A few months back, we reported that Warner Bros. dated the next Christopher Nolan film for July 21, 2017 and that’s all the information made available at that time. Now, details have emerged around the his latest movie- the famously secretive filmmaker’s first since 2014’s Oscar winning Interstellar.
Entitled Dunkirk, the film will chronicle the evacuation of the northern French city during WWII. The film will be both written and directed by Nolan and produced by wife and longtime collaborator Emma Thomas. While Variety reports that Nolan is looking to cast the lead roles with unknown actors (and tests are currently underway in London), the ensemble may be rounded out by stage vet and current Bridge of Spies co-star Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) and Tom Hardy (The Revenant). Hardy previously worked with Nolan on both Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
Fascinating from a backstage degree is Nolan may be shooting his latest epic using a combination of both IMAX 65mm and 65mm large format film stock. Nolan’s Interstellar was also released in 70mm last year. Quentin Tarantino’s latest The Hateful Eight has also helped revive fascination with the old-school 70mm presentations- currently the “roadshow” engagement is in limited engagements and opened to spectacular box office receipts. Warner Bros. is also toying the idea of releasing the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 70mm. In 2012, Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2012 The Master was shot and presented in 70mm as well- The Weinstein Company handled both that film and The Hateful Eight.
If Rylance comes aboard, it will mark yet another significant film role for the three-time Tony Award winning actor. Rylance is currently a strong contender for an Oscar nomination for his acclaimed role in Steven Spielberg’s Cold War yarn Bridge of Spies. He will next be seen in Spielberg’s upcoming Roald Dahl adaptation The BFG. Branagh, whose Shakespearean adaptations we greatly admire and miss, directed Disney’s live-action Cinderella, big hit this past spring and will soon direct and star in a re-telling of the classic Agatha Christie novel Murder on the Orient Express. The always prolific Hardy recently appeared in George Miller’s smash Mad Max: Fury Road and can currently be seen on screens in Legend and co-starring in the awards magnet The Reverant opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.
Production is set to start in May for Dunkirk utilizing many of the real-life locations the film depicts. The film will open on July 21, 2017.
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