Christopher Nolan has long been a favored son at Warner Bros., but he’s also been one of their most valuable assets. Between “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception,” and “Interstellar,” he’s made the studio big money, and in turn they’ve trusted that investing in his ambitious, visionary approach will pay off. And next year will perhaps see the biggest collaboration between the studio and filmmaker with “Dunkirk,” a 65mm and IMAX shot WWII picture that’s aiming for summer blockbuster audiences, and Nolan, who is one of our 100 Best and Most Exciting Directors Working Today, is also one of the most well paid thanks to the movie.
According to THR, Nolan earned $20 million upfront to direct the recently wrapped “Dunkirk,” but the more lucrative payday may be on the backend, where he’s set to take home 20% of the gross. It’s one of the biggest deals in Hollywood since Peter Jackson earned the same for “King Kong” way back in 2005. It’s also a rare deal, with the trade noting that studios tend to favor paying less upfront, and instead promising a great cut of the profits should the film break even. Essentially, if you’re a filmmaker in Hollywood right now, your agent better be a great negotiator. And clearly, Nolan has one of the best.
“Dunkirk” opens on July 21, 2017.