Christopher Nolan’s next movie is unlikely to wind up on any streaming service before a healthy theatrical run. That won’t stop Netflix trying anyway, and one of the executives is very keen on the idea.
During a recent profile in Variety, Scott Stuber, head of original films at Netflix, was candid about vying to distribute whatever Nolan’s got on his slate. “If and when he comes up with his new movie, it’s about can we be a home for it and what would we need to do to make that happen,” he said. “He’s an incredible filmmaker. I’m going to do everything I can. In this business I’ve learned you need to have zero ego. I get punched and knocked down and get back up.”
Nolan hasn’t minced his words on Netflix in the past. A critic of day-and-date streaming for movies, he told Indiewire that Netflix had a “mindless policy” and that the company is “missing a huge opportunity”. He later rolled back his tone on these comments, but remains as adamant about movies going straight to streaming. When Warner Bros announced its plan to bring films to HBO Max the same day they open in theatres, Nolan called it the “worst streaming service”.
All of this is to say, Netflix may struggle to gain the Inception and Interstellar director’s favour. Even during lockdown in summer 2020, Nolan made sure Tenet came to the big screen for a limited capacity run in major territories, one of very few movies to do so.
It should be noted, though, that some impressive filmmakers have penned deals with Netflix for original productions. Zack Snyder is capitalising on zombie movie Army of the Dead with a sequel, and a first look deal for Netflix that includes Rebel Moon, a new science fiction movie.
Steven Spielberg’s production house Amblin Entertainment has started collaborating with Netflix. Two new movies a year for an undetermined amount of time is part of the agreement, though there’s no guarantee Spielberg himself will be directly involved in any of them.
Christopher Nolan has made some of the best movies of all time. We’ll have to wait and see if his future projects garner that red logo. Here’s the best horror movies on Netflix for stuff you can try right now.