Bidens head to summer blockbuster ‘Oppenheimer’ during beach vacation

PTI, Aug 2, 2023, 8:49 AM IST

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden took a break from their Delaware beach vacation to see the summer blockbuster “Oppenheimer.” The Bidens, after a quick dinner at Matt’s Fish Camp in nearby Lewes on Tuesday, went to an early evening showing of the three-hour movie about the life of Manhattan Project mastermind J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The Bidens chose “Oppenheimer” over the even bigger blockbuster “Barbie,” which was showing at the same time at the Movies at Midway theater.

The total box office in U.S. and Canadian theaters on the opening weekend was more than USD 300 million, the fourth highest ever. Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” grossed USD 162 million domestically, the best opening of the year. Universal’s “Oppenheimer” took in USD 82.4 million. Director Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” tells the story of the man who changed the course of the world’s history by shepherding the development of the first atomic bomb.

In a brief exchange with reporters after the movie, Biden called the film “compelling.”