While offering his opinion about serious subjects such as nuclear war and male hubris during the press tour for Oppenheimer, director Christopher Nolan also revealed that he adores the Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. For a filmmaker who had previously spoken glowingly about the likes of David Lean and Stanley Kubrick, this statement felt straight out of left-field. Talladega Nights had emerged as something of a cult favorite over the years, but nobody could’ve expected someone as seemingly serious as Nolan to endorse it. And yet, he’s the same filmmaker who said that he has “no guilt” about enjoying the Fast & Furious movies as well. He has another opportunity to check out Talladega Nights, now that it’s witnessing a spike in interest on streaming.
According to FlixPatrol, the comedy was among the 10 most-watched titles on the domestic Paramount+ charts earlier this week, when the leader board was topped by another cult Ferrell and Reilly vehicle, Step Brothers. Released in 2006, Talladega Nights was directed by Adam McKay and co-produced by Judd Apatow during his heyday. The movie made over $170 million globally against a reported budget of just over $70 million. It featured Ferrell as a NASCAR driver and Reilly as his partner; Sacha Baron Cohen played the antagonist, an eccentric French driver. Talladega Nights earned mostly positive reviews, and is now sitting at a 72% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Though it occasionally stalls, Talladega Nights’ mix of satire, clever gags, and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner’s circle.”
Christopher Nolan’s Next Epic Is ‘The Odyssey’
On The Rich Eisen Show, Nolan was asked to name a few movies that he absolutely cannot stop watching once he starts. He said, “I mean, god, anything by Kubrick, you know? It’s a remote drop. And some of the great comedies too. I mean Talladega Nights, I’m never gonna be able to switch that up.” Appearing on Stephen Colbert‘s show, Nolan also proudly voiced his love for the Fast & Furious franchise, and was shocked when Colbert said that he’d never seen any movie in it.
“I have no guilt about being a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise,” Nolan said. “A tremendous action franchise… You’ve never seen any of them? I watch those movies all the time. I love them. I’m amazed you’ve never seen one of them. It’s only the last few where a specific arc and mythology develop. I would start with Tokyo Drift and watch it as its own thing.”
Nolan is now putting together his massive new movie, The Odyssey, set for release next year. You can watch his favorite comedy, Talladega Nights, at home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
- August 4, 2006
- Runtime
- 108 minutes
- Director
- Adam McKay
- Producers
- Jimmy Miller, Judd Apatow
