Now, if you really want to understand what makes a Nolan film tick — and trust us,The Odyssey will be a lot more rewarding if you do — you need to take the time to experience his work in a certain order. It’s not just about watching movies; it’s about following the journey of a director who redefined modern cinema with his manipulation of time, memory, and perception.

The correct order to watch Nolan’s films

Now the uncontested order to watch Nolan’s films is this: Memento (2000), Following (1998), Insomnia (2002), Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020), Oppenheimer (2023). But you’re always allowed to ask why. Well, it’s all about understanding the evolution of Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker; each film builds on the one before it, adding new layers to his distinctive storytelling style.

Starting with Memento is a no-brainer. It’s the film that launched Nolan into the spotlight, and its non-linear structure is the perfect introduction to his love for playing with time. The narrative is fragmented and tricky, asking viewers to solve the puzzle alongside the main character, and this will set the tone for many of his later works. After Memento, you go back to Following, his lesser-known first feature, which gives you a deeper look into the themes that would define his later films: obsession, memory, and identity.

Once you’ve seen these early films, Insomnia (a remake of a 1997 Norwegian thriller of the same name) is a natural next step. While it’s a bit more conventional, it still introduces Nolan’s ability to work within a high-stakes psychological drama. It’s a solid transition from his indie beginnings to Hollywood, and it’s interesting to see how his style adapts to bigger budgets and more established actors.

Then comes the Batman trilogy. Watching these films together — Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises — gives you a great overview of Nolan’s talent. It could be said that the man redefined superhero movies, making them darker and more psychologically complex. You’ll see how his characters wrestle with morality, fear, and identity, themes that would become central to his later films.

After this superhero trilogy, The Prestige is the perfect follow-up. The film is a brilliant exploration of obsession, rivalry, and the cost of ambition, all wrapped up in a twist-heavy narrative that’s quintessentially Nolan. It shows a shift towards more intricate, non-linear storytelling, paving the way for Inception, which takes Nolan’s signature time manipulation to new, surreal heights.

Once you’ve seen Inception, you’re ready for Interstellar — a film that marries grand scientific ideas with emotional storytelling. It’s a natural progression, moving from dream worlds to the actual universe itself. From there, Dunkirk serves as a contrast, a more grounded, visceral experience that focuses on real-time survival. Tenet is the next logical step, pushing Nolan’s time-bending obsession to the extreme with its mind-bending premise, and finally, you wrap it up with Academy award-winning Oppenheimer, which is a return to deep ethical questions through the lens of history and science.

Watching Nolan’s films in this order not only enhances your understanding of his cinematic evolution but also prepares you for the intricate layers in his latest works. It’s a journey through time, mind, and morality — each film contributing to the masterpiece that is the Nolan-verse.