The rift that started when Warner Brothers had to rethink distribution last year thanks to the pandemic seems terminal, to some. A “divorce” is in the works. Or is it?
Christopher Nolan can’t really blame “Tenet” bombing on Warners can he?
The studio, famous for much of its history for giving filmmakers a nearly free hand to create, from Kubrick to Nolan, got a thorough chewing-out from Nolan after “Tenet” came out and WB had to rethink things. He seems to have expected he’d be consulted before his home studio moved its release slate to HBO Max.
The theatrical release of “Tenet” seemed to make Warners’ point for it.
But Nolan wasn’t hearing it. I am mystified that he hasn’t cooled off since. All the talk now is where he’ll land.
Netflix gives filmmakers free rein and big budgets. Disney is a bigger player than ever thanks to Disney Plus.
But neither of those offers the prestige of Warners. Does he want his movies to be uh, Netflix “events?”
I, for one, cannot imagine the larger-than-life experience of his best films — “Dunkirk,” “Inception” — as TV-sized cinema.
This seems a shame.
Movie Nation 
Doubt he’d go to Netflix since the whole reason he fought with Warner Bros was because he wanted a strictly theatrical release for Tenet. Then again, all other suggestions (Disney, Amazon) are also big streamers, so you never know.
Netflix would give him the blank check, but “Tenet” Suggests that maybe even Warners should have exercised a little creative/casting pushback. I haven’t been overwhelmed at the movies Netflix lets legends indulge in — “Roma,” “Irishman,” “Mank” not top level work by their creators.
Great points, Roger, on both the “blank check” and the “creative pushback.” I think ideally Nolan stays with WB and we can chalk up Tenet’s disappointment to the director wanting to do his own James Bond. Now that it’s out of his system, I hope his next one is a winner.