Atomic bomb blockbuster ‘Oppenheimer’ leads Oscar nominations

BEVERLY HILLS, California: “Oppenheimer,” the epic film about the World War Two race to build the first atomic bomb, landed a leading 13 Oscar nominations on Monday and cemented its role as frontrunner for the prestigious best picture trophy.

The three-hour drama directed by Christopher Nolan outpaced gothic comedy “Poor Things,” another best picture contender that scored 11 nominations for the film industry’s highest honors.

Both movies will compete with feminist doll adventure “Barbie,” Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” about the 1920s murders of members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, among others.

Nolan, a best director nominee, said it was “a real thrill” to see “Oppenheimer” pile up so many nominations.“I think it’s a great year for movies, and it’s a real honor to be included,” he said in an interview.

One of Hollywood’s most acclaimed filmmakers, Nolan has never had a film win best picture at the Academy Awards.“Oppenheimer” is considered the favorite for the top prize this year, based on early awards season wins and polling of experts by the Gold Derby website. The movie was distributed by Comcast Corp’s CMCSA.O Universal Pictures.The remaining best picture nominees were “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers,” “Past Lives,” “The Zone of Interest” and French film “Anatomy of a Fall.”