The news recently broke that Dunkirk director Christopher Nolan was set to return to World War II for a drama about J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the scientists credited with being the "father of the atomic bomb" for his role in the Manhattan Project, and the project now has a distributor.
Despite his long-standing relationship with Warner Bros., it was reported that Nolan was speaking to several other studios, and he ultimately settled on Universal. Why? Well, it sounds like they were the only ones to agree to his list of demands!
According to THR, the Tenet director wanted total creative control, at least a 100-day theatrical window, around a $100 million budget, equal marketing spend, 20 percent of first-dollar gross, and a blackout period where the studio would not release another movie for three weeks before and after his film.
Sony, Paramount, and Apple were all interested and willing to accommodate at least some of these requests, but Universal committed to the lot - a smart move, considering they now have the opportunity to forge a relationship with one of the most bankable and in-demand directors in Hollywood.
Some have accused Nolan of diva-like behaviour, but THR reports that these were simply "many of the conditions Nolan was accustomed to enjoying at Warners."
Details on the Oppenheimer project are few and far between, but frequent Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy (Dunkirk, The Dark Knight trilogy) is said to be in line for an undisclosed role.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.