Box Office Win & Historic Slip-Up: ‘Oppenheimer’ Film’s Flag Error Draws Attention

Christopher Nolan’s latest film, “Oppenheimer,” has taken the box office by storm and joined forces with “Barbie” to create the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. However, keen-eyed fans spotted a historical mistake in one scene set in 1945, where Cillian Murphy’s character, J. Robert Oppenheimer, stands among a crowd waving American flags with the wrong number of stars.

In 1945, the American flag had 48 stars, as Alaska and Hawaii had not yet become states. However, the film mistakenly shows flags with 50 stars, which only became accurate after July 4, 1960.

Some fans speculated that the error could be intentional, representing Oppenheimer’s perspective, as the correct flag appears in another scene from the same year.

“Oppenheimer” has won amazing reviews, highlighting key events in Oppenheimer’s life from his student days in the 1920s to his work on the development of the nuclear bomb during World War II. The film also explores what is known as the 1954 US Atomic Energy Commission committee hearings where Oppenheimer’s security clearance was revoked because of his connections with Communist Party officials.

Surprisingly, “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” both exceeded expectations at the box office, with “Barbenheimer” becoming a unique and successful trend, according to media analysts. The two films have managed to support each other’s success in an unprecedented manner.