The number one film worth watching after Oppenheimer is “Interstellar.” Nolan’s epic space movie combines thoughtful physics with strong emotions, making it the perfect follow-up.
In this article, I will guide you through an impressive collection of films that are similar to Oppenheimer’s blend of historical significance, scientific achievement, and moral complexity.
From classic biopics to modern, you can stream these best movies from anywhere, anytime.
Note: Please note that this list has been curated based on my personal opinions and overall movie ratings on various platforms.
Which Is The Best Movie Like Oppenheimer?
“Interstellar” is the best movie to watch after Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan. It tells the story of a former NASA pilot who joins a space mission to find a new home for humanity as Earth becomes uninhabitable.
The movie explores themes of love, sacrifice, and survival, all set against the backdrop of space exploration. Like Oppenheimer, Interstellar combines scientific concepts with deep emotional storytelling, making it a compelling and thought-provoking film.
Top 10 Best Movies Like Oppenheimer
If you loved Oppenheimer’s blend of science and moral complexity, these films will satisfy your craving for thoughtful, dramatic stories about visionaries who changed history.
| Rank | Movie |
|---|---|
| 1 | Interstellar |
| 2 | 2001: A Space Odyssey |
| 3 | A Beautiful Mind |
| 4 | The Imitation Game |
| 5 | Arrival |
| 6 | Hidden Figures |
| 7 | The Theory of Everything |
| 8 | The Man Who Knew Infinity |
| 9 | Radioactive |
| 10 | Telsa |
This list is based on the popularity of these movies, but there are many movies like Oppenheimer that you can explore.
1. Interstellar
This movie is Nolan’s earlier exploration of how science, ethics, and human connection function together across time and space.
| Release Date | November 07, 2014 |
| Cast | Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain |
| Director | Christopher Nolan |
Before filming Oppenheimer, Nolan explored humanity’s cosmic potential in this breathtaking sci-fi movie. It blends cutting-edge physics and raw emotional power, just like Oppenheimer, and examines scientific responsibility.
The visuals of space exploration contrast with Oppenheimer’s claustrophobic Los Alamos, revealing Nolan’s obsession with time’s relativity and mankind. The haunting score and visual storytelling create a cinematic experience as powerful as the best music in portraying complex human stories.
If you appreciate music in films, you might also like these movies in my music biopics list.
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Kubrick’s visionary masterpiece redefined science fiction and humanity’s evolution. This movie showed space in a real and beautiful way that was loved by people.
| Release Date | April 03, 1968 |
| Cast | Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester |
| Director | Stanley Kubrick |
Watching this film after Oppenheimer creates lots of connections. Both directors meticulously created technical films that explore mankind’s technology.
The bone-to-spaceship cut mirrors Oppenheimer’s leap from theory to atomic weapon. HAL 9000’s betrayal shows technology’s double-edged nature in both narratives. Kubrick’s less dialogue contrasts with Oppenheimer’s verbal intensity, yet both have remarkable depth, showing how our computers or bombs can ultimately control us.
3. A Beautiful Mind
This movie is a compelling narrative of genius, madness, and the thin line between perception and reality. It shows how he overcame illness and achieved great success, with his wife’s support and strength.
| Release Date | December 21, 2001 |
| Cast | Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris |
| Director | Ron Howard |
You’ll be deeply moved by Nash’s struggle with schizophrenia while working on game theory. The film’s powerful duets between Nash and his wife Alicia showcase the kind of emotional connection found in the greatest collaboration songs in music history.
Just like Oppenheimer jumps between his time building the atomic bomb in Los Alamos and the later security hearings, both use a mix of timelines to tell the story. This makes you think more deeply about what’s really happening.
4. The Imitation Game
This movie powerfully portrays how one brilliant mind’s work in secrecy changed the course of history. His secret work that saved millions of lives, and the personal struggles he faced.
| Release Date | November 28, 2014 |
| Cast | Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode |
| Director | Morten Tyldum |
This film will strike you with a lot of everyday things about Oppenheimer. Both brilliant scientists conducted secret wartime work that saved countless lives, yet brought personal tragedy.
Turing’s secret work breaking codes is as morally complicated as Oppenheimer’s role in building the atomic bomb. Later, Turing was punished for being gay, just like Oppenheimer was questioned and judged during his security hearings..
5. Arrival
A language expert tries to talk to aliens, but her mission turns into a deep and emotional story about how we see time, how language shapes our thoughts, and the choices we make in life.
| Release Date | November 11, 2016 |
| Cast | Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker |
| Director | Denis Villeneuve |
After watching Arrival, you’ll know how deeply it connects with Oppenheimer. Both films follow brilliant minds, Amy Adams’ linguist and Cillian Murphy’s physicist, who uncover knowledge that could change the world forever, but at a heavy moral cost.
Their discoveries challenge what it means to be human, and the films’ non-linear storytelling reflects the emotional weight of their choices. They show how power can be misused and how hard it is to choose.
6. Hidden Figures
An inspiring true story of the unsung mathematical heroes behind America’s space race. This movie tells about three African-American women, their brilliance, and how they broke barriers in a time of racism and gender inequality.
| Release Date | December 25, 2016 |
| Cast | Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe |
| Director | Theodore Melfi |
This movie will remind you of space travel, like the Manhattan Project, which needs smart people working behind the scenes. Women like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson used their math skills to help NASA, just like the scientists at Los Alamos helped build the atomic bomb.
Both stories show the hidden heroes behind big moments in American science. These women also had to fight against racism and sexism, which makes their achievements even more powerful.
7. The Theory of Everything
A moving portrait of Stephen Hawking’s revolutionary scientific journey and personal resilience. Despite his physical challenges, he’s admired for showing his strength, his love story with his nurse despite being married, and his groundbreaking work.
| Release Date | November 07, 2014 |
| Cast | Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox |
| Director | James Marsh |
Hawking’s story touches as deeply as Oppenheimer’s. Eddie Redmayne’s powerful acting is just as strong as Cillian Murphy’s. Both play brilliant scientists going through massive struggles.
Hawking deals with his body getting weaker, while Oppenheimer carries the heavy weight of creating the atomic bomb. Both movies do a great job of showing big science ideas while also telling emotional, human stories. Both men searched for knowledge, even when their personal lives were in shambles.
8. The Man Who Knew Infinity
A great exploration of mathematical genius crossing cultural barriers and academics. The film is touching and powerful, showing how his talent overcame cultural barriers and gained recognition.
| Release Date | April 29, 2019 |
| Cast | Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Devika Bhise |
| Director | Matthew Brown |
You’ll see some interesting similarities between Ramanujan and Oppenheimer. Both were outsiders with amazing minds who greatly impacted their fields. This film tells the story of Ramanujan, a math genius from India who changed mathematics, even while facing discrimination at Cambridge during World War I.
Like Oppenheimer, Ramanujan followed his way of thinking, which challenged the usual rules. The actors, Patel and Irons, show the struggle between creative ideas and strict rules.
9. Radioactive
A visually stunning portrait of Marie Curie’s revolutionary discoveries and their complex legacy. The first woman to win a Nobel prize and her groundbreaking discoveries in science.
| Release Date | July 24, 2020 |
| Cast | Rosamund Pike, Sam Riley, Anya Taylor-Joy |
| Director | Marjane Satrapi |
Rosamund Pike’s role as Marie Curie reminded me a lot of Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer. Both played scientists who made powerful discoveries that changed the world, but also had to face the heavy impact of their work.
The movie shows Curie’s life along with future scenes of how her research led to things like nuclear bombs, including Hiroshima, just like Oppenheimer’s story. Both scientists found things that were used to help and to harm.
10. Tesla
A bold movie of the visionary whose electrical innovations shaped our modern world. Write one more line. Ethan Hawke’s role as Tesla is similar to that of Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer.
| Release Date | August 21, 2020 |
| Cast | Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Eve Hewson |
| Director | Michael Almereyda |
Both were brilliant but socially awkward scientists who changed how we use energy. Tesla has electricity, and Oppenheimer has nuclear power.
Both men struggled against influential people and systems. Tesla’s ideas were often misunderstood, just like Oppenheimer lost control over how his invention was used.
Top 20 Best Movies Like Oppenheimer
Continuing our list of films similar to Oppenheimer, here are the entries ranked 11-20:
| Rank | Movie | Plot |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Copenhagen | A young man travels to Denmark to find his grandfather and forms a close bond with a local girl. |
| 12 | The Story of Louis Pasteur | A scientist proves that germs cause disease, changing how we understand medicine. |
| 13 | Ammonite | A fossil hunter in 1800s England develops a deep connection with a woman sent to recover by sea. |
| 14 | Something the Lord Made | A black man and a white doctor work together to create life-saving heart surgery in the 1940s. |
| 15 | Agora | A female scientist in ancient Egypt tries to protect knowledge during a time of religious conflict. |
| 16 | Glory Enough For All | Two researchers discovered insulin, offering hope to people with diabetes |
| 17 | Creation | Charles Darwin struggles with personal loss while developing his theory of evolution. |
| 18 | Galileo | Galileo challenges the belief that the Earth is the center of the Universe and faces serious trouble. |
| 19 | Trumbo | A Hollywood writer is punished for his political beliefs during the time of fear and suspicion. |
| 20 | Einstein & Eddington | Two scientists from different countries work together to prove a new idea about gravity. |
These films, like Oppenheimer, explore the lives of brilliant minds who shaped history through their work, often showing both their wins and personal struggles.
If you feel like switching to some other movies for a while, explore the list of Disney movies for colorful animation and family-friendly appeal.
Movies Like Oppenheimer On Netflix
If you enjoyed Oppenheimer for its deep history, science, and moral dilemmas, here are five similar movies on Netflix that explore real-life stories of people who made significant impacts on the world.
1. Worth
A powerful drama about the emotional and legal challenges after a national tragedy.
| Release Date | September 03, 2021 |
| Cast | Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan |
| Watch Here | Netflix |
” Worth ” is the inspiring story of a civil rights leader who organized a historic protest. It also tells the true story of lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who was assigned to manage the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. It’s powerful because it explores tough questions about fairness, grief, and the value of human life.
As he tries to determine fair compensation for the victims’ families, he faces the difficult task of valuing human life. The film shows his journey from a detached legal approach to a more empathetic understanding of the personal losses people suffered.
2. Rustin
The inspiring story of a civil rights leader who organized a historic protest. The film shines a light on his courage, leadership, and the obstacles he overcame to fight for justice.
| Release Date | November 17, 2023 |
| Cast | Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman |
| Watch Here | Netflix |
Rustin is about Bayard Rustin, a key figure in the civil rights movement who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington. Despite facing discrimination for being a gay Black man, Rustin played a crucial role in the fight for equality.
The film highlights his dedication to nonviolent protest and his efforts to unite people for a common cause.
3. Einstein and the Bomb
A look into the life of a famous scientist and his role in a world-changing invention. The film explores the tension between scientific progress and the responsibility that comes with it.
| Release Date | February 16, 2024 |
| Cast | Aidan McArdle, Andrew Havill, Rachel Barry |
| Watch Here | Netflix |
Einstein and the Bomb explores Albert Einstein’s involvement in developing nuclear weapons. Using his own words and historical footage, the film shows his internal struggle with the consequences of his scientific discoveries.
It provides insight into how Einstein’s actions influenced history during a critical time, making it a must-watch movie.
4. The Resistance Banker
A gripping tale of financial ingenuity and moral courage during one of history’s darkest periods.
| Release Date | March 08, 2018 |
| Cast | Barry Atsma, Jacob Derwig, Pierre Bokma |
| Watch Here | Netflix |
The Resistance Banker is a Dutch film based on the true story of Walraven van Hall, a banker in Amsterdam during World War II. He secretly created an underground financial network to support the Dutch resistance against Nazi occupation.
Using his banking skills, he raised large sums of money to help those in hiding and fund resistance activities. Despite the dangers, van Hall’s efforts significantly aided the fight against oppression.
5. Shirley
An inspiring portrayal of a woman who redefined the political space. She dedicates her life to fighting discrimination and promoting fairness.
| Release Date | March 22, 2024 |
| Cast | Regina King, Lance Reddick, Terrence Howard |
| Watch Here | Netflix |
Shirley is a powerful film about Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. It follows her bold journey as she runs for President in 1972, breaking barriers despite facing racism and sexism.
The movie highlights her courage, strength, and vision for a better America. She fought for equal rights and worked to give marginalized communities a voice. Her story inspires people to fight for justice, equality, and representation.
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Conclusion: Interstellar Is The Best Movie Like Oppenheimer!
Movies such as Interstellar, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Beautiful Mind round out our list with their intimate portrayals of intellectual genius and personal struggle.
All the films I covered are great for people who enjoy real-life stories, inspiring journeys, science, history, or powerful social messages.
Most of these movies can be watched by teens and adults; anyone curious about the world can enjoy them. These movies remind us that real life can be just as moving, bold, and unforgettable. Make time and watch them as soon as possible.
FAQs
While it takes some dramatic liberties, the film faithfully portrays key events and Oppenheimer’s central moral conflicts based on extensive historical research.
Interstellar is the ideal follow-up, offering another intellectually stimulating experience with similar themes of scientific achievement and human consequences.
Though both are directed by Christopher Nolan, they’re entirely separate stories. Dunkirk focuses on the WWII evacuation, while Oppenheimer chronicles the development of the atomic bomb.
Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, his second wife, raised their son Peter with J. Robert Oppenheimer despite their turbulent lives.
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