The trailer — which was revealed in theaters before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — shows scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) teaming with General Leslie Groves Jr. (Matt Damon) to assemble a team of scientists during World War II as they try and beat the Nazis in harnessing the destructive power of nuclear energy.

“You’re the man who gave them the power to destroy themselves,” Oppenheimer is ominously warned. “… and the world is not prepared.”

The World War II-set biopic follows Oppenheimer, known as the “father of the atomic bomb,” during a moment in history when he knew that testing the atomic bomb might ignite the atmosphere and destroy the world, but hit the button anyway. “In learning about that story, I wanted to be there in that room with them and see what that must have been like,” Nolan said. “I wanted to take the audience there. To do so, I’ve assembled the most incredible cast and the finest technicians.”

The film also stars Emily Blunt (as biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer), Florence Pugh (psychiatrist Jean Tatlock), Benny Safdie (theoretical physicist Edward Teller), Michael Angarano (Robert Serber) and Josh Hartnett (nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence). The film also stars, in roles not described, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Dylan Arnold, David Krumholtz, Alden Ehrenreich and Matthew Modine.

The Universal film was written and directed by Nolan in his first release since 2020’s Tenet. It’s based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.

The film was shot in a combination of IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography.

Oppenheimer releases in theaters July 21.