Interstellar Study Guide

In 2014, Christopher Nolan's epic science-fiction odyssey Interstellar exploded into

theaters with the kind of gravitas associated with only a handful of its genre predecessors. It was
Nolan's first movie after finishing direction on the Dark Knight trilogy, and the acclaimed
director pulled out all the stops (literally, in the case of composer Hans Zimmer) to bring
audiences a gripping, strongly-acted, well-written thrill ride of scientifically-accurate space
exploration.
Interstellar's conception began in 2005, when film producer Lynda Obst phoned theoretical
physicist and future executive producer Kip Thorne to brainstorm ideas for a sci-fi film that
would go beyond what most before it had dared to show or tell, depicting "the most exotic events
in the universe suddenly becoming accessible to humans." After bringing Steven Spielberg on
board as a potential director, the team hired screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, brother of Christopher
Nolan, to tackle the screenplay. Jonathan churned out three versions of the story between 2008
and 2010, studying relativity at the California Institute of Technology while writing to ensure the
script's scientific accuracy. He drew inspiration from sci-fi films with apocalyptic themes, such
as WALL-E  (2008) and Avatar (2009). However, when Steven Spielberg was forced to drop
from the project in 2009, the film was left suddenly in limbo, without a director. It would remain
that way for 2.5 years.
In 2012, after some prodding from his brother and Thorne, Christopher Nolan signed on to
direct Interstellar, as well as to write the final version of the screenplay. The total budget for
the film was set at an incredible $165 million, dually funded by Paramount Pictures and Warner
Brothers Studios. Principal photography lasted four months in such locations as Iceland (on a
glacier, no less, to set the world of Dr. Mann's stark, barren planet), various parts of Canada,
and Los Angeles. After a series of early screenings for The California Science Center and the
Screen Actors Guild, the film opened in select American theaters on November 5, 2014, and
more widely on November 7, 2014.
Interstellar grossed $132.6 million globally in its opening weekend, and would go on to earn a
massive $675.1 million worldwide. The film was lauded by critics and general audiences alike
for its stunning visuals, strong acting performances, powerful soundtrack, and bizarre and
ambitious story. Scientists additionally applauded it for its painstaking dedication to scientific
accuracy, from the effects of gravity on time to the visual depiction of wormholes and black
holes. In fact, the film provided such an accurate image of what a black hole looks like that it
went on to inspire two scientific papers. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film
now has a rating of 71% based on 319 reviews, with a rating average of 7/10. The site's critical
consensus reads, "Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually
resplendent film-making moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher
Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp."