauss, who played a major role in the development of nuclear weapons during his two terms as a chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Matt Damon will take on the role of Leslie Groves, who oversaw the top-secret Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the atomic bomb.

Oppenheimer is set for a July 21st, 2023 release date, and there are several things that set it apart from Nolan’s previous projects. It’s his first movie in over two decades that won’t be produced by Warner Bros. after he parted ways with this company and settled for Universal Pictures. This studio promised him several advantages, including a production budget of around $100 million and a 100-day theatrical window.