Christopher Nolan’s Most Underrated Movie Is Andy Serkis’ Favorite Movie

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Andy Serkis has shared his opinion on which Christopher Nolan film is the best, and his pick might surprise you.

Christopher Nolan has been directing full-length films since 1998, but he first gained widespread attention in 2000 with the release of Memento. Since then, he’s created a diverse body of work, ranging from critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated movies like Dunkirk and Oppenheimer, to popular action films such as The Dark Knight trilogy.

When asked about his favorite Christopher Nolan film, Andy Serkis immediately chose The Prestige. He told Variety it’s “one of [his] favorite films” and, unusually, a movie he actually enjoys watching himself. Here’s the full quote from Serkis:

I genuinely enjoy watching that movie. It’s rare for me to feel comfortable watching films I’m actually in, but this is definitely one of my favorites. And of course, I had the amazing opportunity to work with David Bowie!

Released in 2006, The Prestige is a historical drama directed by Christopher Nolan. The film tells the story of two rival magicians whose fierce competition consumes their lives as they strive to create the most incredible illusion. It was Nolan’s fifth film and came out between the first and second Dark Knight movies.

Starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, The Prestige boasts a talented supporting cast including Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, David Bowie, and Andy Serkis. Serkis collaborated closely with Bowie to portray Mr. Alley, the captivating assistant to Nikola Tesla.

Despite what the title might suggest, this film hasn’t received nearly the same acclaim as Christopher Nolan’s other well-known movies like Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight, or Interstellar. In several ways – including how much money it made, what critics thought, and how many awards it received – it’s one of Nolan’s less successful films.

Actually, The Prestige holds up surprisingly well when you consider its financial performance. It’s difficult to directly compare to Christopher Nolan’s later films because it had a much smaller budget – just $40 million, compared to $100 million for Oppenheimer or $205 million for Tenet.

Despite its complex nature, The Prestige did well financially. While $109.6 million worldwide isn’t a huge number for a Christopher Nolan film, it likely earned a profit. Most films need to earn two to 2.5 times their production budget – including marketing and distribution – to break even, and The Prestige probably cleared that hurdle.

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, earning scores of 66% on Metacritic and 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes loved it even more, giving it a 92% rating based on over 250,000 votes. Considering positive feedback from critics like Serkis and past viewers, it might be time to revisit The Prestige.

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2026-05-11 00:58