Filming for Christopher Nolan’s latest action thriller Dunkirk is well under way. He is arguably Hollywood’s fiercest psychological tormentor. The world is still reeling from his last mind-boggling drama Interstellar, so are we really ready for another Christopher Nolan film? The answer is a resounding yes.
What we know so far is that it is written and directed by Nolan who based the screenplay on the groundbreaking WWII ‘Dunkirk evacuation’ that took place in 1940. It chronicles the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain and France, who were surrounded by the German military on the beaches of Dunkirk, France.
The film is expected to hit the big screens in July next year, it’s already anticipated to be one of the biggest films of 2017 and once you see the all-star cast you’ll understand why. The film stars big shots Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and heart throb Harry Styles. Yes, that’s right, Harry Styles. This former One Direction member is apparently taking a different direction as he heads to Dunkirk to join an army of extra’s and a fleet full of WWII ships. The boy band member cut off his luscious locks, opting for a more appropriate ’40’s’ look as he makes his big screen debut.
We know Nolan doesn’t do anything on a small scale. He’s notorious for his preference towards realism and authenticity in his filmmaking and so it’s no surprise that he has reportedly just purchased a US$5 million WWII plane. The film is being shot using a 65mm Imax camera by Hoyte van Hoytema, who was the cinematographer for his previous film Interstellar, which, if anything to go by sounds like this is going to be a pretty intense war film. So while the budget is yet to be released, based on Nolan’s previous blockbusters, we can only imagine it will be well into the hundred’s of millions.
The teaser trailer, true to Nolan style, is perfectly mysterious. He proves that sometimes simplicity is key. Without revealing much of the plot or showcasing any of the all-star cast, it’s only a short 66 seconds, but it’s more than enough to keep us hooked. In under a minute we are shown a breathtaking snapshot of the hellish reality that is war. A bank of crashing waves, tarp covered bodies and a ship full of huddled army men as they look towards the sky in sheer terror. The harrowing picture is tied up by the tantalizing score of a ticking clock that mimics an ever-increasing beating heart. The effect is chilling.
Are you ready for another Nolan sensory overload? We are!