AceShowbiz - Christopher Nolan filmed a nuclear weapon detonation without CGI effects. The 52-year-old filmmaker is directing "Oppenheimer", which stars Cillian Murphy as the "father of the atomic bomb" J. Robert Oppenheimer, and explained how he took the practical route when it came to filming the explosion of a nuclear weapon.

"I think recreating the Trinity test (the first nuclear weapon detonation, in New Mexico) without the use of computer graphics was a huge challenge to take on," Christopher told Total Film magazine.

"Andrew Jackson - my visual effects supervisor, I got him on board early on - was looking at how we could do a lot of the visual elements of the film practically, from representing quantum dynamics and quantum physics to the Trinity test itself, to recreating, with my team, Los Alamos up on a mesa in New Mexico in extraordinary weather, a lot of which was needed for the film, in terms of the very harsh conditions out there - there were huge practical challenges."

Nolan, whose previous credits include "Dunkirk" and "Tenet'", has described the upcoming project as one of the "most challenging" movies of his career.

He said of the film - which is set for release in July 2023 and also stars Emily Blunt and [c=Matt Damon[, "It's one of the most challenging projects I've ever taken on in terms of the scale of it, and in terms of encountering the breadth of Oppenheimer's story."

"There were big, logistical challenges, big practical challenges. But I had an extraordinary crew, and they really stepped up. It will be a while before we're finished. But certainly as I watch the result come in, and as I'm putting the film together, I'm thrilled with what my team has been able to achieve."