The film "Oppenheimer," a blockbuster in the United States that depicts the life of physicist Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb," will be coming to theaters in Japan next year, the distributor in charge said.
Bitters End Inc. will bring the three-hour biopic to Japan months after theatrical debuts in many other countries, including those in Asia such as China and South Korea. The Tokyo company has yet to unveil exactly when the film will open in Japan.
The company said Thursday it has decided "through various discussions and considerations" to distribute the film for Japanese audiences.
"Oppenheimer," directed by Christopher Nolan, proved a smash hit in the United States this year. The film gained a significant boost from online memes combining its promotional imagery with that of the comedy "Barbie," which was released the same day.
Such user posts, running with the hashtag "Barbenheimer," stirred controversy in Japan, especially after the official "Barbie" promoter responded positively to mashup images appearing to make light of nuclear devastation.
The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki came under U.S. atomic bomb attack in August 1945, causing an estimated 210,000 deaths by the end of the year.
Warner Bros. later apologized for its promoters engaging with the viral social media posts.
"Barbie" opened in Japan in August this year.
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