Following the news on October 8 that Christopher Nolan’s new movie would be going ahead with Universal, new alleged details of his strained partnership with Warner Bros are circulating.
After 20 years of working with the studio, Nolan opted to make Oppenheimer with Universal following disagreements with Warner Bros about their day-and-date release on HBO Max for his 2021 film, Tenet.
According to a report via Puck News, Warner Bros has been hard at work “openly campaigning” to win back the Oscar-winning director after his departure with Oppenheimer.
Allegedly, the studio still holds an office for Nolan on their lot. The report also claims that the studio recently offered Nolan a seven-figure royalty check for Tenet, which perhaps might be a move to soften the blow of diminishing the movie’s theatrical run.
Speaking to Variety in June 2023, co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros Michael De Luca admitted: “We’re hoping to get Nolan back.”
Puck also alleges that Warner Bros was never considered for Nolan’s new movie, with the script never passing through the studio’s hands before it was announced at Universal.
While details are being kept under wraps for his latest project, it’s been revealed [via Deadline] that Matt Damon is in talks to star, with a July 17, 2026 release date on the cards.
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It’s no surprise that Nolan is returning to Universal for his latest work, with the studio backing him on his three hour-long war drama which then went on to make $975.6 million at the worldwide box office. (Not to mention its win for Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards.)
The general consensus from fans seems to be that Nolan is within his right to reject the wooing of Warner Bros, with one X user writing: “Warner Bros made their bed, now they get to lay in it.”
Another wrote: “Not only did WB fumble their cash cow in extraordinary fashion, the folks who snatched him up championed his last movie to nearly a billion dollars and a boatload of Oscars. He’s never gonna look back and he’s right to do so.”
“Guy has no real reason to work with them anymore, they need him more than he needs them,” said another.
For more, find out what we thought of Warner Bros’ latest flick with our Joker 2 review. You can also remind yourself of how many Oscars Oppenheimer won, and check out all the best movies of 2024 so far.
