Christopher Nolan is a person.
Christopher Edward Nolan ( [ ˈnoʊlən ] born 30 July 1970 ) is an English-American film director , screenwriter and producer . He is one of the highest-grossing directors in history , and among the most successful and acclaimed filmmakers of the 21st century . He found further popular and critical success with The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) ; Inception ( 2010 ) , for which he received a second Original Screenplay nomination and one for the Academy Award for Best Picture ; and Interstellar ( 2014 ) . Nolan has co-written several of his films with his younger brother , Jonathan , and runs the production company Syncopy Inc. with his wife , Emma Thomas .