Director Christopher Nolan has dabbled in many genres from superhero blockbusters to war dramas, but he is yet to make a horror movie. However, that's not because he doesn't want to, the filmmaker just hasn't found the right idea for one yet.
Speaking at an in conversation event at London's British Film Institute (BFI) yesterday, which 12DOVE attended, Nolan discussed how his latest award-winning feature Oppenheimer does lean into horror. As anyone who has seen the biopic of the father of the atomic bomb would know, it is a truly haunting movie, which is hardly a surprise given the subject matter. However, one scene set at Fuller Lodge following the launch of the bomb is particularly horrifying, as Oppenheimer has visions of the destruction his invention has caused.
Naturally that moment alone now has fans even more desperate for the beloved director to make a horror flick, as clearly he has the chops for it. And thankfully Nolan himself is up for it once an idea arrives that he wants to tackle, as he told the audience at the BFI: "I think horror films are very interesting because they depend on very cinematic devices, it really is about a visceral response to things and so, at some point, I’d love to make a horror film. But I think a really good horror film requires a really exceptional idea. And those are few and far between. So, I haven’t found a story that lends itself to that."
He continued, adding that it is unique as a genre: “But I think it’s a very interesting genre from a cinematic point of view. It’s also one of the few genres where the studios make a lot of these films, and they are films that have a lot of bleakness, a lot of abstraction. They have a lot of the qualities that Hollywood is generally very resistant to putting in films, but that’s a genre where it’s allowable."
Only time will tell then, but maybe don't expect his next project to be one since he says he's still waiting on an idea. However, Nolan, we need it to happen okay!
Oppenheimer is currently nominated for 13 Oscars, therefore leading the way at this year's Academy Awards. To get up to speed on awards season, we have you covered with the full list of Oscar 2024 nominations.
