The director who has helmed some of the biggest and most acclaimed films of the last two decades is assembling another impressive ensemble for his next project. Christopher Nolan is getting ready to begin shooting his next mysterious feature film in early 2025, and Lupita Nyong’o has just been added to the cast.
While details on the actual plot and genre of this new Nolan film are being kept tightly under wraps, we now know that it is shaping up to have one of the most star-studded casts in recent memory. The latest A-lister to join the project, Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, will make her first appearance in a Nolan film (thanks THR).
Nyong’o, known for her acclaimed roles in movies like 12 Years a Slave, Black Panther, and the recent hit A Quiet Place: Day One, joins a cast that already includes the likes of Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Zendaya. It’s a mix of top talent from across different generations and genres, which is par for the course when it comes to Nolan assembling his casts.
As is typical with Nolan projects, specific details about Nyong’o’s role and the overall premise of the film are being kept on the hush-hush. Various rumors have swirled, ranging from a period vampire thriller to an action-packed helicopter drama, but insiders maintain that none of those rumors have come close to the actual story Nolan has cooked up.
What we do know is that Nolan wrote the script and will be directing and producing the film through his Syncopy production company, with his longtime partner Emma Thomas also producing. Universal Pictures, the studio behind Oppenheimer, has already set a release date of July 17, 2026, for the new project, suggesting Nolan and his team are looking to deliver another major cinematic event.
For Nyong’o, this marks a reunion with Universal Pictures, as she recently lent her voice to the studio’s animated hit The Wild Robot and also starred in their Jordan Peele horror film Us. But working with the meticulous and distinguished filmmaker Nolan will undoubtedly be a new experience, and one she’s no doubt eager to dive into.