Have you ever watched a Christopher Nolan movie without the legendary actor Michael Caine? Well, it’s happening with Oppenheimer, the biopic about the father of the atomic bomb. This movie marks the first time in 18 years that Caine is absent from Nolan’s films.

Their friendship on the big screen started in 2005 with Batman Begins, where Caine perfectly portrayed Alfred, the loyal butler of the Dark Knight. He reprised this role in Nolan’s following Batman movies, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. In 2006’s The Prestige, he played an engineer, and in Inception, he portrayed Professor Stephen Miles. Caine also appeared in Interstellar, Tenet, and even in Dunkirk, albeit only with his voice.

But where did Michael Caine go?

So, what happened to Caine in Oppenheimer? Christopher Nolan sheds some light on this in an interview for the ReelBlend podcast. According to the director, “He couldn’t be with us on this occasion,” but he continues to be present in spirit, recognizing their successful collaboration over the years. Although there are no concrete details, some speculate it may be related to a health concern, which has allegedly been resolved. Interestingly, on October 6th, Caine will appear in The Great Escaper, a biopic directed by Oliver Parker about a British veteran. This contradicts previous rumors about Caine’s retirement, which had been denied. Perhaps he will return for Nolan’s next project? However, the director mentioned that strikes in Hollywood have delayed any future plans.