While not a lot is known aboutChristopher Nolan’s next movie, it is good that the project won’t be his rumored remake ofThe Prisoner. A look back onChristopher Nolan’s moviesproves that the director has a versatile taste in projects. From superhero movies likeThe Dark Knight Returnsto historical biopics likeOppenheimer, Nolan has brought a diverse range of stories to the screen over the years. However, as proven by hisunderrated Hugh Jackman movieThe Prestige, psychological mysteries hold a particular allure for Nolan. This dates back to his earliest movie, 1998’sFollowing.
Christopher Nolan Movies Ranked By How Out Of Order The Story Is
Time is often a character itself in Christopher Nolan’s movies, from Following to Oppenheimer, with the story rarely being present chronologically.
Of Nolan’s 12 movies to date, five could undeniably be classified as psychological mysteries, while bothThe Dark KnightandOppenheimercould also be listed as additions to the genre thanks to their tone and style. As such, it was no shock when Nolan’s next movie was rumored to be a remake of theiconic 1960s British miniseriesThe Prisoner. A legendary piece of television history,The Prisonerfollowed the fate of a spy who awoke in a strange, uncanny gated community where all was not as it seemed. Famous for its ambitious ending,The Prisonerwas endlessly influential.
Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie Is Reportedly NOT A Remake Of The Prisoner
Christopher Nolan’s Upcoming Movie Isn’t His ‘60s Miniseries Reimagining
AlthoughThe Prisoner’s ending was incredibly controversial when it first aired thanks to the daring decision to explain none of the show’s many mysteries, the finale went on to become an iconic pop culture moment. Everything fromLosttoTwin Peaksborrowed fromThe Prisoner, andThe Prisoner’s cerebral symbolism and clinical aesthetic heavily influenced Nolan’s psychological mysteries. As such, readers might be forgiven for assuming thatChristopher Nolan’s rumoredThe Prisonerremakewould be an unambiguously good idea. However, the news that this won’t be Nolan’s next project is actually a major relief for various reasons.
A modern remake ofThe Prisoneris a fundamentally flawed idea for reasons that have nothing to do with Nolan.
In October 2024,Deadlinereported that Matt Damon signed on to Nolan’s next movie, which is set for a summer 2026 release. Little was revealed about the project, although it is now understood that the movie will not be a reimagining ofThe Prisonerafter all. Nolan attempted to get a remake ofThe Prisoneroff the ground once before earlier in his career, and this attempt also petered out. There is a good reason for this, since a modern remake ofThe Prisoneris a fundamentally flawed idea for reasons that have nothing to do with Nolan.
Why A Modern Remake Of The Prisoner Wouldn’t Have Worked (Even With Nolan)
Nolan’s Style Couldn’t Have Justified The Iconic Show’s Return
The Prisoner’s aesthetic was groundbreaking when the show first aired in 1967, but it has since been copied, parodied, riffed on, and subverted innumerable times. Everything fromThe SimpsonstoSpongebob SquarepantstoShrekhas spoofed the show’s instantly recognizable quotes and setting, while everything fromWatchmentoThe Matrixhas borrowed scenes and references from the miniseries. As a result,Christopher Nolan’sThe Prisonerremakewould have either looked tired and predictable or so dissimilar to the original show that it might as well have been an unrelated project.
2009’s TV remake ofThe Prisonerboasts a Rotten Tomatoes critical rating of only 17%.
Everything fromThe Prisoner’s unfeeling, unseen villains to the show’s creepily idyllic setting has become pop culture shorthand for any sci-fi mystery setting where something spooky is afoot. RemakingThe Prisonerin 2024 would be a lot like rebootingThe Twilight Zone. This has admittedly been attempted numerous times, but none of the iconic anthology show’s three follow-ups have ever been able to recapture its original blend of paranoia, social commentary, horror, sci-fi, and sheer weirdness. Put simply,The Prisoneris too quintessentially ‘60s to be updated, and its toothless 2009 remake already proved this.
Christopher Nolan’s Blank Slate Makes His Next Movie Even More Exciting
Christopher Nolan’s Next Movie Could Be Anything
It is good that nothing is known about Christopher Nolan’s next movie, since this means the director can surprise viewers with his upcoming project. Nolan is at his best when the director is working with unexpectedly inspiring material like Oppenheimer’s biographyAmerican Prometheus. If asked what Nolan should do next after the mind-bending, reality-warping thrillerTenet, few viewers would have said a starry biopic about the inventor of the atomic bomb. However,Oppenheimerbecame one of the director’s best and most successful movies upon release.
There is a possibility that viewers will eventually get to seeChristopher Nolan’s take onThe Prisoner, but missing out on this vision would be no great loss.The Prisoneris a tough project to update and Nolan’s career is studded with great projects, fromThe PrestigetoInception, that seemingly emerged out of nowhere. As such, the fact that almost nothing is known aboutChristopher Nolan’s next movie is much more exciting and less worrying than a confirmed remake ofThe Prisonerwould have been.
