Netflix film division head Scott Stuber revealed that he had preliminary talks with Christopher Nolan for the filmmaker to migrate to the streaming service. In an interview with Variety, the executive said that he is working to convince the director and that he will do whatever it takes to get an agreement that will guarantee the production and launch of new projects under his command on the platform.
“He is an amazing filmmaker. I will do everything I can [to make it happen]. In this industry, I’ve learned that you can’t have an ego [when you take no or be criticized, and you must strive to keep going]. If and when he comes with his new movie, we will serve as his new home,” he commented.
Netflix’s initiative to win Nolan comes after a dispute between the director and Warner Bros., which until then was the studio responsible for releasing his features. Last year, due to the pandemic and the consequent closing of movie theaters, Warner announced that all of its titles scheduled for 2021 would hit the big screen and HBO Max on the same day in the United States. This application in Tenet, for example, represented a significant drop in box office receipts.
Such a strategy ran counter to Nolan’s view, who declared that his next movie might not even be made by the studio. This is because he is a supporter of the idea of an experience that the public has when watching an attraction on the big screen, with the consumption of the best visual and sound resources produced. In that sense, there is speculation that Netflix may offer a hybrid distribution model for the director to accept the proposal.
In this case, a possible film may first be released in theaters and, after a period of time, reach streaming and, thus, be able to compete for the Oscar — as happened with Rome (2018), by Alfonso Cuarón. “The movie industry is in a revolution. For all of us who love it, it’s essential that we work together to improve it as best we can,” said Stuber.
Christopher Nolan’s controversial phrases
Nolan’s reputation as a critic of the streaming experience gained notoriety in 2017. At the time, he attacked Netflix’s distribution model as “meaningless and stupid,” declaring he would never make a movie for the platform. His behavior by not having his conditions met was repeated after the quarrel with Warner, calling HBO Max as the “worst streaming service” — which practically ruled out any other project with the studio.
However, a possible shift in thinking towards Netflix could be a result of the strength in the entertainment industry that the giant has shown in recent years. Not long ago, Nolan apologized for his harsh comments and said he “should have been more polite” when expressing his opinion on the release strategy.
It is also worth highlighting the delivery of creative freedom and the investments that Netflix makes for the making of a film. This attitude has already made big names sign contracts for the development of future projects, with significant budget, among them David Fincher, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and, more recently, Zack Snyder.
Will we see a blockbuster resulting from the union between Nolan and the “tudun house”? Share your expectations for a possible film from the director on Netflix in the comments!
