Universal has cancelled the red carpet at its upcoming New York premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer on Monday (July 21) in light of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
“In support of the ongoing SAG strike, the filmmakers of Oppenheimer will not be proceeding with the NY premiere as originally planned and will instead screen the movie to celebrate the crew and craftspeople who contributed to making this landmark film,” the studio said on Friday.
The film will still screen, although Universal had not responded at time of writing to clarify who will be in attendance. The tentpole stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the US scientist credited as the father of the atomic bomb, and is expected to be a heavyweight awards contender. It opens on July 21.
SAG-AFTRA’s strike rules forbid members from promoting their work. Attending premieres, screenings, walking the red carpet and giving interviews are several of the usual activities that are banned for the duration of the strike.
On Thursday at Oppenheimer’s London premiere – which took place just as SAG-AFTRA was calling a strike at a California press conference – writer-director Christopher Nolan confirmed that attending cast including Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Florence Pugh had walked out in solidarity.
The strike rules will have a deep impact on how Hollywood markets and promotes its film and television. It is too soon to say how the fall festival trifecta of Venice, Toronto and Telluride will deal with the latest challenge to a film industry ravaged by economic headwinds and still recovering from the pandemic.
The impact on festivals has already started. On Thursday Galway Film Fleadh moved up an evening photocall of The Martini Shot into the afternoon so it would take place prior to the strike being called in California. Star Matthew Modine attended the drama’s premiere with fellow SAG-AFTRA member Fiona Glascott however the pair did not take part in the Q&A.
Modine – who also stars in Oppenheimer – told Screen: “Festivals are the lifeblood of the independent film industry. We can still attend the premiere, to go and see the movie, but the red carpet has been pulled from under us. We’re standing in solidarity with the strike. It’s important for all the members to stand in solidarity to make sure the producers stand in good faith.”
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