Christopher Nolan has taken on a new project, but it’s not another mind-bending epic or history-shaping drama; it’s arguably his biggest and most challenging role yet. The <em>Oppenheimer</em> director has officially been elected president of the Directors Guild of America, putting him in the middle of the film industry’s labor and creative negotiations for the foreseeable future.

Nolan succeeds Lesli Linka Glatter, who served two terms since first being elected in 2021, and now steps into one of Hollywood’s most powerful union positions just as the industry faces huge changes. Nolan, as president of the DGA, will oversee the representation of more than 19,500 members, from the most famous auteurs in all of Hollywood to up-and-comers and TV directors-for-hire. Nolan has been part of its national board for years, and he issued the following statement:

“To be elected President of the Directors Guild of America is one of the greatest honors of my career. Our industry is experiencing tremendous change, and I thank the Guild’s membership for entrusting me with this responsibility. I also want to thank President Glatter for her leadership over the past four years. I look forward to collaborating with her and the newly elected Board to achieve important creative and economic protections for our members.”

In a statement, the AMPTP added: “The AMPTP congratulates Christopher Nolan on his election as president of the Directors Guild of America. We look forward to partnering with President Nolan to address the issues most important to DGA members while ensuring our member companies remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry.”

What Will Christopher Nolan Do as DGA President?

The DGA has recently been focusing on lobbying for set safety, including starting a pilot program that requires a safety supervisor on productions supported by California’s film and TV tax credit, while the guild has also pushed to expand streaming residuals and successfully fought to broaden California’s tax incentive for more productions.

That fight will continue under Nolan, especially with contract talks looming in 2026. The last cycle, in 2023, was especially notable because the DGA was the only one of the “Big Three” unions to reach a deal without striking — and we all remember how that went. Next time around, things may be different: not only is the guild fighting for higher foreign streaming residuals, but it will also face the AMPTP under new leadership. Greg Hessinger, a former Screen Actors Guild executive, now heads the studio alliance.

Nolan is currently at work on The Odyssey, a historical epic starring an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon, which is due to release in May 2026.