Chris Nolan Confirms His DC Movie Directing Days Are Over

[Nergal]

 

 

Tenet writer/director, Christopher Nolan, confirms that his days directing DC comic book movies are most likely over. Following campy outings like Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin (which largely discredited the caped crusader's live-action pxesence), Nolan’s Batman Begins revived its respective franchise and revolutionized the genre in 2005. By grounding Bruce Wayne AKA Batman in reality, Nolan helped to usher in the modern age of superhero movies.

Batman Begins’ sequel, The Dark Knight, is considered to be one of the greatest comic book movies of all-time. Less a superhero movie and more of a crime drama, The Dark Knight has influenced the genre it redefined and films outside of it. It’s not a stretch to say that every comic book movie will, at some point, be compared to The Dark Knight trilogy. Nolan can also be seen as the godfather of the DC Extended Universe. Following The Dark Knight Rises, Warner Bros. And DC doubled down on David Goyer and Nolan’s story for Zack Snyder’s (who Nolan hand-picked to direct) Man of Steel. As DC develops their universe without him, Nolan continues to explore his distinct style/voice permeating films like Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and now, Tenet.

In an interview with Geeks of Color, Nolan and John David Washington discussed the director’s latest mind-bender, Tenet. Near the end of the interview, Washington was asked about his popular fan-casting as Green Lantern and whether or not he’d be open to joining the DC universe. Washington deferred to Nolan, “ask him.” This naturally proposed the idea of a Nolan-directed Green Lantern movie, to which Nolan merely laughed before saying, “I think my DC days are over.”

In retrospect, Nolan’s venture into superhero territory can be seen as the catalyst for his legacy. The trajectory of his career began with cerebral indies like Memento before studio pictures. Perhaps never forgetting from whence he came, he’s indulged his aspirations at every turn. In-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Nolan made The Prestige. In-between The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, he made Interstellar. The success of his original projects has gained him the trust of the industry and audiences alike. These days, a “Christopher Nolan movie” is a brand in and of itself. Therefore, Nolan maintains creative control over his big-budget ideas from concept to premiere.

Nolan’s loud and enthralling epics (with ensemble casts that usually include Michael Caine) have proven as ground-breaking as his Dark Knight trilogy. From the innovative use of IMAX cameras to mind-blowing practical stunts using very little CGI or shot backward (as is the case with Tenet), Nolan’s intellectual thrill-rides could be considered their own genre. Some early reviews of Tenet are saying that “it’s what you’d expect from a Christopher Nolan movie.” Whether that’s a good or a bad thing is up to the viewer; regardless, Nolan’s “DC days being over” doesn’t bode any less eventful for the big-screen.

Tenet (2020)
Release Date: Sep 03, 2020