Oppenheimer is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, which will explore the creation of the first-ever nuclear weapon. Helmed by Christopher Nolan, the films star some of the biggest names like Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and many others who were revealed in the latest trailer recently.

The story is based on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and shows how J. Robert Oppenheimer’s contributions to the Manhattan Project in World War II led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

While there’s some time before we get to see it on the big screen, I have curated a list of movies (some about war and some not) that should be checked out before Nolan’s return.

If anything, the films make it certain that various catastrophes are man-made creations that could be easily avoided if only, power doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Although it’s a satirical film, in today’s world even this comedy would feel like a reality, as it follows an unhinged United States Air Force general who orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the President and his advisors try to stop the attack before it turns into a war.

Directed and co-written by Stanley Kubrick and it stars Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, and Slim Pickens.

From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle, he eventually triumphed over his tragedy, and finally - late in life - received the Nobel Prize.

Directed by Ron Howard, the film stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Ed Harris.

**The Day the Earth Caught Fire** (1961)

Starring Edward Judd, Leo McKern and Janet Munro, this is a classic film that often tops the list of the best apocalyptic films of the era.

It shows how the scientist tried to save the Earth when continuous nuclear tests by various countries disrupted the orbit of the planet and it was slowly spiralling in towards the Sun. In fact, many would find the film quite relevant to contemporary times as well, where the world is divided between two groups – one that thinks the planet is evolving for good and the other that thinks we are doomed.

A Biopic directed by starring Ryan Gosling on the life of the legendary American Astronaut Neil Armstrong from 1961-1969, on his journey to becoming the first human to walk the moon. Exploring the sacrifices and costs on the Nation and Neil himself, during one of the most dangerous missions in the history of space travel.

This is a film that truly captures the struggle and journey of not just America's race to space but a man's sacrifice to reach his ultimate goal of walking on the moon.

Not a film about the world's most popular electric car company, Tesla is a biopic about famed inventor Nikola Tesla finding his purpose. Like Thomas Edison, Tesla invented many forms of electrical motors and machines, of which very few ever made international acclaim in his lifetime.

Starring Ethan Hawke, this film is essential for history lovers and fans of Nolan's The Prestige(2006). It may not be the highest-reviewed film on this list, but it's perfect for getting your science gears spinning just in time for Oppenheimer next year.

The Manhattan Project is something that you will be hearing about in Oppenheimer as well since the film is based on the World War II program that constructed the first atomic bombs. If anything, then this film is a great example that shows how unknown technology could become so destructive in the wrong hands, and also, how high school kids are sometimes absolutely dangerous beings.

The story follows an exemplary high school student who decides to create an atomic bomb on his own, for a national science fair. Evidently, he was successful in creating it but also finds his name in the list of criminals whom the Secret Service wouldn’t mind taking out in a second. Despite knowing the threats, he seems to pursue his experiment leading to more chaos.

Not for the weak of heart, Benedict Cumberbatch portrays puzzle master Alan Turing in the British drama The Imitation Game, which is set during World War II. This Academy Award-winning movie explores the story of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence Service, and how they cracked the notorious Nazi codes during World War II.

Turing is portrayed by Cumberbatch in a stunning yet heartbreaking way, as we watch him battle inner and outer problems in a homophobic 1939 England while also dealing with the pressures of genius. The Imitation Game is the ideal Oppenheimer introduction if you enjoy seeing characters spend the entire night deliberating over calculations and problems.

This political thriller is set in October of 1962 and presents a dramatized version of the Cuban Missile Crisis from the perspective of the USA officials. Starring Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp and Dylan Baker in prominent roles. When the US spy planes photograph the impending installation of Soviet missile sites in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy and his advisers have to run after the time to stop the activation of those missiles before the threat of war takes over.

The Thirteen Days capture all the chaos, urgency and impending doom that was looming on the world if anything went wrong.

How does a sci-fi film from 1968 prime you for one in 2023? Well, 2001: A Space Odyssey, one of Stanley Kubrick's best films, revolves around themes of evolution, scientific advancement, and the consequences of hubris on a mass scale.

More specifically, the film tightens with suspense when HAL, an A.I., begins antagonizing his creators, and the deep-space mystery the astronauts hope to solve may come at the price of their own lives. Perhaps scientific discovery can lead to dangers as well as salvation, right, Oppenheimer?

Biopic of billionaire Howard Hughes, starting with his early filmmaking years as owner of R.K.O. Pictures, but mostly focusing on his role in designing and promoting new aircraft. Hughes was a risk-taker spending several fortunes on designing experimental aircraft and eventually founding TWA as a rival to Pan Am airlines owned by his great rival Juan Trippe.

When Trippe's politico Senator Ralph Owen Brewster accuses Hughes of being a war profiteer, it's Hughes who gains the upper hand. Hughes also had many women in his life including a long relationship with Katharine Hepburn. From an early age, however, Hughes was also germophobic and would have severe bouts of mental illness.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Gwen Stefani, Jude Law, Danny Huston, Willem Dafoe and Kelli Garner.

Dev Patel boasts an iconic performance as real-life mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Originally a lower-class citizen from India, Ramanujan emigrated to England to attend Cambridge University and subsequently made breakthroughs in mathematical theory. The film takes place during World War I and unravels Ramanujan's fight against racial prejudice at Cambridge and tuberculosis. It's a classic tale akin to The Theory of Everything that's bound to put viewers in the mood for Oppenheimer.

If you have ever come across the robotic sound asking ‘Shall we play a game’, then this is the film where it originated from. From hacking into the school system to changing his grades to other pranks, David Lightman finds himself on an unknown server, playing a game with very real repercussions. It turns out that he mistakenly accessed the United States military supercomputer which is programmed to simulate, predict and execute nuclear war against the Soviet Union.

An oblivious school student becomes a secret spy that sent two countries into a frenzy over a Nuclear war threat while playing a seemingly harmless game on his computer. The cast of the film includes Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, John Wood, and Ally Sheedy along with many others.

A story directly portraying the deadly consequences of scientific discovery, Radioactive is about the life of Marie Curie and the release of polonium and radium upon the world. Substances not fully understood at the time, Marie promoted the usage of radium without knowing its radioactivity was poisoning its users.

The film is quite a parallel to what fans can expect from Oppenheimer; a misunderstood scientific discovery directly causing the deaths of countless individuals. Starring Rosamund Pike as Marie Curie, Radioactive is one of the best period dramas in recent memory as viewers watch Marie realize the horrors she's released into the world.

Starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, this sci-fi drama depicts the arrival of alien spacecraft all across the globe and how humans attempt to communicate with them. Directed by Denis Villeneuve - who also directed Dune (2021) and Prisoners (2013) - the film approaches the situation with realism similar to that of Interstellar.

What unfurls are a series of life-altering revelations for Louise Banks (Adams), who leads the communication team, as she begins to achieve a dialogue with the mysterious visitors. Despite leaning into fiction rather than not, Arrival is an entrancing film that makes viewers feel as if they're making discoveries right alongside Adams, and performs on a grand scale fans can expect from the upcoming Oppenheimer.

Why not check out a few or all films from the director of Oppenheimer himself?

Christopher Nolan has been one of the movie industry's most respected and well-received directors for the better part of two decades. He's directed 11 movies, including the famed Dark Knight Trilogy starring Christian Bale as Batman, most of which are known for their unique plots, cinematography, and star-studded cast.

Following (1998)

Nolan's penchant for moody, twisty storytelling was immediately apparent in this black and white story of deception and betrayal.

Memento (2000)

Nolan scored a critical hit with this audacious backwards-forwards thriller, starring Guy Pearce as a vengeful loner suffering from short-term memory loss.

Insomnia (2002)

Al Pacino's cop is on the hunt for Robin Williams' killer in Nolan's typically assured and atmospheric remake of a 1997 Norwegian thriller.

Batman Begins (2005)

Christopher Nolan restored dignity to the Dark Knight, and delivered a fine superhero adventure to boot, in this darkly engrossing epic that marked Christian Bale's debut as Batman.

The Prestige (2006)

Nolan's arresting movie of warring 19th-century magicians, starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, brings the house down with its devious onslaught of twists and turns.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The boundary between comic book blockbuster and twisted art-house character study was blown apart with Nolan's triumphant continuation of the Batman mythology.

Inception (2010) - The Geekster’s Personal Favorite

Nolan took a huge gamble with this big budget, entirely original story of mind heist espionage, led by Leonardo DiCaprio. But the risk paid off with a critical and financial hit that cemented Nolan's formidable standing.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Nolan's gargantuan Dark Knight trilogy roars to a close as Tom Hardy's imposing Bane squares off against Christian Bale's ailing Batman.

Interstellar (2014)

Waves become mountains and one man cries out for his daughter across the universe in Nolan's majestic space odyssey.

Dunkirk (2017)

Nolan refashions the World War II drama as a relentless, non-linear battle for survival, messing with our perception of time and shedding light on a pivotal moment in World War II history.

Tenet (2020)

Nolan's mind-melting espionage movie reverses the flow of entropy and stages ambitious backward-forwards car chases, as John David Washington and Robert Pattinson's secret agents look to bring down Kenneth Branagh's diabolical arms dealer.

Oppenheimer is all set to release on July 21, 2023, in theatres worldwide.

If You Are Looking Forward to Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ Check Out These 14+ Film Recommendations