Christopher Nolan Talks About Prospects of a Horror Film: Christopher Nolan is a renowned filmmaker in the cinematic world. He is popularly known for his keen eye for detailing and high conceptual films. His films follow a complex storyline and often explore themes of time, memory, identity, and morality. His latest directorial work, “Oppenheimer,” garnered numerous nominations for the upcoming Oscars.
From sci-fi films to war and thriller, Nolan has almost covered all the crucial genres, but one thing that is still untouched by him is horror. Nolan is one such director who knows how to play with the concept of thrill, engaging the viewers till last. Taking account of his previous works, Nolan’s directorial vision seems perfect to helm a horror film. In fact, Nolan also thinks he should make a horror film, provided there is a good enough idea.
Christopher Nolan’s thoughts on making a horror film
It’s always fun to see some legendary artists experimenting with their work. As we talk about the possibility of Christopher Nolan trying his hand at the horror genre, the range of his versatility can be sensed from afar. Even Nolan seems inclined to the idea of making a horror film if he gets an idea that syncs with the genre.
Recently, Nolan attended an in-conversation event at London’s British Film Institute (BFI), which was also attended by a rapt, sold-out audience. During an audience interaction, someone asked Nolan if he would consider making a horror film. Nolan responded by emphasizing that if observed keenly, his latest film, “Oppenheimer,” also has elements of horror.
Next Best Picture currently predicts that ‘OPPENHEIMER’ will triumph in 7 Oscar categories:
• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr
• Best Cinematography
• Best Original Score
• Best Sound
• Best Film Editing pic.twitter.com/Azwe4YFrxk— Christopher Nolan Art & Updates (@NolanAnalyst) February 16, 2024
He continued by saying,
“I think horror films are very interesting because they depend on very cinematic devices, it really is about a visceral response to things and so, at some point, I’d love to make a horror film. But I think a really good horror film requires a really exceptional idea. And those are few and far between. So I haven’t found a story that lends itself to that. But I think it’s a very interesting genre from a cinematic point of view. It’s also one of the few genres where the studios make a lot of these films, and they are films that have a lot of bleakness, a lot of abstraction. They have a lot of the qualities that Hollywood is generally very resistant to putting in films, but that’s a genre where it’s allowable.”
Nolan is one such filmmaker whose work is based on thorough research. Acknowledging the depth of his work, one thing is for sure, if Nolan helms a horror film in the future, he may not disappoint his audience.
Christopher Nolan’s theory of filmmaking
Christopher Nolan has delivered numerous incredible films throughout his career. His recently released film, “Oppenheimer,” was not only a cinematic gem but the Oscars’ favorite film also holds the potential to inspire aspiring filmmakers. The intricacies provided in the staging make it a complex war drama, signifying Nolan’s art. During the aforementioned conversation, Christopher Nolan reflected on the theories applied to make the monumental film.
Nolan emphasized that in his film “Oppenheimer,” the middle part greatly relied on the heist genre. Meanwhile, the third act of the film focuses on the courtroom drama. He said, “The reason I settled on those two genres for those sections is they are mainstream genres in which dialogue, people talking, is inherently intense and interesting to an audience. That’s the fun thing with the genre; you can play with a lot of different areas, whereas in a different type of film, you really wouldn’t be allowed to.”
During the event, Nolan explained various aspects of his craft, particularly his writing and editing process. He also talked about the contributions of cinematography, especially the Imax format and composing, to his work, with shout-outs for Hoyte Van Hoytema and Hans Zimmer.
The evening was introduced by BFI CEO Ben Roberts, who revealed that Nolan and his real-life and producing partner Emma Roberts had visited the BFI National Archive earlier that day. He commended their support of the institution, which is one of the largest film and TV archives in the world.
