Netflix is trying to woo Tenet, Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk are all films that managed to break it big at the box office without any previous IP associated with them. These blockbusters are usually massive in scale, with the director insisting on shooting on location and using as much practical effects as possible.
Nolan's Tenet was one of the most anticipated blockbusters of 2020, but due to the pandemic, its summer release was delayed. Eventually, it seemed as if the industry hung all their hopes of saving the box office on the film, prompting disappointing reactions when the film failed to make a splash in September 2020. That release, coupled with WB's decision to release their 2021 slate on HBO Max, drew ire from the director. As a proponent of the theatrical experience, Nolan was outspoken against Warner Bros.' decision, sparking rumors that the director may take his next movie to another studio.
Now, one studio has made it clear they want the director's next film. Netflix's film chief Scott Stuber told Variety that the streamer's deal with Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin gives him hope that he could bring Nolan over to the platform. Stuber doesn't know anything about Nolan's new movie, but he praised the director and said he would do anything he can to bring the movie to Netflix. Read Stuber's full statement below:
If and when [Nolan] comes up with his new movie, it’s about can we be a home for it and what would we need to do to make that happen. He’s an incredible filmmaker. I’m going to do everything I can. In this business I’ve learned you need to have zero ego. I get punched and knocked down and get back up.
While Stuber seems hopeful and persistent in bringing Nolan's next film to the platform, it seems unlikely that the director would agree to do so. Nolan prides himself on his films being meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible, shooting many of the action sequences in them on IMAX cameras. It seems that, for Nolan to release his next film on Netflix, the streamer would have to guarantee some sort of exclusive theatrical run on as many screens as possible in order to even get the director to consider the proposition.
At the moment, there's no word on the director's next film after Tenet, but reports already indicated that Nolan won't be making it at Warner Bros. Now, it's up to studios to court the director and seeing as he comes with a high price tag and certain requirements, only a select few will likely be able to handle it. Netflix is one of those studios - the streamer isn't afraid to pump money into their original films - but whether or not Christopher Nolan decides to release his next film on the streamer will depend on more than just the budget.
Source: Variety
