The Dark Knight
trilogy actor Gary Oldman recalls the note Christopher Nolan gave him that is one of the best he’s received in his career. Coming off of successes like Memento (2000) and Insomnia (2002), Nolan entered the world of comic book adaptations with Batman Begins in 2005. Christian Bale played the role of Batman, aka Bruce Wayne, throughout Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, with Oldman playing a prominent role as ally Jim Gordon, who eventually becomes Police Commissioner in The Dark Knight (2008).
During a recent interview with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Oldman recalls that filming one scene for The Dark Knight trilogy resulted in Nolan giving him one of the best notes he has ever received from a director. The note was surprisingly simple, with the director simply telling Oldman that there is more at stake for Gordon in the scene in question. Check out Oldman and Colbert’s exchange below:
Stephen Colbert: “Speaking of Nolan, you worked with him on three of his Batman trilogy and appeared as Harry Truman in Oppenheimer. What do you like about him?
Gary Oldman: “Fast. The vision. He knows what film he’s making. You know, the captain.”
Colbert: “It’s not discover as you go.”
Oldman: “No. He’s incredibly prepped. He really knows what he wants and he gave me one of the greatest notes a director has ever given me. I was doing a scene…”
Colbert: “Which movie?”
Oldman: “One of the Batmans. I was doing a scene and he said, ‘Okay, cut.’ And he came up to me and he said, ‘Little more at stake.’ And I went, ‘Yeah. Got it. All right.’ And made the adjustment and we got it and we moved on. I just thought… a good director, to me, should know when not to say something.”
What Nolan & Oldman’s Collaboration Meant For The Dark Knight Trilogy
Nolan’s Take On Batman Was A Hit
Bale is obviously the star of the show in The Dark Knight trilogy, leading the casts of all three installments. The supporting cast members, however, proved instrumental to the trilogy’s success. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker, for example, remains one of the most iconic parts of The Dark Knight. Oldman’s performance may not be quite as flashy, but he is, along with Michael Caine’s Alfred, one of the most prominent characters featured across all three movies. The entire trilogy was remarkably successful both critically and commercially, grossing $2.4 billion worldwide.
Oldman and Nolan’s successful relationship on The Dark Knight trilogy also resulted in the pair reuniting in 2023. Oldman appears briefly as part of the cast of Oppenheimer, playing U.S. President Harry Truman and looking almost unrecognizable while doing so. Nolan is currently in production on his new project, The Odyssey, and Oldman seemingly won’t be appearing in this one. The door is evidently open for more collaborations given Oldman’s comments, however.
Matt Damon leads the cast of The Odyssey, with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Anne Hathaway, among others, also set to appear.
Our Take On Nolan’s Effective Oldman Note
Oldman’s Story Highlights An Underappreciated Nolan Talent
Speaking with actors and helping to shape their performances so that they work as part of a larger creative vision is a crucial part of the job for any director. Though it’s easy to ᴀssociate Nolan as a director with large action set pieces, practical effects, and mind-bending visuals and storytelling, Oldman’s story makes clear that Nolan’s talent extends to actors as well. This was also made very clear with the critically-acclaimed Oppenheimer, a historical drama that consists mostly of characters talking in rooms.
Though there’s seemingly no Nolan and Oldman collaboration planned for the future just yet, it would be exciting to see the pair reunite once more. After Oldman’s role in Oppenheimer proved to essentially be a cameo, their next collaboration will hopefully involve a meatier role for Oldman. It’s too early to speculate what Nolan’s next project after The Odyssey will be, but The Dark Knight trilogy certainly makes a case for a Nolan and Oldman reunion.
Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Dark Knight
- Created by
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Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
- First Film
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Batman Begins
- Latest Film
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The Dark Knight Rises
- Cast
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Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Liam Neeson, Aaron Eckhart
Summary
The Dark Knight franchise, also known as The Dark Knight Trilogy, is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film series directed by Christopher Nolan. It is a darker and more realistic take on the Batman character, exploring themes of justice, chaos, and redemption. The trilogy revitalized the Batman film series and is often credited with raising the bar for superhero films, particularly through its exploration of complex moral dilemmas and the iconic portrayal of villains like the Joker.
