- Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” biopic experiences high demand with 4K and Blu-ray copies selling out quickly before the holidays.
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is working to restock the discs at major retailers to meet the demand of movie enthusiasts.
- The popularity of physical copies has led to high-priced resale, with “Steelcase” versions of “Oppenheimer” selling for as much as $200.
Christopher Nolan’s biopic, Oppenheimer, has become a highly sought-after commodity as 4K and Blu-ray copies of the film are selling out rapidly ahead of the holiday season. Deadline reports that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is working to restock the Oppenheimer 4K Ultra HD discs at major retailers to cater to the demand from movie-lovers.
In a statement, the studio’s home entertainment division acknowledged the issue, saying, “We are happy so many consumers are embracing Oppenheimer in 4K Ultra HD and understand that some retailers may currently be out of stock. Universal is working to replenish those retailers quickly so fans can watch the film at home in the best picture quality possible.”
The physical copy of Oppenheimer became available just last week, featuring 3 hours of exclusive bonus material. After grossing over $952 million at the box office, the movie’s popularity continues to soar and has sold out at major retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon. This has led to high-priced copies, with the ‘Steelcase’ versions of Oppenheimer being sold for up to $200 a copy.
Nolan, a supporter of physical movie releases, clearly understands what audiences want. Written and directed by him, Oppenheimer stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist often called the “father of the atomic bomb.” The ensemble cast also includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, and Kenneth Branagh.
The film, based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, offers a glimpse into Oppenheimer’s life as he leads the top-secret Manhattan Project. Moreover, the biopic delves into the development, eventual use, and the impact of the atomic bomb on Oppenheimer’s life and history. The news of people seeking out physical copies of the movie is likely to please Nolan, who recently encouraged audiences to support physical media.
He mentioned, “‘The Dark Knight’ was one of the first films where we formatted it specially for Blu-ray release because it was a new form at the time. And in the case of ‘Oppenheimer,’ we put a lot of care and attention into the Blu-ray version […] and trying to translate the photography and the sound, putting that into the digital realm with a version you can buy and own at home and put on a shelf so no evil streaming service can come steal it from you.”
You can watch the trailer for Oppenheimer below: