A blast from the past

Therefore, the crew built exteriors resembling 1940s Los Alamos at Ghost Ranch, a sprawling 8,498-hectare retreat in northern New Mexico. Meanwhile, they filmed most of the interiors on location at Los Alamos.

This approach proved energizing for the cast, as it allowed Cillian Murphy, who plays the eponymous scientist, and Emily Blunt, who plays Katherine, his wife, to shoot scenes in the home where the Oppenheimers lived.

Known for his penchant for practical filmmaking, Nolan assigned his visual effects team the challenge of capturing the atomic blast using cinematic tricks and practical effects, shooting a miniature explosion instead of relying on digital technology.

"I have consistently advocated against solely relying on computer-generated imagery," Nolan says.

"Instead, I wanted to capture real-world elements that could effectively convey the beauty and danger inherent in these (scientific) concepts. It was crucial for me to showcase the scientists' struggle with the immense power they sought to control — an embodiment of the energy that binds matter together," he added.