Nolan released his first feature, Following, in 1998. But it was his sophomore effort on Memento (2000) as a writer-director that really caught Hollywood's attention. Inspired by one of his brother Jonathan's short stories, Nolan crafted a disorienting and often dizzying psychological puzzle about a man who suffers from short-term memory loss. Among other honors, the film earned two Oscar nods for writing and editing.

In the wake of Memento's success, Nolan signed on to the new Batman franchise, directing Batman Begins (2005) and Dark Knight (2008), co-writing the latter film with his brother. Other credits include Insomnia (2002) and The Prestige (2006).