Because the James Bond franchise is in between eras, there are many rumors about which actors and directors will take on the next 007, and though Christopher Nolan would certainly bring an awesome spin to the iconic franchise, this other movie is a way better fit than Bond. Christopher Nolan is a British filmmaker who is behind hits such as Inception, The Dark Knight trilogy, Dunkirk, and most recently, 2023’s Oppenheimer. While Nolan’s dark, edgy style certainly has a place in the slick James Bond universe, his talents may be better used elsewhere.
At the 2024 Academy Awards, Oppenheimer raked in seven awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. This success essentially brings Oppenheimer’s campaign trail to an end, and as a result, frees up Nolan’s time to begin working on his next project. According to Variety, his next work could be a remake of the 1960s mystery show, The Prisoner, and while this doesn’t have the same ring as James Bond, it is still incredibly exciting.
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Christopher Nolan Remaking The Prisoner Gives Him A Potential Sci-Fi Spy Franchise
Christopher Nolan taking on a remake of The Prisoner is very exciting because it opens the door for another Nolan film franchise. The Prisoner is a 1967 miniseries starring Patrick McGoohan as Number Six, an unnamed British intelligence agent who, after resigning from his highly sensitive job, is kidnapped and left in a strange coastal town called “the Village.” From September 1967 to January 1968, the show released 17 total episodes. Ultimately, this leaves plenty of room for not only one movie, but maybe several. Furthermore, Nolan could even write new material to continue the story.
What makes The Prisoner so perfect for Christopher Nolan to adapt is its genre.
This is very much in line with other Christopher Nolan movies like Inception and Interstellar, which are both thrilling and action-packed, but have heavy sci-fi elements to them. This gives Nolan more room to play in terms of visuals, and the story itself. Additionally, this type of series is a much better fit than James Bond because it has exactly the right themes and elements to be a perfect fit for Christopher Nolan.
The Prisoner Gives Christopher Nolan More Freedom Than Tackling James Bond
Aside from their differing genres, The Prisoner is a better fit for Christopher Nolan because it gives him more freedom. While Nolan could bring his own take to James Bond, he would likely have a lot of requirements placed on him when adapting the franchise. This is because Bond is such an iconic film series and property, and its owners are quite particular when it comes to how the special agent is represented on screen. In this way, Nolan would only be able to infuse so much creativity into the project, which could take away from the final product.
On the other hand, The Prisoner would offer much more creative freedom. Though it has its roots in the 1967 television series, it isn’t likely that there are strict rules holding the story back from being changed. In fact, The Prisoner might benefit from some changes, especially if it is being remade in the modern day. This is supported by the fact that the 2009 adaptation was not well-received. If Nolan took on The Prisoner, he could revamp the beloved sci-fi series into something appropriate for the 2020s, and also, give it his iconic spin.
Why Christopher Nolan Should Make The Prisoner As His Oppenheimer Follow-Up
The Prisoner would be a perfect follow-up for Christopher Nolan after Oppenheimer because it is both similar and different to the historical drama film. If Nolan chose to maintain The Prisoner’s time period, then it would have a similar visual aesthetic to Oppenheimer that could pull in fans of the 2023 film. But, on top of that, The Prisoner’s sci-fi spin makes it quite distinct from Oppenheimer, which would make Nolan’s work still feel fresh. In this way, it would be a solid way to escape from Oppenheimer’s shadow while also benefiting from its good parts.
Though it is unconfirmed whether Christopher Nolan will actually take on The Prisoner, it is definitely a good option for the Academy-award-winning director. And furthermore, it is a great alternative to Nolan taking on James Bond, which might be less cool than it seems. Regardless, whatever Christopher Nolan comes up with next is sure to be riveting and visually stunning. The only thing he will have to overcome is his own standards after creating such a success as Oppenheimer.
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