Jonathan Nolan
Encyclopedia
Jonathan "Jonah" Nolan is a British-American author
and screenwriter
. His short story
"Memento Mori
" was used by his brother, director Christopher Nolan
, as the basis for the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film Memento. He has also co-written the screenplays for The Prestige
and The Dark Knight
, with his brother. He recently created the CBS drama Person of Interest
.
father and American
mother. He was raised in the Chicago
area. Nolan attended Loyola Academy
in Wilmette, Illinois
, graduating in 1994, and then graduated from Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
, in 1999, where he majored in English.
While his brother, Christopher, speaks with a British English
accent, Jonathan speaks with an American English
accent.
: "I’ve always suspected that it has something to do with the fact that he’s left-handed and I’m right-handed, because he’s somehow able to look at my ideas and flip them around in a way that’s just a little bit more twisted and interesting. It’s great to be able to work with him like that." In addition, they also contrast in the way they speak; both brothers have mixed American and British accents, Jonathan has a more American accent while Christopher has a more British accent.
On March 23, 2007, it was announced he would pen Interstellar, a science fiction film
. It is based on the theories of Kip Thorne
, a theoretical physicist known for his prolific contributions in gravitation physics
and astrophysics
and for having trained a generation of scientists. The film is being directed by Steven Spielberg
and is scheduled to be released in 2013.
On February 9, 2010, it was revealed that Nolan is currently working with his brother and David S. Goyer
on the third Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises
, which began filming on May 6, 2011.
On February 10, 2011, it was revealed that Nolan's TV pilot Person of Interest
had been picked up by CBS
and was in consideration for the network's Fall 2011 schedule. The show was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and will star Michael Emerson
, Jim Caviezel, and Taraji P. Henson
. It will be produced by J. J. Abrams
through his Bad Robot Productions
production company, and Nolan will also act as an executive producer
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. His short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"Memento Mori
Memento Mori (short story)
"Memento Mori" is a short story written by Jonathan Nolan and published in the March 2001 edition of Esquire magazine. It was the basis for the film feature film Memento.-Plot:...
" was used by his brother, director Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan
Christopher Jonathan James Nolan is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer.He received serious notice after his second feature Memento , which he wrote and directed based on a story idea by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. Jonathan went to co-write later scripts with him,...
, as the basis for the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film Memento. He has also co-written the screenplays for The Prestige
The Prestige (film)
The Prestige is a 2006 mystery thriller film written, directed and co-produced by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from Christopher Priest's 1995 novel of the same name. The story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century...
and The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (film)
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
, with his brother. He recently created the CBS drama Person of Interest
Person of Interest (TV series)
Person of Interest is an American crime drama television series broadcasting on CBS. It is based on a screenplay developed by J. J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and debuted on September 22, 2011. On October 25, 2011 the show was picked up...
.
Early life
He was born in London, England, to an EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
father and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mother. He was raised in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. Nolan attended Loyola Academy
Loyola Academy
Loyola Academy is a private, co-educational college preparatory high school, located in Wilmette, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, it is one of 47 Jesuit high schools in the United States and is a member of the Jesuit Secondary Education...
in Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
, graduating in 1994, and then graduated from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1999, where he majored in English.
While his brother, Christopher, speaks with a British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
accent, Jonathan speaks with an American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
accent.
Career
Nolan describes his successful working relationship with his brother in the production notes of The PrestigeThe Prestige (film)
The Prestige is a 2006 mystery thriller film written, directed and co-produced by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from Christopher Priest's 1995 novel of the same name. The story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century...
: "I’ve always suspected that it has something to do with the fact that he’s left-handed and I’m right-handed, because he’s somehow able to look at my ideas and flip them around in a way that’s just a little bit more twisted and interesting. It’s great to be able to work with him like that." In addition, they also contrast in the way they speak; both brothers have mixed American and British accents, Jonathan has a more American accent while Christopher has a more British accent.
On March 23, 2007, it was announced he would pen Interstellar, a science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
. It is based on the theories of Kip Thorne
Kip Thorne
Kip Stephen Thorne is an American theoretical physicist, known for his prolific contributions in gravitation physics and astrophysics and for having trained a generation of scientists...
, a theoretical physicist known for his prolific contributions in gravitation physics
Gravitation
Gravitation, or gravity, is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped...
and astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
and for having trained a generation of scientists. The film is being directed by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
and is scheduled to be released in 2013.
On February 9, 2010, it was revealed that Nolan is currently working with his brother and David S. Goyer
David S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...
on the third Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises is an upcoming epic superhero film. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film will be the third and final installment in Nolan's Batman film series, and is a sequel to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight...
, which began filming on May 6, 2011.
On February 10, 2011, it was revealed that Nolan's TV pilot Person of Interest
Person of Interest (TV series)
Person of Interest is an American crime drama television series broadcasting on CBS. It is based on a screenplay developed by J. J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and debuted on September 22, 2011. On October 25, 2011 the show was picked up...
had been picked up by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and was in consideration for the network's Fall 2011 schedule. The show was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and will star Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Benjamin Linus on Lost and fictional serial killer William Hinks in The Practice.-Early life:...
, Jim Caviezel, and Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Yvette in Baby Boy , Shug in Hustle and Flow and Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2009...
. It will be produced by J. J. Abrams
J. J. Abrams
Jeffrey Jacob "J. J." Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity...
through his Bad Robot Productions
Bad Robot Productions
Bad Robot Productions is an American film and television production company owned by J. J. Abrams. It is responsible for the television series Alias, Lost, What About Brian, Fringe, Six Degrees, Undercovers, Person of Interest and the feature length films Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol , ...
production company, and Nolan will also act as an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
.
Filmography
- Memento (2000) - original story
- The PrestigeThe Prestige (film)The Prestige is a 2006 mystery thriller film written, directed and co-produced by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from Christopher Priest's 1995 novel of the same name. The story follows Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, rival stage magicians in London at the end of the 19th century...
(2006) - screenplay (with Christopher Nolan) - The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (film)The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
(2008) - screenplay (with Christopher Nolan) - The Dark Knight RisesThe Dark Knight RisesThe Dark Knight Rises is an upcoming epic superhero film. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film will be the third and final installment in Nolan's Batman film series, and is a sequel to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight...
(2012) - screenplay (with Christopher Nolan)