Christopher Nolan has landed a new gig, but it isn’t directing a new blockbuster; it is as head of the Directors Guild of America. Nolan has been a member of the DGA since 2001 and has served on the union’s national board and the Western Directors Council since 2015. He is currently the chair of the union’s theatrical creative rights committee and its artificial intelligence committee. According to Deadline, Nolan was chosen by 167 delegates, who represent the 19,500-strong union of directors, and will succeed Lesli Linka Glatter. Nolan called the appointment “one of the greatest honors of my career” and said:
“Our industry is experiencing tremendous change, and I thank the Guild’s membership for entrusting me with this responsibility. I also want to thank President Glatter for her leadership over the past four years. I look forward to collaborating with her and the newly elected Board to achieve important creative and economic protections for our members.”
In addition to Nolan, high-profile names were appointed to serve alongside Nolan. These names include Laura Belsey (The Walking Dead) as National Vice President, Todd Holland (The Wizard) as First Vice-President, Ron Howard (Apollo 13) as Second Vice-President, Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball) as Third Vice-President, Seith Mann (#FreeRayshawn) as Fourth Vice-President, Millicent Shelton (30 Rock) as Fifth Vice-President, Lily Olszewski as Sixth Vice-President, Paris Barclay (Sons of Anarchy) re-elected as Secretary-Treasurer, and Joyce Thomas as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) released a statement congratulating Nolan, saying:
“The AMPTP congratulates Christopher Nolan on his election as President of the Directors Guild of America. We look forward to partnering with President Nolan to address the issues most important to DGA members while ensuring our member companies remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry.”
Christopher Nolan’s Negotiation Strategy Will Serve the Guild Well
Nolan is one of the most successful directors of his generation and one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. From The Dark Knight to Inception and his recent Best Picture winner Oppenheimer, Nolan has become a brand name unto himself as a director who can draw in audiences and turn seemingly any film into a blockbuster. His next film, The Odyssey, is set to open on July 17, 2026, and is expected to be one of the biggest films of next year. The opening night IMAX tickets went on sale a year in advance and sold out within minutes.
Nolan’s appointment to the head of the DGA just a year before the guild enters its latest negotiations over its basic agreement with studios and streamers next year, with their current contract set to conclude on June 30, 2026, three weeks before The Odyssey opens in theaters. Negotiations are expected to begin in early 2026. While both the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) went on strike in 2023, the DGA was the only one that struck a deal before work stopped.
Given Nolan’s tireless efforts to preserve the theatrical experience and directors’ creative rights, he is certainly the type of filmmaker the guild wants to represent them in upcoming negotiations. Nolan himself has also proven to be a key negotiator, as after he left Warner Bros. in 2021, he successfully negotiated a strong deal with Universal Pictures for Oppenheimer, which ultimately yielded a $975.8 million worldwide gross and eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Nolan. Having the biggest director currently in Hollywood leading the DGA is a huge win for the union and another achievement in the director’s impressive career.
