Christopher Nolan is what we would call a triple threat. He is an amazing writer, producer, and director. Looking at most of the films he’s been involved with over the past 15 years, all have received praise from both the critics and the fans. His movies are considered instant classics or cult classics. Bringing Nolan on to direct the next film in the James Bond franchise is, without a doubt, a slam-dunk. What Sam Mendes did with Skyfall and Spectre was great, but it is time to get a fresh take on the gentleman spy. Hiring Nolan to direct Bond 25 would benefit his career, the studios, and of course, the many fans of the series.

His Film Portfolio

Christopher Nolan has directed some great films. Both the critics and the fans enjoy his films. While some of his themes are consistent throughout his films, the films themselves are very different. He likes to work in various genres and time periods within the films he writes and directs. He started with the psychological thrillers: Memento and Insomnia. Then, he moved into the superhero genre, with The Dark Knight Trilogy, where Heath Ledger won his posthumous Academy Award for best supporting actor. Nolan had a mystery thriller in The Prestige, and then he ventured into the sci-fi realm with Inception and Interstellar. His most recent film, Dunkirk, was his first stab at a war film. A British spy film would be something new for him, and we now know that it’s something he is interested in doing, based on his interview with Playboy.

“A Bond movie, definitely…I’ve spoken to the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson over the years. I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it. Maybe one day that would work out. You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they’re getting along very well.”

Academy Awards & Box Office

Nolan’s nine films have garnered a total of 26 Oscar nominations with seven wins. The Dark Knight won an academy award for best supporting actor, and best sound editing, but many thought it should have also won best picture at the 81st Academy Awards. Inception won big at the 83rd Academy Awards, taking home Oscars in the categories of cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects. Lastly, Interstellar took home an Academy Award for best visual effects at the 87th Academy Awards. His films have also grossed over $4.2 billion USD worldwide. He has yet to experience a “box office flop,” and at the rate he’s going, it doesn’t look like he ever will.

His Rotten Tomatoes Scores

Speaking of critical praise, all of the films that Christopher Nolan has written or directed are certified “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Clearly, he knows how to speak to both critics and fans, as there is seems to be no disconnect between the groups on rating his films. The studio needs a director like that to carry on the James Bond franchise. Many moviegoers consider a film’s score on Rotten Tomatoes before deciding to go see it in theaters. Having a director like Christopher Nolan attached to a 007 film almost guarantees a large quantity of people will go see it.

The Daniel Craig Curse

Daniel Craig is universally loved as the best James Bond since Sean Connery. Yet, his 007 films have a strange pattern of approval in that every other film is not well received. When Casino Royale came out, everyone had high praise for the film and was excited about the new franchise, but when Quantum of Solace hit theaters, it was met with lukewarm reviews. The next film in the franchise, Skyfall, hit big, being the first of the 007 films to make over $1 billion USD. The latest film, Spectre, even though it made a lot of money, unfortunately, did not hit the billion-dollar mark, and was considered unable to capitalize on its potential. If the series continues with this trend, then Bond 25 should be a well-received film. Nolan would join the franchise during the trend’s upswing, gaining more attention from superstitious fans that have been following this well-known pattern in the series.

Hopefully, Christopher Nolan will decide to make Bond 25 his next film. It will be a change for him to take on a franchise that he did not start, but I believe he could handle it. Each new film in the series is a new mission, so even though Nolan would have to adhere to some of the continuity that was set up in the previous films, he has a lot of wiggle room to make it his own. I’m sure he would want to be involved in the writing of the script to make sure some of his ideas and themes are expressed. Also, I think he would add some of his regulars, including Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine, to the already stellar cast of the current franchise.

What are your thoughts on Christopher Nolan directing a James Bond film? Leave your thoughts below.