No Martini for “Oppenheimer” Director: Christopher Nolan delivers disappointing James Bond update
Darui Sven
November 22, 2023 11:34 pm
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4 min read
Christopher Nolan and James Bond: That would be a heavenly dream! But unfortunately, it seems that’s all it will be: The filmmaker has now commented on the rumor.
He is considered one of the best filmmakers in the industry: Director Christopher Nolan. Looking at his resume, one might think that everything is within the grasp of the 53-year-old, no matter the genre of the intended project. In reality, there is essentially not a single film that has completely eluded him. Some might argue that he made a small misstep with “Insomnia,” but that was right after his breakthrough with the mind-game thriller “Memento.” Considering that “Insomnia” can be seen as his only true commissioned work to date, the film with Al Pacino and Robin Williams turned out quite well.
This year, Nolan achieved a sensational box office success of $926 million worldwide with his biopic “Oppenheimer” about the “father of the atomic bomb,” Julius Robert Oppenheimer, making it the most successful film biography of all time. Wow! In this regard, Nolan is likely the only auteur filmmaker in Hollywood who consistently reaches blockbuster levels with each of his films, no matter how demanding they may be.
With his “Dark Knight” trilogy, he also demonstrated that he can uncover previously unknown facets of established characters and elevate them to a completely new level. This naturally makes him the perfect candidate for the longest-serving super agent in cinematic history: James Bond. In fact, Nolan has intermittently emphasized his interest in directing a James Bond film. He recently stated in the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast by journalist Josh Horowitz that the film series has had a significant influence on him.
Nolan has also consistently emphasized the Bond rules that one must adhere to, something he, as a creative spirit, would only reluctantly accept, if at all. This could be a reason why there has never been a collaboration between him and Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. Now, the rumor mill has been stirred up again: According to film journalist Jordan Ruimy on World of Reel, Amazon and Eon Productions reportedly want to hire the filmmaker not only for the 26th Bond film but for two or three Bond films.
Nolan, who could also write the scripts, is supposed to have the greatest creative freedom for the films. However, the sticking point is the timeline: While Eon would prefer to stay in the present, the British filmmaker reportedly prefers to adapt Ian Fleming’s novels like “Diamonds Are Forever” in the same time, say, the Fifties and Sixties. Despite this, Nolan is said to be very interested in the offer. Does it sound too good to be true? Perhaps it is. When asked about it in an interview with the Associated Press, Nolan denied the rumor:
“No, unfortunately no – nothing to it.”
Short and to the point. Yet, so painful for fans. On the other hand, there is silence in Bond productions, much like in Disney’s Marvel productions. Even if there were something to it, those involved might never directly comment on it. Therefore, there may still be hope that Nolan simply doesn’t want to torpedo a potential involvement. But for now, according to the filmmaker, it’s a no.
Christopher Nolan has worked with some Bond candidates In one aspect, Nolan’s statement aligns with that of Bond producer Barbara Broccoli: She recently disappointed by stating that work on the 26th Bond film has “not even begun.” This means there is neither a premise nor an idea of the direction the new 007 of Her Majesty should take. And as long as that is not determined, work on the script cannot begin, let alone a new actor be sought.
Christopher Nolan is known for having a clear vision early on and implementing it without hesitation. Eon Productions’ Bond films, on the other hand, follow the direction of Broccoli and Wilson. But with Nolan, they would probably be willing to make concessions that no other filmmaker would receive—not even Quentin Tarantino.
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