Christopher Nolan’s ‘Batman Begins’ Pitch Was Only 15 Minutes Long

Director Christopher Nolan’s pitch for his 2005 flick Batman Begins was reportedly only 15 minutes long. Apparently that’s all it took to get the studio to move forward with the project.

Fans who pick up the The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray box set are no doubt ready and willing to pour over the countless special features the package offers. Included among the goodies is an interview with Warner Bros. production president Greg Silverman.

Although Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins pitch was short and to the point, it was enough to convince Warner Bros. that the project needed to happen as soon as possible.

“The pitch that Chris had… it was quick. It was ten or 15 minutes. But it was so holistic, and it really was ‘Batman Begins,” Silverman explained.

Former Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov said the Interstellar director essentially walked in and told the studio exactly what he wanted to do with the franchise. He also gave executives a taste of what the movie would look like.

Robinov said:

Chris came in and said, ‘Look, this is what I want to do in the movie. This is what I want to do with it visually. This is where I think the character needs to go. I think it’s going to be different than any superhero movie anybody’s seen before. And what I really want to do is take that genre and embrace it as a real film genre.

The gamble certainly paid off for Nolan and Warner Bros. Batman Begins would help relaunch one of the studio’s most beloved franchises and help pave the way for more serious-minded superhero flicks.

The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray set hits shelves on Tuesday (September 24). The suggested retail price for the set is $99.99, though chances are eagle-eyed fans will be able to find the set for a lot less at various online retailers.

Are you surprised that Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins pitch was only 15 minutes long?

[Image via Warner Bros. Pictures]