Every Christopher Nolan Movie, Ranked
Originally published in 2020. Updated July 2023 to add Oppenheimer.
Whether it is by taking existing franchises (Batman) to new heights or creating memorable original works in genres ranging from sci-fi to war drama, Christopher Nolan has established himself as one of the top directors of the 21st century. In the gallery on this page we rank every film directed by Nolan throughout his career from worst to best by Metascore, a number from 0-100 that captures the opinions of top professional critics (with higher numbers indicating better reviews).
Easily one of the best (if not the best) comic book movies ever made, Nolan's second Batman feature is the director's first billion-dollar-grossing film (exceeded only by the film's sequel, and just barely at that) while also ranking #2 among the director's works in terms of critical acclaim. Reviewers singled out the performance of Heath Ledger as The Joker, and the actor (who died just months before the film's release) would go on to win a best supporting actor Oscar for his work. In all, The Dark Knight received eight Academy Award nominations, though it was omitted from the best picture race to the disappointment of many fans and industry observers.
“Enthralling...An ambitious, full-bodied crime epic of gratifying scope and moral complexity, this is seriously brainy pop entertainment that satisfies every expectation raised by its hit predecessor and then some.” —Justin Chang, Variety