Christopher Nolan's upcoming film Tenet has been delayed yet again. This time, however, it's been pushed back indefinitely, meaning that a new release will be scheduled whenever the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is no longer a factor. Given that most movie theaters are still closed, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise.
Originally, Tenet was supposed to hit theaters last week, on July 17. However, it was delayed until July 31, before then being pushed to August 12, as it is seemingly trying to give New Mutants some competition for most scheduled release dates. In a statement, the chairman of Warner Bros., said, "We will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet, Christopher Nolan's wholly original and mind-blowing feature. Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to proliferate, causing us to re-evaluate our release dates."
So what's a Christopher Nolan fan to do when they were expecting to watch a new movie from the director and try to figure out what it means? What better time to dip back into his filmography and, instead, finally get to the bottom of his long list of movies like 1998's Following or his war film Dunkirk. Chances are you've seen his Batman trilogy far too many times to count at this point, so don't concern yourself with those.
Here are the Christopher Nolan movies to binge while you wait for whenever you're actually going to get to see Tenet.
1. Following (1998)
Nolan’s debut focuses on a struggling writer who decides to start following people around London as inspiration for a novel, leading him into a dark criminal underworld. Following was cheaply made in back and white with very variable acting and only runs for 69 minutes (nice). Nevertheless, the roots of Nolan’s subsequent films are all here, from the non-linear structure to themes of identity and obsession. It’s a fascinating and engrossing film that shows the director’s talents were formed early on. - Dan Auty
2. Memento (2000)
Nolan has been melting brains since the early days of his career, and Memento is a fine example. Guy Pearce attempts to track down his wife's murderer while suffering from short-term memory loss, which means he knows who he is and most of his past, but can't remember anything that happens on a day-to-day basis. To compensate, he leaves himself notes in the form of tattoos scrawled across his body. If you're looking for classic Nolan-esque twists and turns, remember to watch Memento. - Michael Rougeau
3. Insomnia (2002)
Insomnia is the only Nolan movie that he doesn’t also have a writing credit on. It's a remake of a 1997 Norweigan movie with the same title, and at the time was most notable for the casting of Robin Williams as a killer. But it remains a gripping and atmospheric thriller, with Al Pacino in relatively restrained form as a cop investigating a murder in a small Alaskan town, and Williams utterly chilling as his main suspect. And if the film doesn't really connect thematically to Nolan's films, it's still important for being his first studio movie, the success of which led to even bigger things. - Dan Auty
4. The Prestige (2006)
"Are you watching closely?" is both a key line and one of the taglines of The Prestige, and it serves as essential advice going into the film. Adapted from the novel by Christopher Priest, Nolan's film about rival magicians is a must-watch. Set in 1890s London, stage magicians Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) become bitter rivals, battling each other to develop the ultimate illusion no matter the cost. If you've gone this long without spoilers, going into The Prestige without previous knowledge and going along for the ride is the best way to experience it. It's mesmerizing, challenges its audience, and deserves repeat viewings. - Chastity Vicencio
5. Inception (2010)
Before Nolan made a single Batman film, he had the idea for Inception back in 2002. At the time, though, he admits he wasn't ready. Following The Dark Knight, though, he made this very strange and engaging heist film that doesn't necessarily play out like any other you ever have or ever will see. It's not money or jewels Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his team are after, it's information and secrets. To get that data, they break into one of the most complex systems imaginable: the human brain. Inception sees these thieves actually implanting themselves in the dreams of their targets, attempting to both access the information and not get lost in the process. It's a truly bizarre film that will find you wondering what was and wasn't real by the time the credits roll. - Chris E. Hayner
6. Interstellar (2014)
Space, the final frontier, right? While many science fiction movies romanticize adventuring among the stars, Nolan's 2014 film presents the harsh realities of space travel. The alright alright alright Matthew McConaughey plays an astronaut who is tasked with finding another planet for humans to live on because Earth's future is pretty screwed. In doing so, he must travel through a wormhole, which, as you can imagine, isn't easy. And as much as this film is a quest for the future of humanity, it's also about being a parent and trying to connect with your kid. Also, in typical Nolan fashion, it gets real trippy later on in the film, which we won't spoil here. - Mat Elfring
7. Dunkirk (2017)
In the handful of years since its release, it's become ever more clear that Dunkirk belongs in the ranks of all-time great war movies. An incredible ensemble cast experiences the infamous World War II evacuation from multiple perspectives, as time passes differently in each storyline--one takes place over the course of a week, one a day, and one a single hour. Come on, it's Nolan--you didn't think Dunkirk would be straightforward, did you? - Michael Rougeau
8. Also, just watch his Batman movies
Don't be so picky about this and just go watch Nolan's Batman movies. That's, at least, another six hours of movies to pass the time until another release date is set for Tenet. Besides, there's something to enjoy about all three of those movies. And when you get to The Dark Knight, take a look at GameSpot's deep dive into the film to help you find the Easter eggs and references you missed the last time you watched it. - Chris E. Hayner
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