Christopher Nolan
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Christopher Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is a film director, writer and producer. The son of an English father and American mother, Nolan is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and United States. He is married to Emma Thomas, his longtime producer. They have four children together and reside in Los Angeles. He often collaborates with his brother, author Jonathan Nolan. Nolan is best known for directing the psychological thriller Memento, and for reviving the Batman film franchise as the director of Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008).
Batman Begins
Nolan had said that while he was content with his directing résumé, he had always dreamed of directing a blockbuster. He created his opportunity in 2003 when, together with Blade screenwriter David S. Goyer, he convinced Warner Bros Pictures to take the risk of entrusting the Batman series to a relatively unknown director.
Warner's had previously put the franchise on an indefinite hiatus when, six years earlier in 1997, the fourth installment of their Batman movie franchise, Batman and Robin was released to negative reviews and disappointing box office.
The actor selected to play the leading role, Christian Bale, was a favorite choice among movie fans due to his work in movies such as American Psycho and Equilibrium. Batman Begins was released on June 15, 2005 and became a solid box office hit, ranking as the third biggest blockbuster of that summer. It received a very positive critical and public reception, with many ranking it as superior to even the 1989 version, for instance receiving, according to Rotten Tomatoes, an overall 84% positive review compared to 69% for the Burton film. Strengths of the movie included its dark and intelligent storyline, and strong emphasis on character, as well as the predominant themes of fear and duality.
Batman Begins was a major winner at the 32nd annual Saturn Awards. The film won for Best Fantasy Film, Best Actor for Christian Bale and Best Writing for Nolan and Goyer. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
The Prestige
The Prestige, released on October 20, 2006, is an adaptation of the Christopher Priest novel about two rival magicians in the 19th century. It reunites Nolan with Batman Begins stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine. Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, and David Bowie also star. The movie had a mostly positive response from critics and made over $109 million worldwide. The film was co-scripted by his brother, Jonathan Nolan and co-produced with his wife, Emma Thomas.
The Dark Knight
Main article: The Dark Knight (film)
In the months following The Prestige's release, Nolan made numerous comments suggesting that he would return to direct the sequel to Batman Begins. In late July 2006, the sequel was officially confirmed as The Dark Knight with Nolan at the helm and Heath Ledger joining the cast as The Joker, Batman's arch-nemesis. Actress Katie Holmes, who played the hero's romantic interest in Begins, had been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose brother Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned for the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in 2003. Aaron Eckhart, who turned down the leading role in Memento, plays Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Nolan and his brother Jonathan wrote a script, based on a treatment written by himself and David S. Goyer. The film began production in early 2007 and was released on July 16th, 2008 in Australia and July 18th, 2008 in the United States, to overwhelming critical acclaim. It has also had enormous box office success, setting the record for the highest-grossing weekend opening in the U.S. with over $158 million