Netflix CCO claims that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer would have done the same if it had been a Netflix exclusive

Christopher Nolan's 2023 film, Oppenheimer became a cultural milestone upon its release. It proved to be a box office smash for Universal Pictures, by being one of the highest-grossing films of the year. It achieved this honor despite being a nearly 3-hour-long R-rated biographical film, filled with lengthy, philosophical discussions. As if that's not enough, it also became the highest-grossing biopic ever, replacing Bohemian Rhapsody from that top spot.

Oppenheimer also marked a big win for its director Christopher Nolan, who has been a strong advocate of IMAX film technology. He hopes the audience has a cinematic experience on the widest screen possible with his desired resolution. However, Netflix CCO Bela Bajaria claims that the film would have achieved the same success if it had been a Netflix exclusive. While speaking with Puck News, Bajaria said,

“We would have done an amazing qualifying [theatrical] run. So many people obviously would have watched it.”

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Netflix CCO Bela Bajaria shares her unique response on Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was an unlikely big-screen spectacle that won over audiences across the globe. It followed the life of "the father of the atomic bomb" after he was hired for a monumental mission during the Second World War. Per reports, the film's global box office earnings crossed $970 million worldwide, by May 2024.

Nolan, a proud advocate of IMAX technology, also used it for Oppenheimer and earned his first Oscar. However, Netflix's chief content officer claims it would have been just as culturally impactful had it been a Netflix exclusive.

During her conversation with Puck News, Bajaria said that Nolan's film would have reached a lot of people if it was under Netflix's umbrella. She also claimed that Netflix "would have done an amazing qualifying run."

However, Oppeheimer's cultural impact isn't solely based on its reach or its award victory. It is also connected to its big-screen experience reaching people across the globe, besides its riveting storytelling. While speaking about Oppenheimer's importance, Vulture film critic Bilge Ebiri said,

"The director [Christopher Nolan] turned this most devastating of stories into a riveting pop culture phenomenon without ceding one inch on its tragic dimensions is surely an achievement for the ages."

On the other hand, Vox film critic Alissa Wilkinson said,

"It’s a movie investigating the nature of power: how it is created, how it is kept in balance, and how it leads people into murky quandaries that refuse simplistic answers."

Regardless, Netflix's CCO seems hopeful for a change in its content strategy in the coming future. During the streamer's recent Tudum Theater event, she said,

“We can’t define ourselves narrowly, even though many of you would always like us to. But we can’t. We have to think much more broadly about who’s watching and what they want."

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Also read: 15 best ‘Oppenheimer’ memes to make you laugh and think