Christopher Nolan was highly influenced by a classic James Bond movie that inspired his Batman Begins.

SUMMARY

Christopher Nolan has undoubtedly become one of the most celebrated directors in recent times.
Nolan has always noted how his films are often driven by ambition and inspiration derived from classic films.
During a 2012 Q&A interview with Christopher Nolan, the director noted The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as one of his favorite films.

Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan has been serving the entertainment industry with incredible films for decades.

But recently, after Oppenheimer featuring Cillian Murphy turned into a box office smash hit, Nolan started dominating the industry. Now the filmmaker is constantly trending and making headlines.

Christopher Nolan on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
But what makes Christopher Nolan a celebrated director, is his groundbreaking work, which often challenges and changes the cinematic landscape.

And quite obviously, Nolan is a man who takes inspiration from classics to make his films. Surprisingly one of such classics is a James Bond movie that significantly inspired him during Batman Begins (2005). 

Christopher Nolan’s Movies Are Driven by Inspiration 

Christopher Nolan has undoubtedly become one of the most celebrated directors in recent times.

After trying to change the landscape of cinema for years, with his acclaimed projects, Nolan finally found his breakthrough with his 2023 blockbuster Oppenheimer.

Featuring Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr, and a stellar cast, Nolan received rapturous acclaim from most critics following his project.
Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer (2023)
However, the filmmaker has always noted how his prestigious career and his films that are driven by ambition are a result of inspiration derived from classic films.

Personally being a fan of neo-noir crime thrillers and groundbreaking works of other acclaimed filmmakers, Christopher Nolan thus noted during different interviews how he was mostly inspired by the films he holds closest to his heart.
Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan | Image: HugoDécrypte (via YouTube)
According to IndieWire, the outlet skimmed through different interviews with Christopher Nolan where he noted his favorite movies.

Thus, revisiting the list of the films that inspired the filmmaker’s ambitious filmography so far, the outlet shared mainly 70s-80s classic films.

In the list of some forty films, what appeared most surprising was how Nolan was inspired by a James Bond movie for his Batman Begins.

James Bond Movie Inspired Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins 

Recalling a 2012 Q&A interview with Christopher Nolan, IndieWire revealed how the James Bond movies are among Nolan’s favorite go-to films.

But surprisingly, while the world often recalls Sean Connery or Daniel Craig’s Bond films when speaking of 007, Nolan seemingly expressed a different taste.

Claiming to prefer the classic elements of the James Bond films from the 70s, the filmmaker noted Roger Moore’s The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as his favorite.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
Roger Moore as James Bond has been known for his incredible sense of humor and quick-witted one-liners. Being the third actor who took over the Bond mantle, Moore appeared in seven James Bond movies.

So it seems, Christopher Nolan has his reasons for being a fan of Moore’s 1977 movie. Thus, crediting The Spy Who Loved Me as one of his favorite films of all time, Nolan discussed during the Q&A interview how he often took inspiration from the Bond films.

Addressing how he often found those movies a “great example of scope and scale in large-scale images”, Nolan expressed his appreciation.

This is also the reason why it got fixated in his mind and later inspired him while making Christian Bale’s Batman Begins (2005).
A still from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

“One of the first films I remember seeing was ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ and at a certain point, the Bond films fixed in my head as a great example of scope and scale in large-scale images.

That idea of getting you to other places, of getting you along for a ride if you can believe in it — in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me,’ the Lotus Esprit turns into a submarine and it’s totally convincing, and it works and you go ‘Wow, that’s incredible.’”

Similarly, several more classic films inspired Christopher Nolan and etched their place in his heart. But most importantly, those classics are what inspired Nolan to create cinematic brilliance through his films.