A Bit Of A Moral Cop Out

James Cameron explains how his upcoming atomic bomb movie is different from Oppenheimer, calling Christopher Nolan’s film “a bit of a moral cop out.” Nolan’s 2023 film follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who developed the first atomic bomb during World War II. The movie was a massive critical and commercial success, making nearly $1 billion and winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Cameron, another one of the most critically and commercially successful filmmakers alive, is currently working on an atomic bomb movie. In 2024, he purchased the rights to Charles R. Pellegrino’s book, Ghosts of Hiroshima, which focuses more on the Japanese people affected by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

During a recent interview with Deadline, Cameron explained how Ghosts of Hiroshima will differ from Oppenheimer. He began by calling Nolan’s film “a bit of a moral cop out” for not focusing on the horrific effects that the atomic bombs had on the Japanese people:

Yeah…it’s interesting what he stayed away from. Look, I love the filmmaking, but I did feel that it was a bit of a moral cop out.

Because it’s not like Oppenheimer didn’t know the effects. He’s got one brief scene in the film where we see — and I don’t like to criticize another filmmaker’s film – but there’s only one brief moment where he sees some charred bodies in the audience and then the film goes on to show how it deeply moved him. But I felt that it dodged the subject. I don’t know whether the studio or Chris felt that that was a third rail that they didn’t want to touch, but I want to go straight at the third rail. I’m just stupid that way.

Cameron accepts the challenge to tell the story Nolan chose not to. However, he hasn’t started writing the script, though he has been preparing for over a decade and is waiting for the right moment to begin:

Okay, I’ll put up my hand. I’ll do it, Chris. No problem. You come to my premiere and say nice things… I can’t tell you today what’s going to be in the movie. I’ve been making notes for 15 years and I haven’t written a word of the script yet because there’s a point where it’s all there and then you start to write. That’s how I always work. I explore around, I remember the things that impact me. I start to assemble ’em into a narrative. And then there’s a moment where you’re ready to write. And I’m not in that head space right now.

How It Differs From Oppenheimer

Nolan’s film focuses mostly on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, including his scientific studies, development of the atomic bomb, and his 1954 security hearing. Since it’s told almost entirely from Oppenheimer’s perspective, it doesn’t actually show the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, since he heard the news on the radio. However, the film does depict the Trinity test.

Should Oppenheimer Have Shown Hiroshima & Nagasaki? Controversial Debate Explained & Why It Didn’t

Controversially, director Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer does not depict the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Could the movie have shown them?

Nolan has defended the fact that Oppenheimer doesn’t show the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, saying “I hope somebody tells that story, but to me, this wasn’t that story.” Cameron could be the one who steps up to tell that story. Ghosts of Hiroshima presents the story from the perspective of those who endured the devastating impact of the atomic bombings.

I Disagree With Cameron Calling Oppenheimer “A Moral Cop Out”

I disagree with Cameron calling Oppenheimer “a moral cop out.” Even though it doesn’t actually depict the atomic bombings, Oppenheimer still conveys the horrific effects they caused. Oppenheimer, guilt-ridden and haunted by the destruction and mass fatalities, sees charred bodies in the audience as he attempts to give a rousing victory speech. He also can’t stand to look at photos of the fatalities he feels responsible for.

In the hands of Cameron, Ghosts of Hiroshima should make a great companion piece with Oppenheimer.

Having said that, I’m glad that Cameron is stepping up to tell a different side of the story – the direct impact of the atomic bombs transformed Japan into a nightmarish hellscape and claimed the lives of over 250,000 people, with many more suffering and dying in the years that followed due to radiation exposure. In the hands of Cameron, Ghosts of Hiroshima should make a great companion piece with Oppenheimer.

Source: Deadline