Over the course of his 12 movies, Christopher Nolan has developed a reputation for working with stellar ensemble casts. Nolan started off small, like many directors, but he gradually increased his ambitions as he got access to bigger budgets and more famous actors. From the start of his Dark Knight trilogy onwards, Nolan’s movies have always been filled with great actors.
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Nolan has several regulars who he likes to cast in multiple movies, including Michael Caine, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy. While he often finds interesting roles for these actors, he’s not afraid to gamble on some more unexpected casting choices. Casting Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, Harry Styles in Dunkirk and Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer isn’t what most people expected, but they all delivered results. Nolan’s talented casts are key to how he has distinguished himself as one of the most influential directors of the 21st century.
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12 Following (1998)
Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell
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8/10 Following (1998)
Director Christopher Nolan Release Date April 2, 1999 Cast Jeremy Theobald , Alex Haw , Lucy Russell , John Nolan , Dick Bradsell
Following was Christopher Nolan’s first feature-length movie. It was shot on a budget of just $6000, and it features largely unknown actors. While the performances are still effective, the cast of Following isn’t in the same league as any of Nolan’s other movies. It set up Nolan’s career, but none of the actors have gone on to achieve huge success like the director.
Following
was shot on a budget of just $6000, and it features largely unknown actors.
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Following is a moody neo-noir that stretches its minuscule budget to its limits. It’s just 70 minutes long, shot in black and white, and it mostly uses natural light. Still, these budgetary restraints don’t detract from an intriguing narrative, and Nolan’s directing style is confident from the outset. Fans of Nolan shouldn’t skip Following just because the actors aren’t well-known. It’s an important point in Nolan’s filmmaking evolution, and it could be seen as his most autobiographical work in some ways.
11 Memento (2000)
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Stephen Tobolowsky
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10/10 10/10 Memento
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date May 25, 2001 Cast Joe Pantoliano , Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss , Stephen Tobolowsky , Mark Boone Junior
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Memento was made just two years after Following, but its cast is a huge step-up in quality. The $9 million budget gave Christopher Nolan much more freedom to translate his ideas onto film. After the modest success of Following, which never got a large audience, Memento was the movie that really established Nolan as a director worth watching in the future.
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Memento stars a few famous faces, including Guy Pearce in the lead role. Pearce had already appeared in the Australian queer classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and the critically-acclaimed crime thriller L.A. Confidential. There are famous faces in the supporting cast too, including Carrie-Anne Moss, fresh off the back of her role in The Matrix. Memento doesn’t have Nolan’s biggest or most impressive cast, but there are some solid performances, particularly Pearce’s.
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10 Tenet (2020)
John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine
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8/10 6.3/10 Tenet
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date September 3, 2020 Cast Kenneth Branagh , John David Washington , Michael Caine , Robert Pattinson , Elizabeth Debicki , Dimple Kapadia , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Clemence Poesy
It says a lot about the quality of Christopher Nolan’s casts that a movie like Tenet falls toward the bottom of the ranking. John David Washington stars as The Protagonist, an unnamed special ops agent who stumbles into a dangerous sci-fi story that seems to revolve around him. He is accompanied on this journey by Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki, while Kenneth Branagh stakes his claim as a potential James Bond villain.
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|
Christopher Nolan’s Movies |
||
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
IMDb Score |
|
Following (1998) |
83% |
7.4 |
|
Memento (2000) |
94% |
8.4 |
|
Insomnia (2002) |
92% |
7.2 |
|
Batman Begins (2005) |
85% |
8.2 |
|
The Prestige (2006) |
77% |
8.5 |
|
The Dark Knight (2008) |
94% |
9.0 |
|
Inception (2010) |
87% |
8.8 |
|
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) |
87% |
8.4 |
|
Interstellar (2014) |
73% |
8.7 |
|
Dunkirk (2017) |
92% |
7.8 |
|
See more : 24 Venom: The Last Dance Easter Eggs & Marvel References Explained Tenet (2020) |
70% |
7.3 |
|
Oppenheimer (2023) |
93% |
8.3 |
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Tenet is Nolan’s most divisive movie, although he has very high standards. The meaning behind Tenet and the mechanics of Nolan’s unique time-travel concept have been debated ever since the movie’s release in 2020. The confusion over the plot has meant that the performances of the actors don’t always get much attention. For some, it’s hard to connect with a performance when the plot is difficult to pin down.
9 Insomnia (2002)
Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hillary Swank
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date May 24, 2002 Cast Al Pacino , Robin Williams , Hilary Swank , Oliver Zemen , Martin Donovan , Paul Dooley
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Insomnia was Christopher Nolan’s third feature-length movie, and it came before the director had developed his taste for large ensemble casts. Although the cast isn’t the biggest, it does feature some brilliant performances. Al Pacino is his usual captivating self as a detective working in the long, nightless summer of Alaska, and Robin Williams is a criminal trying to outwit him.
Robin Williams is most famous as a comedic actor, but his few dramatic roles show that he had considerable chops.
Insomnia is a remake of a 1997 Norwegian movie of the same name. Nolan puts plenty of his own ideas into Insomnia, and the result is one of his most underrated movies. Pacino’s star power could be the main draw, but it’s Williams who proves himself just as worthy. Williams is most famous as a comedic actor, but his few dramatic roles show that he had considerable chops.
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8 The Prestige (2006)
Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, David Bowie
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9/10 7.5/10 The Prestige
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date October 20, 2006 Cast Michael Caine , Christian Bale , Hugh Jackman , Scarlett Johansson , Piper Perabo
Between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan adapted Christopher Priest’s 1995 novel The Prestige with his brother Jonathan as a co-writer. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale star as two feuding magicians in Victorian London, and they both deliver compelling performances. The movie’s dramatic weight rests on the strength of their dynamic, and they rise to this challenge admirably.
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Related The Prestige Ending (& All Twists) Explained
The Prestige’s ending is packed to the brim with twists and turns. Here’s a breakdown of everything that happens in the film’s ending.
The Prestige‘s cast also includes frequent Nolan collaborator Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson, but the big surprise is David Bowie, who plays Nikola Tesla. Nolan is a lifelong Bowie fan, and he decided during the writing process that Bowie would be perfect for the brief but important role of Tesla. Bowie had acted before, of course, notably in movies like Labyrinth and Basquiat, but he was always more famous as a musician. He brings plenty of charisma to the role of Tesla.
7 Interstellar (2014)
Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, John Lithgow, Michael Caine, Matt Damon
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7/10 35 9/10 Interstellar
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date November 7, 2014 Cast Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Mackenzie Foy , Ellen Burstyn , Michael Caine , Bill Irwin , Timothée Chalamet , David Oyelowo , John Lithgow
Interstellar is one of Christopher Nolan’s more ambitious movies, and it bears many of his most famous hallmarks. Interstellar features non-linear storytelling, unorthodox time-travel and epic cinematic spectacle. It also features a great cast, with a mix of frequent collaborators and new faces. Michael Caine and Anne Hathaway had both worked with Nolan before Interstellar, but Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain had not.
Interstellar
came at the peak of the so-called “McConaissance”
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Interstellar came at the peak of the so-called “McConaissance,” when Matthew McConaughey overhauled his professional image with a string of critically-acclaimed movies to break free of his romcom typecast. After Mud and Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar continued his hot streak. The sci-fi blockbuster is also noteworthy for being one of Timothée Chalamet’s first movie roles, although he only appears briefly.
6 Batman Begins (2005)
Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman
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9/10 13 8.4/10 Batman Begins
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date June 15, 2005 Cast Ken Watanabe , Liam Neeson , Gary Oldman , Tom Wilkinson , Linus Roache , Christian Bale , Katie Holmes , Mark Boone Junior , Michael Caine , Rutger Hauer , Cillian Murphy , Morgan Freeman
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Christopher Nolan’s first Batman movie elevated him to a new level of prestige in Hollywood. To make this big leap, in terms of budget and audience, Nolan needed a great cast. He brings plenty of fresh ideas to the superhero genre, mixing in elements of crime thrillers and film noir, but Batman Begins still could have fallen flat without great actors. It was Nolan’s biggest cast at the time, and most of his casting choices are superb.
|
Actors Who Have Played Batman In Live-Action Movies |
|
|
Actor |
First Appearance |
|
Lewis Wilson |
Batman (1943) |
|
Robert Lowery |
Batman and Robin (1949) |
|
Adam West |
Batman: The Movie (1966) |
|
Michael Keaton |
Batman (1989) |
|
Val Kilmer |
Batman Forever (1995) |
|
George Clooney |
See more : Who are Hollie Doyle Parents? Meet Mark Doyle and Caroline rode Batman & Robin (1997) |
|
Christian Bale |
Batman Begins (2005) |
|
Ben Affleck |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) |
|
Robert Pattinson |
The Batman (2022) |
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The biggest casting decision for Batman Begins was obviously selecting Christian Bale to play Bruce Wayne. There have been many different approaches to playing Batman over the years, from the campy Adam West era to the dark and brooding Robert Pattinson movie. Christian Bale is up there with the very best Batman actors of all time. He’s charismatic but nuanced as Bruce Wayne, and searingly intense as Batman. It’s strange to think that Henry Cavill, Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Cillian Murphy were also in the mix to play Batman.
5 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman
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8/10 30 8.9/10 The Dark Knight Rises
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 16, 2012 Cast Christian Bale , Tom Hardy , Anne Hathaway , Gary Oldman , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Marion Cotillard , Morgan Freeman , Michael Caine
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Although The Dark Knight Rises is often cited as the weak point in the Dark Knight trilogy, it’s still more interesting than the majority of superhero movies. It faced a tough task trying to live up to the impossibly high standards of The Dark Knight. Christian Bale returns as a more grizzled and jaded hero, and Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman also return from The Dark Knight.
Hardy’s performance is a big swing for the fences, which is just what was needed to differentiate himself from the franchise’s other great villains.
One of the most common criticisms directed toward The Dark Knight Rises is that it tries to squeeze too much in. Marion Cotillard’s Talia al Ghul is one popular comic book character who could have been cut, considering the fact that The Dark Knight Rises also introduces Tom Hardy’s Bane and Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman. Hardy’s performance is a big swing for the fences, which is just what was needed to differentiate himself from the franchise’s other great villains. It’s loved by some, but the odd voice is a contentious choice.
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4 The Dark Knight (2008)
Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman
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10/10 23 9.5/10 The Dark Knight
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 18, 2008 Cast Christian Bale , Heath Ledger , Michael Caine , Morgan Freeman , Nestor Carbonell , Ritchie Coster , Cillian Murphy , Chin Han , Gary Oldman , Eric Roberts , William Fichtner , Aaron Eckhart , Maggie Gyllenhaal , David Dastmalchian , Anthony Michael Hall Expand
The Dark Knight rises is easily one of the best and most influential action movies of the 21st century, thanks in part to an outstanding cast. Christopher Nolan’s flair for action reaches its zenith in The Dark Knight, but the movie is just as interesting on a personal level. The car chases, fist fights and explosions would ring hollow without the intense philosophical conflict between Batman and the Joker.
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Related The Dark Knight: 25 Best Quotes From Heath Ledger’s Joker
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The Dark Knight‘s cast stands out as the best from the trilogy for a couple of reasons. Aaron Eckhart delivers a superb performance as Harvey Dent, a good man who is soon corrupted, and Maggie Gyllenhaal is another solid addition. Obviously, the main reason that The Dark Knight differentiates itself from the other movies in the trilogy is the virtuoso performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker. Ledger’s Joker has been enshrined in the pantheon of iconic movie villains, even though some Batman fans laughed at his casting.
3 Dunkirk (2017)
Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles, Cillian Murphy
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9/10 7/10 Dunkirk
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 21, 2017 Cast Kenneth Branagh , Aneurin Barnard , Mark Rylance , Tom Hardy , James D’Arcy , Jack Lowden , Cillian Murphy , Harry Styles , Fionn Whitehead , Barry Keoghan
Dunkirk follows the British World War II operation to rescue stranded soldiers from northern France, known as Operation Dynamo. Christopher Nolan shows the action unfolding from land, air and sea, so he makes full use of a superb ensemble cast. Tom Hardy delivers a surprisingly gripping performance without saying much at all, while Mark Rylance injects some emotion and Kenneth Branagh raises the tension.
According to Nolan, he didn’t know of Styles’ fame as a musician when he saw his audition.
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The real wildcard in the cast of Dunkirk is Harry Styles. According to Nolan, he didn’t know of Styles’ fame as a musician when he saw his audition, so Styles landed his first movie role on merit. Nolan stated that he believed Styles had a face which looked appropriate for the era. Historical accuracy was important to Nolan while filming Dunkirk. He used as many period-accurate ships and aircraft as possible, so it makes sense that he would be drawn to Styles and Fionn Whitehead’s features.
2 Inception (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy
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10/10 8.1/10 Inception
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 16, 2010 Cast Tom Hardy , Elliot Page , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Cillian Murphy , Ken Watanabe , Marion Cotillard , Leonardo DiCaprio
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Christopher Nolan has a reputation for cerebral, action-packed blockbusters, and no movie illustrates this point better than Inception. The cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, who unfortunately hasn’t worked with Nolan since. He has the magnetism and the intensity needed to hold the center of a movie which throws out a lot of unorthodox sci-fi concepts. He anchors the plot in a way, because his character’s personal arc is so intriguing.
Inception
stars Leonardo DiCaprio, who unfortunately hasn’t worked with Nolan since.
DiCaprio is surrounded by a great ensemble cast that includes Nolan favorites and a few one-offs. Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy are among Nolan’s most frequent collaborators, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ken Watanabe both had roles in the Dark Knight trilogy. Elliot Page is one actor who catches the eye despite never working with Nolan before. Like with DiCaprio, it would be interesting to see him working with Nolan again in the future.
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1 Oppenheimer (2023)
Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett
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9/10 9.5/10 Oppenheimer
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*Availability in US Director Christopher Nolan Release Date July 21, 2023 Cast Cillian Murphy , Emily Blunt , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Rami Malek , Florence Pugh
Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. both won Oscars for their performances in Oppenheimer, while Emily Blunt was also nominated. This underlines the fact that the cast of Oppenheimer is the best that Christopher Nolan has ever worked with, and it’s also one of the most impressive ensemble casts in recent memory. Murphy’s career-best performance carries a lot of the movie, but the supporting characters are vital to providing the right setting.
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Related Oppenheimer True Story Fact Check: 11 Biggest Changes, Historical Inaccuracies, & Real Events
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From Robert Downey Jr.’s transformative performance as Lewis Strauss to Florence Pugh’s mysterious, alluring presence as Jean Tatlock, the entire cast of Oppenheimer is stacked with actors making interesting choices and contributing to a lively atmosphere. Gary Oldman’s brief cameo as Harry Truman is compelling enough to warrant a movie of its own, but it’s just a footnote in the shimmering brilliance of Oppenheimer.
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