When you think of a Christopher Nolan film, you think in large terms...IMAX, widescreen, surround sound, newly invented cameras...the history of cinema receives an upgrade whenever a new feature of his is released. 

We won't have to wait too much longer for Nolan's latest. Already propped up with a release date of July 2020, Nolan's follow-up to Dunkirk remains somewhat of a mystery, plot-wise, but its distribution strategy will undoubtedly be first-rate. And...distinctly theatrical. 


While attending the UK Cinema Association conference, Nolan's remarks about the importance of the theatrical experience couldn't have felt more topical given the recent debate between Steven Spielberg and Netflix over the streaming company's dominance throughout awards season. 

“We will certainly be asking [exhibitors] to really help us, and asking you to be our partners in terms of putting on a show for the audience and giving them a reason to come out for the evening, and engage with the world of cinema which we all love so much,” Nolan almost pleaded with the audience about his upcoming feature. “What we never want to forget is the idea of showmanship…whatever the economic realities are, whatever costs need to be cut or corners need to be cut."

Nolan's childhood memories aren't just of films themselves but of the physical act of attending a theater and letting the entire space overwhelm him. It's as much a celluloid dream as it is an architectural one.

“The memories are also of the sense of occasion, of being a young child entering an architectural space that’s so much bigger and grander than myself," Nolan reminisced, "the thrill of the curtains opening, moving to enlarge the screen for a widescreen presentation. Above all my enduring memories are of scale, of the size of screen, the idea of seeing people and places that are larger than life, potentially overwhelming but engrossing and involving.”

Is the theatrical experience in danger? And is Netflix threatening it? Let us know in the comments below.