--- description: If Christopher Nolan's biopic wins in 10 or more categories, it will beat a record for most wins at the BAFTAs set 53 years ago. title: How 'Oppenheimer' Could Break a Decades-Long BAFTAs Record image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49d2b4df13b1187a/698a3ecf4ee26264a131b937/oppenheimer-jean-tatlock-florence-pugh.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [awards](/tag/awards/) ## awards Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here's How _Oppenheimer_ Could Break a Decades-Long BAFTAs Record by [Mallory Moench](/author/mallory-moench/) ## Mallory Moench Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Moench was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Feb 18, 2024 3:31 PM CUT  BAFTAs 2024: Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh, could break a decades-long record at the prestigious film awards. BAFTAs 2024: Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh, could break a decades-long record at the prestigious film awards.Courtesy of Universal Pictures by [Mallory Moench](/author/mallory-moench/) ## Mallory Moench Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Moench was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Feb 18, 2024 3:31 PM CUT Christopher Nolan’s biopic _Oppenheimer,_ starring Cillian Murphy as the titular character, could hit a new milestone Sunday night at the British Academy Film Awards [(the BAFTAs](https://time.com/6564294/2024-baftas-guide-winners-nominees-how-to-watch-irish-actors-british-film-awards/ "undefined")) with the chance to break a decades-old record. The film [about J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://time.com/6295742/oppenheimer-review/ "undefined"), the creator of the atomic bomb, [led nominations ](https://time.com/6563971/bafta-awards-2024-nominations-oppenheimer-poor-things-winners/ "undefined")for this year’s awards show, receiving 13 nods, including for Best Film. If the movie wins in 10 or more categories, it will beat a record for most wins at the British awards show set 53 years ago. In 1971,[ classic Western](https://time.com/5682980/butch-cassidy-sundance-kid-history/ "undefined") film _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ [swept nine awards ](https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/most-successful-movie-in-history-baftas/ "undefined")at the BAFTAs––a tally that hasn’t been topped since. Only one of the film’s nominations that year didn’t succeed. Appearing on the [podcast _Countdown to the BAFTAs_ ](https://deadline.com/2024/02/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-bafta-post-franchise-post-intellectual-property-era-cinema-1235810177/ "undefined")with his wife and another one of the film’s producers, Emma Thomas_,_ Nolan said the release of a “three hour R-rated film about quantum physics” that “made a billion dollars” reminded “the studios that there is an appetite for something people haven’t seen before or an approach to things that people haven’t seen before.” At the 2024 BAFTAs, _Oppenheimer_ is in the best position to end the Western’s winning streak. Yorgos Lanthimos' [_Poor Things_](https://time.com/6310400/poor-things-review-emma-stone/ "undefined") is also a contender, having received 11 nominations. Meanwhile, Martin Scorsese’s [_Killers of the Flower Moon_](https://deadline.com/tag/killers-of-the-flower-moon/ "undefined") and Jonathan Glazer’s [_The Zone of Interest_](https://time.com/6554425/the-zone-of-interest-true-story/ "undefined") received nine nominations each, meaning they could tie but not beat the previous record for most wins. Greta Gerwig’s [_Barbie_](https://time.com/6304654/barbie-box-office-biggest-movie-2023/ "undefined"), which [earned more at the box office ](https://time.com/6297101/barbie-oppenheimer-box-office-hollywood/ "undefined")than _Oppenheimer_ when the two movies opened on the same weekend last summer, earning the coined phrase “[Barbenheimer](https://time.com/6294427/barbenheimer-future-of-movies-barbie-oppenheimer/ "undefined"),” received five nominations––none for Best Film. The BAFTAs, taking place Sunday at the Royal Festival Hall in London, will [be hosted by ](https://time.com/6696154/david-tennant-baftas-2024-host-facts-family-bio/ "undefined")Scottish actor David Tennant and feature the stars of 2023’s most celebrated films. _Oppenheimer_ has already [racked up awards](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15398776/awards/ "undefined") this season, taking home trophies at the [Critics Choice ](https://time.com/6555424/critics-choice-awards-2024-winners-nominees-oppenheimer-barbie/ "undefined")Awards, [Golden Globes](https://time.com/6552849/golden-globes-2024-host-nominations-ceremony/ "undefined") and [Grammys](https://www.grammy.com/awards/66th-annual-grammy-awards-2023 "undefined"), and received the most nominations [at the Oscars](https://time.com/6565196/oscar-nominations-2024-snubs-surprises/ "undefined"), which will take place in March. _Barbie_ was nominated for Oscars for Best Picture and other categories, but [the list snubbed ](https://press.oscars.org/news/96th-oscarsr-nominations-announced "undefined")Gerwig for directing and the film’s star Margot Robbie for best actress in a leading role, [drawing criticism](https://time.com/6576771/ryan-gosling-oscar-nominations-barbie-statement-gerwig-robbie-ferrera/ "undefined") from co-star Ryan Gosling, who is in the running for best supporting actor. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6696256/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-winner-record-christopher-nolan/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6696256/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-winner-record-christopher-nolan/"},"headline":"Here's How Oppenheimer Could Break a Decades-Long BAFTAs Record","datePublished":"2024-02-18T15:31:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T12:50:31.084Z","description":"If Christopher Nolan's biopic wins in 10 or more categories, it will beat a record for most wins at the BAFTAs set 53 years ago.","url":"https://time.com/6696256/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-winner-record-christopher-nolan/","keywords":["awards","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49d2b4df13b1187a/698a3ecf4ee26264a131b937/oppenheimer-jean-tatlock-florence-pugh.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Mallory Moench","jobTitle":"Moench was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau.","url":"https://time.com/author/mallory-moench/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49d2b4df13b1187a/698a3ecf4ee26264a131b937/oppenheimer-jean-tatlock-florence-pugh.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"oppenheimer-jean-tatlock-florence-pugh","caption":"Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock in Oppenheimer","creditText":"Courtesy of Universal Pictures","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/awards/","name":"awards"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6696256/baftas-2024-oppenheimer-winner-record-christopher-nolan/","name":"Here's How Oppenheimer Could Break a Decades-Long BAFTAs Record"}}]}] ```