Universal Pictures has canceled the upcoming red carpet at the U.S premiere of Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer amid the SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie will still be screened, however. The premiere is set to take place on Monday, July 17 at 7pm ET in New York City at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square theater. SAG-AFTRA called a union strike on July 13, with the first day of picketing beginning July 14.
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, a statement from Universal Pictures read.
The decision to cancel the U.S. premieres red carpet comes on the heels of the Oppenheimer cast leaving the films U.K. premiere early in solidarity with the strike, which at that point had not yet been officially called. The U.K. premiere took place July 13 just hours before SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher officially called for the strike to begin the following day.
Oppenheimer cast members such as Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt walked the U.K. red carpet but did not attend the screening of the film. Nolan informed the audience that his actors left the premiere to start making picket signs for the strike. The premieres red carpet even got bumped up an hour early so that cast members could walk it and promote the film without interfering with a potential strike.
We talked about it, Damon toldVarietyon the U.K. carpet about leaving the premiere early if need be. Look, if its called now, everyones going to walk obviously in solidarity Once the strike is officially called, [were walking].Thats why we moved this [red carpet] up because we know the second its called, were going home.
Damon added: We gave the strike authorization. We voted 98% to 2% to do that because we know our leadership has our best interest at heart.
Emily BlunttoldVariety: Obviously we stand with all of the actors and at whatever point its called, were going to be going home and standing together through it because I want everyone to get a fair deal.
Although it had not yet been confirmed which cast members were to attend the films upcoming U.S. premiere in New York, it was expected Murphy, Blunt and a majority of the ensemble would show up if a strike was not going on. Oppenheimer opens in theaters nationwide July 21.