Christopher Nolan requested for an extra-long theatrical window for his new picture during talks with Universal before it is released on streaming services.

From the flashy superhero spectacles of his Dark Knight trilogy to his cerebral puzzle box thrillers like Inception, the filmmaker has long made films aimed for the theater audience. Nolan is known for his use of IMAX technology and his general desire to make his films as huge as possible.

The film’s theatrical window, according to Nolan, was a key determining factor in why he selected Universal – he supposedly insisted on it being at least 100 days, which is more than twice Universal’s typical duration.

A 45-day timeframe has been established as the industry norm for 2021. It’s uncertain whether he’ll get his wish, but Universal has already agreed to exclude the film from the 17- or 31-day timeframe that Universal had originally offered theater chains.

Only Apple and Sony were allegedly in the running to sign Nolan (Paramount reportedly pulled out early in discussions), with the studios ready and prepared to satisfy Nolan’s budget and back-end needs, according to reports. Apple, on the other hand, was unwilling to commit to such a long theatrical window.

The film in question is a World War II picture with no title yet. It will chronicle J. Robert Oppenheimer’s role in the development of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy (who has worked with Nolan regularly since his performance in Batman Begins in 2005 and appeared in the director’s last WWII picture Dunkirk) is reported to be in the running for the part.

Christopher Nolan explains why he will never make a comedy

Christopher Nolan has stated that he will never do a comedy film.

“I would try anything, I think, except comedy or romantic comedy. Those are very tough genres to work in,” the renowned filmmaker told USA Today.

The director, who worked on Interstellar, a space exploration film starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Sir Michael Caine, insists that shooting a comedy would not be a welcome challenge because it is so easy for viewers to dismiss a comedy that isn’t funny.

“They rely on unanimity of audience response. You screen a comedy for people, and if they don’t laugh, you’ve got to figure out a way to make them laugh.

“There’s no hiding behind the art of the film. There’s, ‘Oh, you don’t get it’.”

Even though Nolan has basically responded to scientific criticisms of Interstellar with, “Oh, you don’t get it,” he does have a point that after making a comedy, a filmmaker can’t rely on a convoluted structure to enlighten (or obfuscate) audiences. People won’t appreciate it if the jokes don’t land, even if you went out of your way to explain why it’s hilarious and shot it all in IMAX.

Nolan recently acknowledged to having had discussions about directing James Bond, but that nothing has come of it and that the series did not “need” him.

“I love James Bond and I’ve talked with the producers over the years, but nothing’s ever worked out,” he told The Daily Beast.

“They do a great job – they don’t need me right now, and Sam [Mendes] is an extraordinary talent.

“I will absolutely be first in line to see the next Bond film as I have been for all of them.”