The star-studded cast of Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimeris getting bigger. Swedish actor andVikingsstar Gustaf Skarsgård is the latest addition to the upcoming biopic about Robert Oppenheimer, one of the physicists who helped develop the atomic bomb in the 1940s.
The historical drama, which is slated for release in 2023, featuresCillian Murphy as the renowned physicist.Oppenheimer, based on the 2005 Pulitzer Prize winnerAmerican Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, will focus on the scientist’s involvement and his inner conflict in the creation of one of the most destructive weapons ever devised.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Skarsgård will take on the role of Hans Bethe, a German-American nuclear physicist who won the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. During World War II, Oppenheimer tasked Bethe with heading the Theoretical Division of Project Manhattan at the secret Los Alamos laboratory in the southwestern United States. In addition to Skarsgård and Murphy, theUniversalfilmstars Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Jack Quaid, Josh Hartnett, Dane DeHaan, Matthias Schweighöfer, and Kenneth Branagh. Rounding out the cast are David Krumholtz, Alden Ehrenreich, andNickelodeon alum Josh Peck, among others.
Like others in Hollywood, Skarsgård comes from a family of performers: he is the son of Golden Globe winner Stellan Skarsgård and a brother to Alexander and Bill Skarsgård, both of whom are also celebrated actors. Although Gustaf Skarsgård grew up in show business, his breakthrough came after starring as Floki inHistory Channel’s dramaVikings. He also had a role in HBO’sWestworld, which was co-created by Nolan’s brother Jonathan and his sister-in-law, Lisa Joy.
The forthcoming project started production sometime around February. While further details understandably remain under wraps, Radarreleased a set ofOppenheimerphotosshowcasing the film’s set, which included classic automobiles and rustic buildings. Other pictures displayed an area that is similar to the campus of the University of California, where Oppenheimer was an appointed professor.
Oppenheimerwill mark Nolan’s sixth collaboration with Murphy, who previously appeared inThe Dark Knighttrilogy,Inception, andDunkirk. Moreover, the film will be Nolan’s first since breaking his bond with Warner Bros. due to the company’s decision to release its 2021 slate on HBO Max and theaters simultaneously, which didn’t sit well with the director —a firm believer in the complete cinematic experience provided by theaters. While several film distributors were in the running, it wasUniversal Pictures who ultimately acquired the project.
