Christopher Nolan Almost Walked Away From The Dark Knight — here’s what gave him pause
Christopher Nolan nearly didn't return for a Batman Begins sequel — and the reason he paused isn't the one you might guess.
On the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Jonathan Nolan said his brother nearly walked away after Batman Begins — not because of the pressure, but because he didn’t want a label he couldn’t shake.
"Chris was on the fence about making another one," Jonathan said. "I think he didn't want to become a superhero movie director. He was very proud of 'Batman Begins.' To me, it was like ... we built this amazing sports car, and I'm like, 'Let's take it for a drive. Don't you want to make one more?'"
Batman Begins was a hit, pulling in more than $350 million worldwide, but it took that brotherly nudge and a new direction to get Christopher Nolan back behind the camera.
He returned with The Dark Knight, leaning harder into a crime- thriller feel. Jonathan Nolan co-wrote the screenplay, and the sequel became the highest-grossing movie of 2008. The brothers then teamed again for one last Gotham chapter with The Dark Knight Rises.
- Batman Begins — launched the trilogy, grossed over $350 million worldwide
- The Dark Knight — co-written by Jonathan Nolan; crime-thriller tone; 2008’s top earner
- The Dark Knight Rises — the brothers’ final Batman film together
Eyeing horror next
Post-Batman, Christopher Nolan has talked about trying a full-fledged horror movie. He’s even said his latest epic, The Odyssey , carries elements of the genre — and the experience has him curious to go further.
"It very much whets my appetite for more," Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter.
There’s a catch: he’s only interested if he finds the right story. Nolan has emphasized that in horror, the story matters more than the trickery on screen, and he’s praised the recent hit Obsession for its storytelling.