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IMDbPro

Christopher Nolan(I)

  • Producer
  • Writer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5007
Christopher Nolan at an event for Inception (2010)
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan writes and directs this 2023 biopic about the father of the Atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Frequent collaborator Cillian Murphy stars as the titular theoretical physicist who designed the bombs that devastated Japan in 1945. Nolan's Atomic Age cast also includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh.
Play clip1:50
All About Oppenheimer
22 Videos
99+ Photos
Best known for his cerebral, often nonlinear, storytelling, acclaimed writer-director Christopher Nolan was born on July 30, 1970, in London, England. Over the course of 15 years of filmmaking, Nolan has gone from low-budget independent films to working on some of the biggest blockbusters ever made.

At 7 years old, Nolan began making short movies with his father's Super-8 camera. While studying English Literature at University College London, he shot 16-millimeter films at U.C.L.'s film society, where he learned the guerrilla techniques he would later use to make his first feature, Following (1998), on a budget of around $6,000. The noir thriller was recognized at a number of international film festivals prior to its theatrical release and gained Nolan enough credibility that he was able to gather substantial financing for his next film.

Nolan's second film was Memento (2000), which he directed from his own screenplay based on a short story by his brother Jonathan. Starring Guy Pearce, the film brought Nolan numerous honors, including Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay. Nolan went on to direct the critically acclaimed psychological thriller, Insomnia (2002), starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank.

The turning point in Nolan's career occurred when he was awarded the chance to revive the Batman franchise in 2005. In Batman Begins (2005), Nolan brought a level of gravitas back to the iconic hero, and his gritty, modern interpretation was greeted with praise from fans and critics alike. Before moving on to a Batman sequel, Nolan directed, co-wrote, and produced the mystery thriller The Prestige (2006), starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as magicians whose obsessive rivalry leads to tragedy and murder.

In 2008, Nolan directed, co-wrote, and produced The Dark Knight (2008) which went on to gross more than a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. Nolan was nominated for a Directors Guild of America (D.G.A.) Award, Writers Guild of America (W.G.A.) Award and Producers Guild of America (P.G.A.) Award, and the film also received eight Academy Award nominations.

In 2010, Nolan captivated audiences with the sci-fi thriller Inception (2010), which he directed and produced from his own original screenplay. The thought-provoking drama was a worldwide blockbuster, earning more than $800,000,000 and becoming one of the most discussed and debated films of the year. Among its many honors, Inception received four Academy Awards and eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Nolan was recognized by his peers with D.G.A. and P.G.A. Award nominations, as well as a W.G.A. Award for his work on the film.

One of the best-reviewed and highest-grossing movies of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises (2012) concluded Nolan's Batman trilogy. Due to his success rebooting the Batman character, Warner Bros. enlisted Nolan to produce their revamped Superman movie Man of Steel (2013), which opened in the summer of 2013. In 2014, Nolan directed, wrote, and produced the science-fiction epic Interstellar (2014), starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. released the film on November 5, 2014, to positive reviews and strong box-office results, grossing over $670 million dollars worldwide.

Nolan resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife, producer Emma Thomas, and their children. Nolan and Thomas also have their own production company, Syncopy.
BornJuly 30, 1970
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJuly 30, 1970
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5007
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 5 Oscars
    • 145 wins & 236 nominations total

Photos162

Guy Pearce and Christopher Nolan in Memento (2000)
Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale, and Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, and Ken Watanabe in Batman Begins (2005)
Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Aaron Eckhart and Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight (2008)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Nolan, and Elliot Page in Inception (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Nolan in Inception (2010)

Known for:

Dimple Kapadia, John David Washington, and Robert Pattinson in Tenet (2020)
Tenet
7.3
  • Producer(produced by, p.g.a.)
  • 2020
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, and Dileep Rao in Inception (2010)
Inception
8.8
  • Producer
  • 2010
Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar (2014)
Interstellar
8.7
  • Producer
  • 2014
Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson in The Prestige (2006)
The Prestige
8.5
  • Producer
  • 2006

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Producer

  • Oppenheimer
    • producer
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, and Ray Fisher in Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
    Zack Snyder's Justice League
    • executive producer
    • 2021
  • Dimple Kapadia, John David Washington, and Robert Pattinson in Tenet (2020)
    Tenet
    • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
    • 2020
  • The Doll's Breath
    • executive producer
    • Short
    • 2019
  • The Dunkirk Spirit: Behind the Making of the Movie (2018)
    The Dunkirk Spirit: Behind the Making of the Movie
    • producer
    • Short
    • 2018
  • Ben Affleck, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams, Henry Cavill, Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, and Ray Fisher in Justice League (2017)
    Justice League
    • executive producer
    • 2017
  • Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)
    Dunkirk
    • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
    • 2017
  • Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition) (2016)
    Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)
    • executive producer
    • 2016
  • Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
    Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
    • executive producer
    • 2016
  • Quay (2015)
    Quay
    • producer
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar (2014)
    Interstellar
    • producer
    • 2014
  • Johnny Depp in Transcendence (2014)
    Transcendence
    • executive producer
    • 2014
  • Henry Cavill in Man of Steel (2013)
    Man of Steel
    • producer
    • 2013
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Matthew Modine, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
    The Dark Knight Rises
    • producer
    • 2012
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, and Dileep Rao in Inception (2010)
    Inception
    • producer
    • 2010
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cillian Murphy, and Chin Han in The Dark Knight (2008)
    The Dark Knight
    • producer
    • 2008

Writer

  • Oppenheimer
    • written for the screen by
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Memento
    • based on the screenplay by
    • In Development
  • Dimple Kapadia, John David Washington, and Robert Pattinson in Tenet (2020)
    Tenet
    • written by
    • 2020
  • Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)
    Dunkirk
    • written by
    • 2017
  • Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar (2014)
    Interstellar
    • written by
    • 2014
  • Henry Cavill in Man of Steel (2013)
    Man of Steel
    • story
    • 2013
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Matthew Modine, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
    The Dark Knight Rises
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 2012
  • Inception: The Cobol Job (2010)
    Inception: The Cobol Job
    • based on characters by
    • Video
    • 2010
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, and Dileep Rao in Inception (2010)
    Inception
    • written by
    • 2010
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cillian Murphy, and Chin Han in The Dark Knight (2008)
    The Dark Knight
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 2008
  • Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson in The Prestige (2006)
    The Prestige
    • screenplay
    • 2006
  • Batman Begins (2005)
    Batman Begins
    • based on the movie written by (uncredited)
    • Video Game
    • 2005
  • Christian Bale in Batman Begins (2005)
    Batman Begins
    • screenplay
    • 2005
  • Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss in Memento (2000)
    Memento
    • screenplay
    • 2000
  • Jeremy Theobald in Following (1998)
    Following
    • written by
    • 1998
  • Doodlebug (1997)
    Doodlebug
    • written by (as Chris Nolan)
    • Short
    • 1997
  • Larceny (1996)
    Larceny
    • Writer
    • Short
    • 1996

Director

  • Oppenheimer
    • Director
    • Post-production
    • 2023
  • Dimple Kapadia, John David Washington, and Robert Pattinson in Tenet (2020)
    Tenet
    • Director
    • 2020
  • Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)
    Dunkirk
    • Director
    • 2017
  • Quay (2015)
    Quay
    • Director
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar (2014)
    Interstellar
    • Director
    • 2014
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Matthew Modine, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
    The Dark Knight Rises
    • Director
    • 2012
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine, Lukas Haas, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, and Dileep Rao in Inception (2010)
    Inception
    • Director
    • 2010
  • Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cillian Murphy, and Chin Han in The Dark Knight (2008)
    The Dark Knight
    • Director
    • 2008
  • Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson in The Prestige (2006)
    The Prestige
    • Director
    • 2006
  • Christian Bale in Batman Begins (2005)
    Batman Begins
    • Director
    • 2005
  • Whos My Favourite Girl?  is part of Cinema16: British Short Films - 16 classic, cult and award winning shorts on DVD.  for more infor check www.cinema16.org
    Cinema16: British Short Films
    • Director
    • Video
    • 2003
  • Al Pacino and Robin Williams in Insomnia (2002)
    Insomnia
    • Director
    • 2002
  • Guy Pearce and Carrie-Anne Moss in Memento (2000)
    Memento
    • Director
    • 2000
  • Jeremy Theobald in Following (1998)
    Following
    • Director
    • 1998
  • Doodlebug (1997)
    Doodlebug
    • Director (as Chris Nolan)
    • Short
    • 1997
  • Larceny (1996)
    Larceny
    • Director
    • Short
    • 1996
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos22

Episode: Interstellar
Full Episode 8:03
Episode: Interstellar
All About Oppenheimer
Clip 1:50
All About Oppenheimer
'Tenet' Fan Theories: What We Got Right (and Wrong)
Clip 5:09
'Tenet' Fan Theories: What We Got Right (and Wrong)
What to Watch If You Love 'Inception'
Clip 2:47
What to Watch If You Love 'Inception'
A Guide to the Films of Christopher Nolan
Clip 2:03
A Guide to the Films of Christopher Nolan
'The Platform' & Future Films From the IMDb Top 250
Clip 4:04
'The Platform' & Future Films From the IMDb Top 250
Toss a Coin to Your "Witcher" Season 2 Theories
Clip 4:03
Toss a Coin to Your "Witcher" Season 2 Theories
Is the New 'Joker' Most Like Jared, Heath, or Jack?
Clip 4:46
Is the New 'Joker' Most Like Jared, Heath, or Jack?
What We Know About 'Tenet' ... So Far
Clip 2:55
What We Know About 'Tenet' ... So Far
How 'The Batman' Could Connect to 'Joker'
Clip 3:36
How 'The Batman' Could Connect to 'Joker'
'The Batman': How Will Director Matt Reeves Reboot the Caped Crusader?
Clip 5:10
'The Batman': How Will Director Matt Reeves Reboot the Caped Crusader?
IMDb Asks Christopher Nolan: What's Your First Movie in a Movie Theater?
Clip 0:25
IMDb Asks Christopher Nolan: What's Your First Movie in a Movie Theater?

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Chris Nolan
  • Height
    • 5′ 11¼″ (1.81 m)
  • Born
    • July 30, 1970
    • London, England, UK
  • Spouse
    • Emma Thomas1997 - present (4 children)
  • Children
      Flora Nolan
  • Parents
      Brendan Nolan
  • Relatives
      Jonathan Nolan(Sibling)
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Biographical Movies
    • 6 Interviews
    • 8 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He initially directed his Batman films so he could get funding and support for his bigger films. The one he had planned for years was Inception (2010).
  • Quotes
    [on different acting styles] The best actors instinctively feel out what the other actors need, and they just accommodate it.
  • Trademarks
      Begins his movies and introduces his main characters with a close up of their hands performing an action.
  • Nickname
    • Chris
  • Salaries
      Dunkirk
      (2017)
      $20,000,000 + 20% of gross

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