Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and Benny Safdie have joined the cast of Christopher Nolan’s next film, Oppenheimer. The historical thriller is based on the life of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was responsible for developing the atomic bomb. Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy will play the titular character, with Emily Blunt playing his wife, Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan has penned the screenplay, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

The newest additions to Oppenheimer’s already star-studded cast, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, and Benny Safdie, will be playing prominent roles in the film. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of this recent casting announcement. Florence Pugh will play Jean Tatlock, a member of the Communist Party of the United States who had an affair with Oppenheimer and was the cause of major security concerns for the government. Benny Safdie will play Hungarian physicist Edward Teller, also known as the father of the hydrogen bomb. He was also a member of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. research initiative that developed the first atomic bomb. Rami Malek has been cast in a mystery role, playing an unnamed scientist.

Oppenheimer is still in the early stages of production, so there is no word about the plot yet. However, the film is billed as an "epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it." Nolan, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven are producing the film in collaboration with Universal Studios. This ends Nolan’s decade-long partnership with Warner Bros. The Tenet director was unhappy with the studio’s hybrid streaming and theatrical release model and subsequently shopped Oppenheimer to other production houses.

Ultimately, Universal bagged the project and assigned a $100 million budget. Surprisingly, Oppenheimer’s budget is equal to that of the upcoming DCEU blockbuster, The Batman. So it’s safe to say that we shouldn't expect a straightforward biopic. We look forward to another Christopher Nolan film with a mind-boggling plot and breathtaking visuals. Hoyte Van Hoytema and Ludwig Goransson will serve as the director of photography and music director, respectively.

Oppenheimer will also feature the first collaboration between Christopher Nolan and Robert Downey Jr., and fans have been ecstatic ever since the announcement. The Iron Man star will play Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Strauss initiated hearings that questioned Oppenheimer’s loyalty to the United States due to his past associations with the communist party. Matt Damon will play Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves, the director of the Manhattan Project.

Florence Pugh is currently one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. Pugh wowed the audience with her terrific performances in films like Midsommar and Lady Macbeth. She also earned an academy award nomination for playing Amy March in Little Women. Rami Malek is coming off an Oscar win for Bohemian Rhapsody and recently played the villain in Daniel Craig’s final James Bond outing, No Time to Die. Benny Safdie is best known for co-directing Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother Josh. But Safdie has established himself as a good actor too. He was most recently seen in Paul T. Anderson’s Licorice Pizza and will next appear in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

It seems like Nolan has assembled his most high-profile cast yet for Oppenheimer, and there’s likely more to come. With such a talented cast, we’ll certainly be getting some mind-blowing performances. Oppenheimer is slated for an exclusive theatrical release on July 21, 2023.