Christopher Nolan says he told Ryan Coogler it 'wasn’t crazy' to shoot 'Sinners' in IMAX

Nolan said he has always believed directors should embrace the format when it serves the story

Christopher Nolan has revealed that he encouraged Ryan Coogler to film Sinners using IMAX cameras, assuring the director that the ambitious decision "wasn't crazy" despite the technical and financial challenges involved.

Speaking during a conversation with Coogler at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, Nolan recalled the phone call in which the Black Panther filmmaker sought advice about shooting his supernatural thriller in the premium large-format technology.

"I remember saying to you, 'You're not crazy,'" Nolan said. "I said, 'You should do it.'" He added that he believed Coogler was the right filmmaker to push the format in a bold new direction.

Coogler admitted he initially questioned whether filming Sinners in IMAX was practical, given the scale of the production and the complexity of using large-format cameras. However, Nolan's confidence helped convince him to move forward with the decision.

Released in 2025, Sinners became the first film to combine IMAX 70mm and Ultra Panavision 70 photography throughout its production. The film went on to earn widespread critical acclaim and became one of the year's biggest commercial successes, with its large-format presentation receiving particular praise from audiences and critics.

Nolan, one of Hollywood's most vocal advocates for IMAX filmmaking, said he has always believed directors should embrace the format when it serves the story. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has used IMAX extensively on films including The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Tenet, Oppenheimer and his upcoming epic The Odyssey.

Coogler said shooting Sinners in IMAX ultimately transformed the film, allowing viewers to become fully immersed in its world. He credited Nolan's encouragement with giving him the confidence to pursue the technically demanding approach.

The conversation highlighted the mutual admiration between the two filmmakers, with Nolan praising Coogler's willingness to take creative risks and expand the possibilities of large-format cinema. As more directors experiment with IMAX, Nolan suggested that films like Sinners demonstrate how the format can be used for more than spectacle, enhancing intimate storytelling as well as blockbuster action.