Fans want Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy to “recreate” Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser’s Oscar moment, where both of them were seen flaunting their awards in front of the camera while Huy Quan screamed in happiness. Fraser won Best Actor at the 2023 Academy Awards for The Whale. Meanwhile, Ke Huy Quan won Best Supporting Actor for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy were up for contention in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories for their performances in the blockbuster biopic Oppenheimer. Murphy and Downey were the frontrunners to win the Oscar throughout the award season. Especially since they already scooped up accolades at esteemed events like the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and SAG Awards. 

As it turned out, fans and industry insiders’ predictions were right on the money as not only Robert Downey Jr. but also Cillian Murphy, Christopher Nolan, and their project, Oppenheimer, emerged as winners at the Academy Awards. While this was nothing short of a historic moment, there was another film that was a major contender for the Oscars even before Oppenheimer was released. It was Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

It was the first movie that had been touted as the frontrunner for the Oscars before Oppenheimer entered the picture. And few factors could have possibly led people to choose the Nolan creation as their favorite over Scorsese’s gem.

Why Killers of the Moon could not overshadow Oppenheimer despite being a frontrunner in the race?

Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon start off on similar notes in their first two acts, leading to a climactic courtroom analysis towards the end. However, Oppenheimer managed to sustain its brisk pace from start to finish. It maintains its momentum in the last 45 minutes, unlike Flower Moon, which loses steam in its final stretch. Moreover, Oppenheimer offered a broader insight into the creation of the atomic bomb. It explored the intricacies and moral dilemmas of history, while also ensuring factual accuracy and ethical considerations.

The lead character in Oppenheimer was highly intelligent, yet morally ambiguous. The film depicted his circumstances with authenticity, without romanticizing them. However, many felt that Killers of the Flower Moon made a grave error by trying to humanize the perpetrators and recount a historic tragedy from their point of view. This, in a way, neglected the victims and the Bureau’s investigation. These factors, alongside the resounding success of the Cillian Murphy-led movie, could have potentially swayed the decision in favor of Oppenheimer over the Martin Scorsese film. 

Do you think the Oppenheimer duo will recreate this iconic moment after their first-ever Oscar wins? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!