Wait, am I reading this correctly? Christopher Nolan has been named the new President of the Directors Guild of America. Does this man ever sleep?
Nolan didn’t need this job, but he somehow decided it was the right move — and that’s despite his always busy schedule. He’s currently in the middle of post-production for “The Odyssey.”
Typically, the president of a guild like the DGA is someone who isn’t a household name, has scaled back their workload, or is already retired. For Nolan to step into the role suggests he genuinely wanted the job — and it could also signal that, over these next three or four years, he may take a slight step back from directing to focus more on his responsibilities as President.
“To be elected President of the Directors Guild of America is one of the greatest honors of my career,” Nolan said. “Our industry is experiencing tremendous change, and I thank the Guild’s membership for entrusting me with this responsibility. I also want to thank President Glatter for her leadership over the past four years. I look forward to collaborating with her and the newly elected Board to achieve important creative and economic protections for our members.”
Nolan needs no introduction. He’s one of the rare filmmakers who can drive box office on name recognition alone. Non-linear narratives, ambitious visual storytelling — “Memento,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk,” “Oppenheimer.” He’s proven that big ideas and blockbuster budgets don’t have to come at the cost of originality or depth.
He’s also one of the strongest voices currently defending the theatrical experience. Nolan left Warner Bros. when they bungled distribution of “Tenet,” and has continuously pushed back against streaming supremacy, arguing that cinemas remain essential for the culture and craft of cinema.
Nolan succeeds Lesli Linka Glatter, a TV director whose career spans from “Amazing Stories” to recent episodes of “The Morning Show.” Nolan is easily the biggest name to ever take on DGA leadership; the closest comparison would be Frank Capra in the ‘30s, followed by Robert Wise (“West Side Story”) in the ‘70s.