Christopher Nolan On Making A Netflix Movie: “Well, Why Would You?”
By Ben Pearson/July 20, 2017 8:30 am EST
In a new interview, the director candidly speaks about why he wouldn’t work with Netflix and dings their “mindless policy” of not supporting theatrical distribution. Read the Christopher Nolan Netflix comments below.
Speaking with Indiewire, Nolan didn’t hold back when the topic of Netflix was broached:
“Netflix has a bizarre aversion to supporting theatrical films. They have this mindless policy of everything having to be simultaneously streamed and released, which is obviously an untenable model for theatrical presentation. So they’re not even getting in the game, and I think they’re missing a huge opportunity.”
When asked if he’d ever work with Netflix on a project, say, for something traditional studios like Warner Bros. may not be interested in making, Nolan’s response was blunt:
Netflix has clearly found a model that works well for them, and though they’ve lured in Martin Scorsese for The Irishman, they clearly haven’t done enough to play nicely with A-list filmmakers who are interested in preserving the theatrical experience. We’ll see if they eventually re-draw their line in the sand, but in the meantime, they’re seemingly content with making an enemy out of the likes of Nolan.
“No. Well, why would you? If you make a theatrical film, it’s to be played in theaters…I think the investment that Netflix is putting into interesting filmmakers and interesting projects would be more admirable if it weren’t being used as some kind of bizarre leverage against shutting down theaters. It’s so pointless. I don’t really get it.”
