Christopher Nolan is known for taking comic book movies to the next level, reinvigorating the genre with the Dark Knight Trilogy, and showing what was possible within the genre. He had a dark take on the character, making his movies more like character dramas than campy movies for children, which they have mostly targeted before. Since then, many have tried to replicate this vision, with grounded versions of the caped crusader from actors like Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson. However, Nolan refuses to talk about the new versions of Batman on screen, for a very good reason.
Superhero movies have completely changed Hollywood, especially as cinematic universe films have been the biggest, most popular films at the box office, and Marvel continues to add to its ever expanding catalog of interconnected superhero movies. The films have also become controversial, especially as many directors have opened up about the adverse effects of Marvel and DC superhero movies on filmmaking. Oftentimes directors will face backlash from commenting on the state of the industry, which is part of the reason Nolan didn’t want to talk about new iterations of Batman in his latest interview with Variety. He said:
If I start talking about comic book movies, that would be the only thing anybody pays any attention to in the article.
There is certainly a basis for this thought process. Martin Scorsese has spoken out against the effect superhero films have had on movie theaters and smaller films that head to cinemas, which has made him a target amongst Marvel fans. Quentin Tarantino’s comments about superhero movies have also gone viral, sparking outrage. Even by choosing not to talk about comic book movies, it feels like Nolan is making commentary about how central they have come to our movie culture.
While Nolan may have become a household name from directing the Dark Knight Trilogy, his work since the trilogy has been just as impactful, artful, and inventive. His work on Interstellar and Inception introduced a more high-brow intellectualism into classic heist and sci-fi genres. He has also become an inventive storyteller with movies like Tenet, and truly brought history to life with Dunkirk and this year’s Oppenheimer. Superhero movies may have been a major jumping off point for Nolan, but he has evolved into a much more versatile filmmaker, and it’s no surprise he wants to focus on his later work.
Even if Nolan decides to hold back his own feelings about more modern takes on Batman, his impact on the character can not be overstated. Nolan brought a gritty, seriousness to the character, which resulted in Academy Award wins and nominations. This seriousness has inspired many to try to bring the same aesthetic style to the source material, and in many cases it has worked. Logan and Joker were both nominated for Oscars due to their dramatic character arcs, and Joaquin Phoenix ended up taking home an Academy Award. It’s no wonder that many would want to hear what Nolan thinks about his work contributing to this trend, however he is still choosing to remain mum as he promotes his latest masterpiece, Oppenheimer.
You can revisit Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy now with a Max subscription. You can additionally see Robert Pattinson’s similarly gritty take on Batman in 2022’s The Batman, which is also available on the streamer. He is also set to reprise his role as the titular character in The Batman 2, which currently is set to release in 2025.
