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Christopher Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is an Academy Award nominated film director, writer and producer. The son of an English father and American mother, Nolan is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and United States. He is married to Emma Thomas, his longtime producer. They have three children together and reside in Los Angeles. Nolan is best known for directing the psychological thriller Memento and for resurrecting the Batman film franchise with the critically acclaimed Batman Begins. Like many future filmmakers, British-born Christopher Nolan began making amateur movies at an early age, playing around with a Super 8mm camera that belonged to his father. When his family relocated to Chicago for three years during his formative years, this child of a British father and American mother traded tips on movie making with pals Roko and Adrian Belic (who in 1998 premiered their documentary "Genghis Blues"). While an undergraduate at University College in London, Nolan saw his short "Tarantella" air in the USA on PBS in 1989. By the mid-90s, he had hooked up with Jeremy Theobold who appeared in the shorts "Larceny" and "Doodlebug". Theobold would go on to produce and star in Nolan's feature directorial debut, "Following" (1998). Serving as director, co-producer, co-editor and cinematographer, he inverted some of the conventions of the film noir to recount the tale of a blocked writer (Theobold) who spends his days stalking strangers in the hopes of jump-starting his imagination. Then, one of his "victims" turns the tables and invites the scribe to join in a series of petty thefts. Juggling time via flashbacks and flash forwards, Nolan established a key signature of his work in which chronology takes a back seat to character. Critics found much that was admirable in Nolan's first feature, although most felt it was a marginal achievement, at best. Christopher Nolan began making films at the age of seven using his father's super 8mm camera and an assortment of male-action figures. He graduated to making films involving real people, and his super 8mm surreal short 'tarantella' was shown on PBS' 'image union' in 1989. Chris studied English Literature at University College London while starting to make 16mm films at the college film society. His short film 'larceny' was shown at the Cambridge Film Festival in 1996, and his other 16mm shorts include a three- minute surreal film called 'doodlebug'. Nolan began film-making at age of seven using his father's Super 8 camera and his toy action figures. While living in the Chicago area as a child, he also made short films with future director and producer Roko Belic. Nolan was educated at Haileybury College, an independent school near Hertford in Hertfordshire, England, and later studied English literature at University College London while filming several short films in the college film society. His short film Tarantella was shown on Image Union, an independent film and video showcase featured on PBS, in 1989. Another short film of his, Larceny, was shown during Cambridge Film Festival in 1996. One notable short film of his was called Doodlebug starring Jeremy Theobald who later starred in Following. He married Emma Thomas in 1997. While not a gargantuan hit but still a box office success, Memento (2000) is a critically acclaimed cult classic and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award (Oscar) for best screenplay. The movie, based on a short story written by Christopher's brother Jonathan Nolan titled Memento Mori, follows widower Leonard Shelby (played by English-born Australian actor Guy Pearce) who, as a result of a head injury delivered by his wife's rapist, is unable to form new memories. What distinguishes the film within its genre is Nolan's technique in presenting events within the storyline partially in reverse-chronological order and in chronological order. Using this technique, Nolan forces viewers to relate with the mentally-impaired protagonist, since they encounter each event disoriented. The same method of disorientating audiences is used in Nolan's previous film Following, which is very much a precursor to the production of Memento. Following, however, presents a three-act structure in which the three acts are cut together, whereas Memento presents two linear timelines—one running forwards, one backwards—which are cut together and meet in the middle. The changeover from forwards to backwards is signified by the transition from black and white film stock to color. In 2002 Nolan directed Insomnia, an American remake of a 1997 Norwegian film of the same name (although with major changes in both the plot and the nature of the main character). The plot involves two detectives brought to Alaska to assist local authorities locate a killer. However, the search occurs during the "sunny" season in Alaska, and the film's protagonist, Al Pacino, is unable to sleep because of the constant light. His days without sleep lead to bad decisions and Nolan's characteristic confusion, for both the protagonist and the viewer. The film also stars Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. The movie was praised by critics as a rare case of a well-done American remake of a European film, and although it wasn't a giant hit, it still had a solid box office performance. Nolan had said that while he was content with his directing résumé, he had always dreamed as a child to direct a big blockbuster film, and he got his first opportunity to do so in 2003. In 1997, Warner Bros., owner of the Batman movie franchise, released Batman and Robin, directed by Joel Schumacher. The film received mostly negative reviews and earned the least box office revenue out of the series, forcing Warner Bros. to cancel any sequels and put the franchise on indefinite hiatus. Six years later, Nolan, together with Blade screenwriter David S. Goyer, pitched the idea of restarting the franchise with a serious origin story. Warner Bros. took the risk of hiring the relatively unknown director to direct the new installment of one of their biggest franchises. The actor selected to play the leading role, Christian Bale, was already a favorite choice among Batman fans long before he actually got the part, due to his work in movies such as American Psycho and Equilibrium. Batman Begins was released on June 15, 2005 and has become a solid box office hit, ranking as the third biggest blockbuster of the summer. It received a very positive critical and public reception, with many ranking it as superior to even the 1989 version. Batman Begins was also seen as having a dark but intelligent storyline and strong emphasis on character, two aspects that many summer blockbusters are known to lack. Batman Begins was a major winner at the 32nd annual Saturn Awards, considered the most important awards devoted to genre fans. The film won for Best Fantasy Film, Best Actor for Christian Bale and Best Writing for Nolan and Goyer. The Prestige, released on October 20, 2006, is an adaptation of the Christopher Priest novel of the same name about two rival magicians in the 19th century. It reunites him with Batman Begins stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine. Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, and David Bowie also appear. The movie had a mostly positive response from critics and made over $109 million worldwide. The film was co-scripted by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. Based upon the graphic novel of the same name, The Exec shows future business played out as war. The screenplay is to be written by Christopher's brother Jonathan. While Nolan wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of the Ruth Rendell novel of the same name, he looks unlikely to direct it, reportedly since it "has a lot in common with the three films Nolan has made". In the months following the film's release, Nolan made numerous comments suggesting that he would return to direct the sequel to Batman Begins. In late July 2006, the sequel was officially confirmed as The Dark Knight with Nolan at the helm and the late Heath Ledger joining the cast as The Joker, Batman's arch-nemesis. The first image of Ledger as The Joker was released in a viral marketing campaign that included putting Joker cards in several comic shops and also a website with fake advertisement for Gotham's attorney Harvey Dent campaigning for District Attorney. The advertisement was "vandalized" in a different site that included a game in which people could post codes that would reveal the image one pixel at a time. Another viral campaign was made as the first teaser trailer was released, including several fans putting on Joker make-up and participating in a scavenger hunt during the 2007 San Diego Comics Convention. Since then, several other viral sites, including an online edition of the fictional newspaper Gotham Times, with different information about the movie's storyline and games were released, including a contest for fans to dress up as Joker and take pictures in front of landmarks from their cities. Part of the viral marketing also focused on Harvey Dent's campaign for District Attorney, including a call for fans to take campaign banners and pictures from his site and making pictures, videos, etc., as well as following a mobile unit known as the "dentmobile". The first full theatrical trailer, which largely features Heath Ledger as The Joker, was released on December 14 with the movie I Am Legend. In IMAX theaters, I Am Legend was preceded by a short prologue from The Dark Knight also featuring The Joker, entirely shot in the IMAX format. The Dark Knight is the first Hollywood movie that has entire sequences shot in that format. Actress Katie Holmes, who played the hero's romantic interest in Begins, has been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose brother Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned for the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in 2003. Aaron Eckhart, who turned down the leading role in Memento, is going to play Harvey Dent, who in the comics becomes the villain Two-Face. Nolan and Eckhart have both confirmed that Dent will become Two-Face during the running time of this movie. Eric Roberts is going to portray Gotham mafia boss Sal Maroni, who in the comics is responsible for Harvey Dent's disfigurement by acid that makes him become Two-Face. Jonathan Nolan has written a script, based on a treatment written by Christopher and David S. Goyer. The film began production in early 2007 with a scheduled July 2008 release. Universal Pictures has signed a deal for Christopher Nolan to direct a feature version of TV series classic The Prisoner. The series ran for 17 episodes in 1967. Patrick McGoohan played a government agent who resigns, is kidnapped and placed on an isolated island known as "The Village". He's given a new identity -- Number Six -- and interacts with an island staff trying to get him to reveal why he resigned. The screenplay adaptation comes from David Webb Peoples and Janet Peoples, the husband and wife writing team who last collaborated to make Twelve Monkeys. The film will take place in modern day. Production is set to begin after work is completed on The Dark Knight, with the studio currently hoping for a release date in the summer or fall of 2009. According to his Batman Begins co-scriptwriter, David Goyer, Christopher Nolan is interested in bringing another anti-hero to the big screen. Goyer is currently writing treatments for the Marvel Comics anti-hero, Deadpool and according to Goyer both himself and Nolan are interested in the character and adapting the comic book into a major motion picture. However, nothing has been finalised as of yet. Christopher Nolan will direct the US version of The Chaser, a South Korean film starring Ha Jung Woo (Never Forever) and Kim Yoon Seok (Tajja) that garnered 5 million people. A participant from The Chaser recently reported that Nolan has signed on to direct the remake, the rights which were sold to Warner Brothers for the sum of one million dollars. Rumors have it that Leonardo Dicaprio is interested in the lead role and that William Monahan (The Departed) is interested in writing it. The Chaser, which was on hold because of the writer's strike, is expected to start production soon with the signing of Nolan. The Chaser is expected to gain worldwide attention because apart from it's US remake, it was recently invited to the 'Midnight Screening' division of the 61st Cannes International Film Festival. The Chaser is about a dirty detective turned pimp in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by a same client whom one of his girls is meeting with right now. Gained major funding during the 1999 Hong Kong Film Festival by showing his film Following (1998) and then asking the audience to donate money to his next film Memento (2000). Brother of Jonathan Nolan. Nephew of John Nolan. Is red and green colorblind. Has signed with Warner Bros. to develop the next chapter in the Batman series. Studied English Literature in college. He is a big James Bond fan, and said to David S. Goyer, that his favorite James Bond movie, is "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". His top ten favorite movies are: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Black Hole (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Chinatown (1974), The Hitcher (1986), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Star Wars (1977), The Man Who Would Be King (1975) and Topkapi (1964), as well as anything by Stanley Kubrick. Doesn't like CGI in movies and purposely avoided it when he made "Batman Begins". Following Insomnia, his next project was going to be a Howard Hughes biopic starring Jim Carrey. Nolan had the screenplay written (calling it "one of the best things I've ever written"), but once it became apparent Martin Scorsese was making his own Hughes biopic The Aviator (2004), Nolan reluctantly tabled his script and took up directing Batman Begins (2005). Spent his childhood moving back and forth between United Kingdom and the United States. His accent is mostly English, but occasionally varies into an American accent. Nolan is comfortable with and knowledgeable of both cultures. Has both US and UK citizenship. Made three movies back-to-back starring Christian Bale: Batman Begins (2005), The Prestige (2006) and The Dark Knight (2008). He is a big fan of the band Radiohead. Teaming with screenwriter and comic book author David S. Goyer, who'd previously translated the "Blade" character from comics to film, Nolan took the film series 180 degrees from its increasingly gaudy and campy direction, envisioning "Batman Begins" (2005) as a pitch-black, deadly serious psychological exploration of the origins of the legendary comic book superhero. Taking direct inspiration from many sequences from the post-"Dark Knight Returns" era of the comics, Nolan's film traced Bruce Wayne's journey from orphaned millionaire to intensely skilled crimefighter, taking pains to craft both a Gotham City and an outer world that was as realistic as its pulpy source material would allow and eschewing over-the-top theatrics and computer-generated special effects in favor of nuanced acting and old-fashioned stunt work. Nolan and Goyer's take attracted an all-star cast, including Michael Caine as Wayne's faithful aide Alfred; Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, Gotham's sole uncorrupt cop; Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, the provider of Batman's technology; and Liam Neeson as the mysterious, machiavellian Henri Ducard; but the true discovery of the film was Christian Bale in a star-making turn as the titular superhero. Though the film lacked some of the darkly manic pop inspiration that characterized the Tim Burton films, "Batman Begins'" soberer take was a breath of fresh air for loyal fans of the comic books and moviegoers turned off by Joel Schumacher's more recent camp efforts, and the film proved to be both a critical and commercial success. Nolan was set to return to the franchise for "The Dark Knight" (scheduled for release in 2008) reteaming with Goyer on story chores (with a script by Nolan's brother Jonathan) and helming again, this time with Heath Ledger in the role of the iconic villain The Joker. |
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