Interstellar is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed sci-fi films of recent times, with Christopher Nolan earning praise for its storytelling and visuals. Co-written with Jonathan Nolan, the film especially stands out for its realistic take on space concepts like wormholes.
There was a time when Steven Spielberg was attached to the project. He was supposed to direct it until things changed. But before Nolan stepped in, the project was actually in the hands of Steven Spielberg. So what changed?
Steven Spielberg Was Originally Attached To Interstellar
Speaking to Empire, Steven Spielberg revealed how he was attached to Interstellar, as per The Telegraph. Producer Lynda Obst and theoretical physicist Kip Thorne were working on an idea based on Thorne’s work. Thorne was also working as a scientific consultant on the project.
Spielberg said, “I was involved with ‘Interstellar’ for a year, and I became fascinated with it. I spent a lot of time at the [Jet Propulsion Laboratory] in Pasadena, California, talking to the scientists there and the aerospace engineers.”
Steven Spielberg was originally attached to direct Interstellar in 2006 and brought on Jonathan Nolan to write the script. However, Spielberg eventually moved on to other projects. In 2012, after his departure, Jonathan pitched the project to his brother Christopher Nolan, and… pic.twitter.com/xC2uTkBxrl
— Christopher Nolan Archives (@NolanAnalyst) August 23, 2025
He further said that he hired Jonathan Nolan to write the screenplay. “I actually hired Chris Nolan’s brother [Jonathan] to write the first and second drafts for me, but it didn’t stick. Jonah actually said, ‘If there comes a point where you decide not to make this movie, I can tell you who’s gonna grab it. He’s already bugging me about it. And that’s my brother Chris.’ He was absolutely right. The second I decided not to make it, Chris jumped on board, probably the next day. ‘Interstellar’ was a much better movie in Chris Nolan’s hands than it would have been in mine.”
Spielberg left the project and went on to direct something else, then Christopher Nolan joined and reworked the script with his brother. In March 2026, Nolan and Timothee Chalamet sat down for a Q&A session for Interstellar. Nolan revealed that Jonathan got a job with Spielberg right after The Dark Knight.
How Christopher Nolan Took Over The Film
He said, “I get to call him Steven. He’s Mr. Spielberg to you. He worked on it for a lot of years. It had incredible ideas and moved through all these different iterations, but until Steven was ready to make it, whatever it is, it never quite got that momentum. Steven went off to do another film, so it became available.”
He added, “I had a lot of conversations with Jonathan over the years, and what he was doing and what his ambition was. I was excited by it. I was incredibly struck by his first act. I had been working on a time travel idea things looking at time. I had half-baked projects that I hadn’t committed to. When it became available, it was a case of me saying to Jonathan, ‘How would you feel if I took this and tried to combine it with some of my ideas and change a bit with what it was?’ He was fine with it.”
More About Interstellar
Interstellar turned out to be a smashing success. It was produced by Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, and Lynda Obst. It takes place in a dystopian Earth where only corn grows due to agricultural blight. The story focuses on a group of astronauts who travel to space in search of a new home for humanity. The film was a major critical and commercial success and was also nominated for eight Oscars. It eventually won in the Best Visual Effects category.
The film starred Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Irwin, among others.
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