After over two decades in the entertainment industry, Christopher Nolan got the honor he always deserved. At the 2024 Academy Awards, he finally won the accolade for Best Director.
The filmmaker has been nominated eight times in the past without any wins. A decided oversight, for those of us familiar with his work. His first nomination for Memento was a masterclass in non-linear storytelling, while Dunkirk was a harrowing exploration of the titular battle. However, there is no doubt that Oppenheimer is his magnum opus. Nolan was moved by this win during his acceptance speech, as reported by Variety.
“To the Academy — movies are just a little bit over 100 years old. We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to know that you think I’m a meaningful part of it means the world to me.”
Oppenheimer also takes a non-linear approach to the life and times of the man behind the atomic bomb. Played with clarity and vulnerability by Cillian Murphy, J. Robert Oppenheimer pursues the creation of the bomb for scientific purposes, but also grapples with guilt over his role in the destruction of a country. With Nolan and the rest of Oppenheimer’s cumulative wins, many may be wondering what the director has in store for his next venture.
Christopher Nolan’s next movie
For every subsequent film that Nolan makes, he somehow continues to up the ante. Following his mindbending 2010 endeavor, Inception, he went to space in Interstellar and reversed time in Tenet. Oppenheimer blew time travel, dreams, and historic battles all out of the water. Whatever he has next is sure to be impressive.
Unfortunately as of this writing, we don’t know what the director has in the works. More than likely he will be taking a well-deserved break following the creation of the 3 hour epic. But while we don’t know any specifics about the filmmaker’s plans, Nolan has dropped some hints about intriguing prospects he could one day take on. In a conversation with the British Film Institute, The Prestige director noted a genre he has not taken part in before.
“I think horror films are very interesting because they depend on very cinematic devices. [They are] about visceral response to things. So, at some point, I’d love to make a horror film.”
Nolan concluded that he hadn’t found a story yet that would lend itself well to the horror genre, but all in good time. Oppenheimer has already been a significant door into that territory. There is nothing more horrifying than being the person who was responsible for decimating two cities with radiation. The award-winning film explores these ideas with its disturbing imagery following the dropping of the bombs. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see Nolan furthering that vision into a full-fledged horror film somewhere down the line.