Oppenheimer Is Now One of the Highest-Grossing R-Rated Films Ever Made

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer continues to soar at the box office as it becomes one of the most successful R-rated movies ever.

Oppenheimer continues its box office explosion as Christopher Nolan's film chronicling the making of the first nuclear weapons becomes one of the 10 highest-grossing R-rated movies ever made.

Per Collider, Oppenheimer, which chronicles titular theoretical scientist and key Manhattan Project player J. Robert Oppenheimer, jumped into the top 10 at both the domestic and international box office after eclipsing the $550 million mark last weekend. The biographical thriller overtook 1984's Beverly Hills Cop to reach the top 10 domestically, with The Hangover Part II ($254 million), The Hangover ($277 million), and The Matrix Reloaded ($281 million) next in line. Meanwhile, Oppenheimer eclipsed Fifty Shades of Grey to enter the top 10 internationally, with The Hangover Part II, ($586 million), Logan ($614 million), and The Passion of the Christ ($622 million) being its closest challengers. The film has now earned $238 million across North American cinemas and $340 million from overseas territories, bringing its overall tally to $578 million since its Jul. 21 premiere.

Oppenheimer has been a winner for Universal Pictures and Nolan, far exceeding initial box office projections despite its shared release with Greta Gerwig's billion-dollar fantasy comedy, Barbie, and facing competition from Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. The film, which has been described as Nolan's "magnum opus" by lead actor Cillian Murphy, is one of the award-winning helmer's five biggest box office successes, joining The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and Inception.

Based on Kai Bird's 2005 biography, American Prometheus, Oppenheimer centers around the eponymous character's role in creating the first atomic bombs during World War II. Murphy features alongside a star-studded cast including Robert Downey Jr. (Lewis Strauss), Emily Blunt (Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer), Florence Pugh (Jean Tatlock), and Matt Damon (Gen. Leslie Groves). The film has received rave reviews, with Murphy and Downey Jr. especially receiving praise for their performance. Oppenheimer is one of the best-rated Nolan flicks to date, boasting a 93% average critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Furthermore, Oppenheimer has been touted for potential major award success, including possible Academy Award nominations.

Oppenheimer Finds Great Success Despite R Rating

Oppenheimer earned its R rating considering it's more of a psychological horror film, with Nolan speaking to how "devastated" the film left audiences during initial screenings. Though the thriller has been favorably received, it has attracted some controversy, such as the censorship of a nude scene involving Pugh and a poisonous apple scene which Oppenheimer's real-life grandson Charles wished wasn't included in the film due to questions over its historical accuracy.

Filmed with large-format cameras to fit IMAX screens, Oppenheimer looks set to add to its box office run with an extended showing in IMAX theaters after initially receiving a three-week window. Universal announced Oppenheimer's extension in IMAX cinemas until Aug. 31 to meet growing audience demand and amid the postponement of Neill Blomkamp's biographical sports film, Gran Turismo.