Steven Spielberg thinks Christopher Nolan’s superhero classic The Dark Knight would have received a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars if it was released today.
Speaking on the decision in recent years to expand the Best Picture pool of nominees to 10 films, Spielberg told Deadline, "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."
The Dark Knight may not have got a Best Picture nod at the time, but Heath Ledger received a posthumous award in 2009 for Best Supporting Actor after his iconic reinvention of Joker in Nolan’s Bat-sequel.
Spielberg also pointed out the inclusion of Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water on the list of this year’s Best Picture nominees – the first time that multiple sequels have been nominated for the top award in the same year – as something that should be lauded.
"Having these two blockbusters solidly presented on the top 10 list is something we should all be celebrating," Spielberg said.
Spielberg, whose new movie The Fabelmans has been nominated seven times at the 95th Academy Awards including best director and best picture, also revealed that he doesn’t have a next project set in stone. He previously teased he would be open to directing a limited series in future.
The 2023 Oscars nominations saw Everything Everywhere All at Once lead the way with 11 nominations. The Banshees of Inisherin and All Quiet on the Western Front each received nine nominations and Elvis was not far behind with eight nominations.
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