'Oppenheimer' Does Not Break Record For Most Oscar Wins

Christopher Nolan accepts the award for best director for "Oppenheimer" during the Oscars on Sunday, ... [+] March 10, 2024.

Associated Press

Oppenheimer won seven Oscars at the 2024 Academy Awards, making it the biggest victor of the year. But it did not break the record for most Oscar wins ever. Three movies were tied for the most Oscar victories ever with 11: Ben-Hur in 1959, Titanic in 1997, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003. If Oppenheimer had won all but two of its categories, it would have tied for the most all time. And if it had lost zero or one categories, it would have set a new all-time Oscar victory record. But early in the night, Poor Things swept several of the categories Oppenheimer was nominated in.

Did Oppenheimer Make History At The 2024 Oscars?

Oppenheimer had a great night, but it did not make Oscars history. The film entered the evening with 13 nominations, leading all 2024 movies. The film, directed by Christopher Nolan, told the story of the creator of the atomic bomb, and it featured some of the year’s most outstanding acting—it earned acting nominations across three categories. It will still go down as the most-awarded movie of the 2024 Academy Awards.

What Oscars 2024 Categories Did Oppenheimer Win?

Oppenheimer won for:

· Best Picture: Oppenheimer

· Best Actor: Cillian Murphy

· Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr.

· Best Director: Christopher Nolan

· Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson

· Best Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema

· Best Film Editing: Jennifer Lame

Murphy was a first-time nominee who described himself in his speech as “a very proud Irishman standing her tonight.” He dedicated the award to the peacemakers everywhere, saying “for better or for worse, we really are living in Oppenheimer’s world.”

Murphy is best known for starring in Inception, Dunkirk, 28 Days Later and of course, Peaky Blinders.

Nolan won an Oscar for the first time in eight nominations for directing Oppenheimer. His first nomination came for the screenplay of 2000’s Memento.

What Oscars 2024 Categories Did Oppenheimer Lose?

It did not win Best Adapted Screenplay, which went to Cord Jefferson for American Fiction. It also lost Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Production Design, which were all won by Poor Things. Emily Blunt lost to Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers in the Best Supporting Actress category. And it lost to Zone of Interest for Best Sound.

Where Does Oppenheimer Rank Among The Top Oscar Winners?

Oppenheimer’s seven Academy Award victories puts it among the most accomplished films ever, but it’s a pretty long list. In addition to Ben-Hur, Titanic and King, the top tier includes the original West Side Story from 1961, which won 10 awards. Three films have won nine: The English Patient, Gigi and The Last Emperor. Eight films have won eight awards, and now 13, including Oppenheimer, have won seven.

What Is Oppenheimer About?

Oppenheimer is based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of Robert J. Oppenheimer, which tells the story of how Oppenheimer invented the atomic bomb and the historical and cultural roots of the story.