Before Batman began, Christopher Nolan was initially hired to direct another Trojan epic

After years of speculation, Christopher Nolan clears up why he went from Troy to Gotham.

By Matt Schimkowitz | November 21, 2025 | 7:14pm

(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage)

Film News Christopher Nolan

Before Batman began, Christopher Nolan was initially hired to direct another Trojan epic

In one of the more interesting Sliding Doors moments in modern Hollywood history, one that intersects with another, Christopher Nolan confirmed to Empire magazine that, before he signed on to direct Batman Begins, Warner Bros. had hired him to direct the Brad Pitt epic Troy. However, when Warner Bros. pulled the plug on director Wolfgang Petersen’s Batman Vs. Superman movie, and the studio wanted Petersen for Troy and needed something for Nolan. According to Batman Begins screenwriter David S. Goyer on an episode of Happy Sad Confused [per World Of Reel] a few months ago, they needed a “consolation prize” for Nolan. After years of speculation, Nolan cleared things up.

“I was originally hired by Warner Bros. to direct Troy. Wolfgang had developed it, and so when the studio decided not to proceed with his superhero movie, he wanted it back,” Nolan said. “At the end of the day, it was a world that I was very interested to explore. So it’s been at the back of my mind for a very long time. Certain images, particularly. How I wanted to handle the Trojan horse, things like that.”

Though it had previously been reported that Nolan had been hired to direct Troy, why he dropped out remained unclear. A 2013 Nikki Finke article for Deadline reported that he left because “he wasn’t feeling it,” which led him to Batman. Still, when Warner Bros. announced he would direct the reboot, he made no mention of Troy.

“All I can say is that I grew up with Batman, I’ve been fascinated by him and I’m excited to contribute to the lore surrounding the character,” Nolan said in 2003. “He is the most credible and realistic of the superheroes, and has the most complex human psychology. His superhero qualities come from within. He’s not a magical character. I had a fantastic experience with the studio on Insomnia, and I’m keen to repeat that experience.”

At the time and in hindsight, this was obviously the right decision. Coming off Air Force One, Petersen had made The Perfect Storm for Warner Bros., and his Troy turned out to be a bigger hit for the studio than Batman Begins. Meanwhile, that “consolation prize” launched Nolan’s Hollywood career in earnest. It put him on the path to becoming the most recognizable filmmaker on the planet. Now, he finally gets to stage the Trojan Horse sequence of his dreams in The Odyssey.

[via Variety]

Correction: An earlier version of this article misattributed the “consolation prize” quote to Christopher Nolan. This was incorrect. Screenwriter David S. Goyer described it as such. We regret the error.

Keep scrolling for more great stories from The A.V. Club.

Join the discussion...