MANILA, Philippines — Filmmaker Christopher Nolan lauded singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for the release of her concert movie "The Eras Tour," which went straight to cinemas without the backing of a major distributor.
Nolan and his wife and co-producer Emma Thomas were interviewed by author Kai Bird during an event at the City University of New York last week just before "The Eras Tour" film premiered globally.
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Bird penned the book "American Prometheus," which Nolan adapted into the blockbuster "Oppenheimer," starring Cillian Murphy as the titular scientist who created the atomic bomb.
"Oppenheimer" is currently the highest-grossing biopic of all time with $942 million (P53.5 billion) at the box office.
The director's praise for Swift stems from her decision to team up with a theater owner rather than a studio to distribute the concert movie that is "going to make an enormous amount of money."
Related: Taylor Swift takes 'Eras Tour' to Hollywood
"This is the thing, [theatrical exhibition is] a format and a way of seeing things and sharing stories, or sharing experiences, that's incredibly valuable. And if [the studios] don't want it, somebody else will. So that's just the truth of it," Nolan added.
According to reports, Swift will receive around 57% of ticket sales while the remainder will go to theaters, meaning the artist will make over $60 million (P3.4 billion) from the film alone.
Another filmmaker, Shawn Levy, previously praised Swift for her creative vision and even compared her to legendary director Steven Spielberg.
"The depth of her vision for how she wants a creative piece to be, whether it's a lyric, a melody, a bridge, a concert tour, a video — it's profound," Levy said. "It's profoundly vivid, and she has the strength of her convictions."