Blockbuster meets artistry: The Christopher Nolan phenomenon

On August 26, "Tenet," the long-awaited new film by director Christopher Nolan, will be released in Europe, South Korea and Australia. The US will have to wait a little longer, though; the blockbuster will not come out in theaters there until September 3 — provided the situation in the US has improved by then. The film had already been postponed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Born in 1970, Nolan is considered one of the most influential and also commercially successful filmmakers of his time. He debuted in 1998 with the subtle neo-noir crime thriller "Following." His signature style was already visible in this work: complex storytelling based on different levels of flashbacks.

Nolan reached another level of narrative complexity with his second film. "Memento" combined two timelines: one in black-and-white showing events chronologically, and the other in color depicting them in reverse order. Film fans were thrilled by the challenge of the fractured narrative.

Nolan's first films were made on a small budget and with lesser-known actors, but this changed with the British director's third film, "Insomnia" (2002), which starred Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Despite its more conventional storytelling style, the psychological thriller about a detective and a murderer still excited fans of the director.

Suddenly, Nolan had become the director of choice for ambitious Hollywood productions. With "Batman Begins" (2005) Nolan revived the Batman myth by creating a new story instead of continuing the existing series. The filmmaker breathed new life into the superhero character — imaginative and surprising, playful, yet also exciting.

Nolan also wrote the screenplay for his fifth film, "Prestige" (2006). The story portrays two competitive stage magicians, played by Christian Bale (pictured) and Hugh Jackman, in London during the late 19th century whose battle to create the ultimate illusion has a tragic end.

Nolan once again took the Batman film franchise reins with "The Dark Knight" (2008). With Heath Ledger giving an Oscar-winning performance as the Joker, the film is a classic of the genre. "Pitched at the divide between ... poetry and entertainment, it goes darker and deeper than any Hollywood movie of its comic-book kind," wrote The New York Times.

Nolan's next film further confirmed his reputation as a commercially successful but artistically ambitious director. "Inception" (2010) offered a complex narrative, featuring crime and science fiction elements, that explores the protagonists' subconscious. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, and Ken Watanabe were among the star ensemble in the Oscar-nominated film.

Nolan wrapped up the Batman trilogy in 2012 with "The Dark Knight Rises." Like its predecessors, it was highly successful at the box office and bore the director's signature artistic touch. Critics also praised the film for its cast performances, action scenes and emotional depth.

"Interstellar," Nolan's sci-fi epic from 2014, once again gave viewers the best of both worlds: more than two hours of pure cinema entertainment, but also plenty to think about. Some fans have compared Nolan to Stanley Kubrick. In this respect, it's no coincidence that "Interstellar" contains several allusions to the cult film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Like Kubrick, Nolan has consistently made great films across diverse genres. And just like Kubrick's two war films, "Paths to Glory" and "Full Metal Jacket," Nolan's 2018 film, "Dunkirk," also focuses on creating highly authentic and realistic battle screens. Nolan received a best director Oscar nomination for "Dunkirk." He is seen here at left on the film's set, alongside actor Kenneth Branagh.