Matt Belloni Calls Spielberg, Ridley Scott “Not Reliable,” Says Nolan’s the Safer Bet
Matt Belloni casts his vote in the eternal Nolan–Spielberg–Ridley Scott face-off — but which titan gets the nod?
On a new episode of his podcast The Town with Matt Belloni, recorded during a wide-ranging chat with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, entertainment columnist Matt Belloni zeroed in on which directors studios feel safest betting nine-figure budgets on right now — and put Christopher Nolan at the top of that list.
"Spielberg, Ridley Scott those guys are heading out of their prime, they're still working but they're not reliable. This guy is and he works in IMAX which is the future, " said Matt Belloni on The Town with Matt Belloni podcast in an episode called Is Netflix Hurting YouTube by Poaching Talent? with Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw.
Belloni’s point wasn’t about legacy — Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott are untouchable icons — but about the current risk calculus for mega-budget theatrical plays. In the 2020s marketplace, Nolan’s track record turning original or non-franchise concepts into event releases — from Inception and Interstellar to Oppenheimer — and his devotion to IMAX and premium formats make him the rare filmmaker studios treat like their own franchise.
‘The Odyssey ’ is the proof
Nolan’s latest, The Odyssey, is already behaving like a four-quadrant juggernaut while still in early release, and it ’s the case study powering this conversation.
- Opening weekend: $124 million domestic and $264 million worldwide — the biggest global debut of Nolan’s career, topping the $249 million worldwide opening of The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
- Budget: a reported $250 million, only Nolan’s second production to clear $200 million after The Dark Knight Rises.
- Through the second week: $346 million worldwide and “multiple” early records broken.
- Record to beat: Nolan’s current career high is The Dark Knight Rises with $1.08 billion worldwide.
Trade watchers now peg the film ’s final haul in the $1.1–$1.3 billion range worldwide, which would set a new personal best for the Oscar- winning filmmaker.