Renowned director Steven Spielberg believes that Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight should have earned a Best Picture nomination in 2009. The movie received eight Oscar nominations, including Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor in his portrayal of Joker, but Best Picture was nowhere in the list.
During that time, only five movies were allowed to be nominated. Today, the Academy Awards grants ten slots for deserving films.
Steven Spielberg Talks About Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight
Speaking with Deadline, Steven Spielberg talked about his new semi-autobiographical project called The Fabelmans. He also expressed his enthusiasm for two of the biggest films of last year, Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick. The director mentioned Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which he believes would get nominated for Best Picture had it been made today:
“I’m really encouraged by that. It came late for the film that should have been nominated a number of years ago, Christopher Nolan’s, The Dark Knight. That movie would have definitely garnered a Best Picture Nomination today, so having these two blockbusters solidly presented on the top 10 list is something we should all be celebrating.”
The Dark Knight is one of the greatest hallmarks of comic book movies, and although it won several accolades, the Best Picture snub was a huge deal. This created a shift in the rules and regulations of the event, revising the line-up from five to ten entries. The franchise certainly paved the way for more blockbuster films to get recognized in the category.
Sequels aren’t usually taken into consideration when it comes to Best Picture, but The Dark Knight changed the game and set an example. Now, two sequel films (Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick) made it to the Best Picture nomination.
Spielberg was right when he said that if Nolan’s The Dark Knight was released today, it would outperform a lot of blockbuster movies.
Can The Batman Sequel Stand A Chance To Win An Oscar Nomination?
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the latest project in the franchise, and Robert Pattinson’s return as the Caped Crusader is one to look out for. The film is obviously inspired by the original film series, with an evident dark tone and gripping storyline. The Batman sequel promises to be something different from Nolan’s version.
There is always a possibility that The Batman sequel could do a repeat performance and win a nomination at the Oscars. Now that the event has opened more rooms for submission, fans can only wait and see what surprises Reeves, Pattinson and the rest of The Batman team have in store for the audience.
Source: Deadline
