Footage of Christopher Nolan’s much anticipated World War II drama Dunkirk has impressed theater owners at CinemaCon.
Christopher Nolan, director of such films as Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy, delighted those in attendance at CinemaCon when he dropped footage of his upcoming film Dunkirk.
Dunkirk tells the story the British military evacuation of Dunkirk during WWII as German soldiers surrounded the stranded Allies. It’s an epic tale, and one that Nolan is fervently passionate about telling.
“Dunkirk and the legend of it is something that British people grow up with – it’s in our DNA,” said Nolan. “The idea of taking this paradoxical situation and putting it on the big screen – it’s something that’s been close to my heart for some time, it’s something I didn’t think I was ready to do”.
The film, which stars Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, and Cillian Murphy, is set to arrive this summer, but theater owners were treated to footage from the film – which seemed to go down rather well.
The Hollywood Reporter provides a brief rundown of the footage on display.
“The footage shown focuses on multiple characters in the same moment in time. There are two young soldiers attempting to get an injured soldier across a bridge crowded with soldiers while, in the sky, Hardy’s character, a fighter pilot, is in battle. Rylance’s character is taking out a boat to the sea below, where a battleship packed with soldiers floats. Over it all is an intense ticking sound, creating tension that promises to lead to an explosive moment”.
Theater owners have long been a fan of the British director, his ardent support for the cinema going experience and preservation of film, winning him many allies. Nolan is also a big proponent of IMAX, a fact which hasn’t changed during the filming of Dunkirk.
“This is the first time we’re using IMAX cameras to their full effect. We’ve been using them more and more starting with The Dark Knight,” Nolan said during his presentation of the footage.
Continuing in his usual trend, Nolan also assured attendees that Dunkirk, which is shot entirely in large format film by Hoyte van Hoytema, would be available in IMAX film, IMAX digital, 70mm film, 35mm film and DCPs (Digital Cinema Packages).
Dunkirk is set for release on July 21st 2017 and features a cast that includes Nolan regulars Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy alongside Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, Jack Lowden, James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Tom Glynn-Carney and newcomer Fionn Whitehead.
Originally published March 30, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
