Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar will forever be hailed as one of cinema’s greatest achievements. Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the film remains as fresh and impactful as ever, continuing to captivate minds. Not only does the movie resonate deeply on a human level, but it also delves into the intricacies of the human mind and the quest for survival.
The beautifully crafted original story, to be honest, is unparalleled and cannot be surpassed. However, despite the tremendous success of the film and the position it holds, co-writer Jonathan Nolan is sad because of one reason.
Christopher Nolan’s Impressive Record with Interstellar Leaves Jonathan Nolan Sad for Hollywood
The Christopher Nolan movie Interstellar starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Matt Damon was a massive success, both critically and commercially. It grossed a staggering $647M as per The Numbers against a budget of $165M and stands as one of the highest-grossing original films of the last decade.
However, Jonathan Nolan doesn’t find pride in this achievement. Instead, he’s disheartened by the industry’s lack of original storytelling. In a Variety interview, the co-writer expressed his deep sadness about the current state of the industry. He said,
Someone shocked me the other day by saying that ‘Interstellar’ remains one of the highest-grossing original films of the last 10 years, and, to me, that is heartbreaking,Where are the original stories? Adaptations are great, and I’m so happy with the way ‘Fallout’ has worked, but I think it will be a real shame if television went the same way that filmmaking has gone
He emphasized the lack of original stories. However, unfortunately, when original stories do emerge, audiences often overlook them. Take, for example, the very recent The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, which brought a fresh taste to theaters but failed miserably at the box office. Audiences were busy rewatching Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and others in the theaters, rather than embracing a fun original story.
The truth is it’s a two-way street really while Hollywood needs to improve, it also caters to the desires of audiences and what they most want to see. Thus, the failure of good original stories at the box office discourages studios from taking risks.
Jonathan Nolan Urges Filmmakers to Embrace Originality Amidst Adaptations
While Jonathan Nolan doesn’t shy away from adaptations, as seen in his work on Westworld or Fallout, he also doesn’t strictly adhere to rigid line-by-line adaptations. This approach allows him some room to craft his own narrative while staying true to the essence of the original material, presenting audiences with a fresh perspective they already adore.
He’s found his sweet spot, balancing adaptations with the freedom to spread his wings and work his magic. As he explained in the same Variety conversation,
I have been careful to avoid working on any kind of adaptation in which the expectation is that it has to be rigorous, because you have no room to play. So I never was interested in working on a ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Lord of the Rings.’ I like these hybrid products; you’re adapting but you’re still finding a way to exercise your own storytelling muscle. With true adaptation, you’re always changing.
He further added,
I mean, even the word adaptation implies a sense of transition or changing. If you respect something, you have the guts to tell the original creators and fans, ‘We’re going to find a path to a respectful and heartfelt adaptation, but we have to change some things over here to make it work
However, he does hold out hope for the emergence of new original stories and urges audiences to give them a chance to shine. By doing so, filmmakers would be encouraged to produce more innovative cinema, ultimately benefiting Hollywood as a whole.
Interstellar is available to stream on Pramaount+
