Christopher Nolan’s Horror Movie Idea Is Perfect For His Oppenheimer Follow-Up

Summary

• Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer contained horror elements that could inspire him to pivot into the genre in the future.
• The omission of the bomb’s effects sparked debate, but specific scenes showcased the horror unleashed by the atomic bomb.
• While Nolan expressed interest in making a horror film, he may return to blockbuster filmmaking for his next project.

Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-nominated biopic Oppenheimer contained many of the classic elements that make a great horror movie, and that may have inspired the veteran director to pivot into the genre in the future. Oppenheimer tells the story of the man behind the creation of the atomic bomb, and specifically deals with his guilt at having created the most terrifying weapon in the history of humanity. The movie did not show the effects of the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, sparking a controversial debate, but there were still plenty of scenes that ventured into horror.

Since Oppenheimer‘s release, Nolan has explained that he wants to make a horror movie, and has openly admitted that the biopic “definitely” has elements of horror in it. As Nolan noted at a British Film Institute event (via Variety), horror depends on cinematic devices to evoke a visceral response within the audience. The often abstract nature of horror films allows for a certain level of freedom from the typically accepted practices of Hollywood, which would fit perfectly with Nolan’s typical envelope-pushing style of filmmaking.

Oppenheimer’s Horror Movie Comparisons Prove What Christopher Nolan Can Do In The Genre

Multiple scenes contain key elements of traditional horror movies.

Oppenheimer‘s dark subject matter inherently aligns with the typical bleakness of traditional horror movies, but there are specific scenes that really drive home the terror unleashed upon the world by the atomic bomb. The most significant scene comes towards the end of the film, as Oppenheimer addresses the crowd gathered to hear what is essentially a victory speech. During the speech, he is inundated with a series of haunting visions that show the devastation of the bomb, including a young woman with her skin melting off and a couple holding each other in abject terror.

Oppenheimer’s visions throughout the movie continue to hint at his intense feelings of guilt for his creation, and showcase exactly what kind of horror movie Nolan would likely create. Most of his high-concept films, like Inception, Interstellar, and Tenet, lean on brain-bending plots and twists that are directly adjacent to psychological horror. Nolan’s story-telling prowess would almost certainly yield a horror movie that not only terrifies the audience, but also rises well above the genre’s relatively low baseline for quality, plot and character development.

However, Nolan also noted at the British Film Institute event that he would not venture into horror without the right story.

But I think a really good horror film requires a really exceptional idea. And those are few and far between. So I haven’t found a story that lends itself to that.

If Nolan were to dedicate himself to writing his own horror story, it would certainly live up to the quality that he has come to be known for. However, without the proper inspiration, it seems like a horror movie isn’t in his immediate future.

Christopher Nolan Has Already Teased His Next Movie Won’t Be A Horror Film

Nolan wants to turn his attention towards something less bleak than Oppenheimer.

Instead of pivoting into horror, Nolan has teased his return to blockbuster filmmaking with his next movie. He has expressed a desire to do something “less bleak” after the immense weight of the core principles of Oppenheimer. For Nolan, that likely indicates a big-budget project that is lighter and has more energy. The best example of this kind of project in his filmography is undoubtedly The Dark Knight trilogy, and while it seems unlikely that he would venture back into the world of superheroes, he could follow Oppenheimer with a more high-spirited and fun summer blockbuster.

Source: Variety