Jonathan Nolan, also known as Jonah, has found a new sense of humor in his latest project, Fallout. After years of working on serious movie fare with his brother Christopher Nolan and creating the hit series Westworld, Jonah directs the first three episodes of the Prime Video streaming series. Alongside his wife and creative collaborator Lisa Joy, he serves as an executive producer on Fallout, a series adaptation of the popular video game franchise by Todd Howard and Bethesda Softworks. The show is set in a post-apocalyptic world 200 years after nuclear blasts ravaged the U.S., featuring iconic elements from the game like vault dwellers, ghouls, raiders, and the Brotherhood of Steel.
Lead by Ella Purnell as vault dweller Lucy MacLean and Kyle McLachlan as her father Hank, the cast of Fallout also includes Walton Goggins as The Ghoul and Aaron Moten as Brotherhood of Steel squire Maximus. Though the premise of the show is dark and rooted in a nuclear apocalypse, Nolan emphasizes that there are plenty of comedic moments throughout the series. He admits that Fallout is the closest he has come to working on a comedy in his career, citing the dark, violent, political, and subversive nature of the original games that also contain humor and light-heartedness.
One of the highlights of working on Fallout for Nolan was the opportunity to collaborate with talented creators from the comedy world. Showrunners and head script writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, known for their work on comedy hits like The Office, Silicon Valley, and Portlandia, brought their expertise to the series. The cast, which includes comedy veterans like Kyle McLachlan and Walton Goggins, added to the comedic elements of the show. Nolan, who has primarily worked on dramas and dark superhero films with his brother, found the experience of working on Fallout to be both exciting and challenging, particularly with opportunities for improvisation and playfulness.
While Nolan’s past projects have required precision and adherence to the script, Fallout allowed for more flexibility and fun on set. The scripts for the show were well-written, but there was room for improvisation and exploration, which was a new experience for Nolan. The series, consisting of eight episodes, has been well-received by audiences, leading to a renewal for a second season on Prime Video. With its unique blend of dark themes, humor, and action, Fallout marks a new chapter in Jonathan Nolan’s career, showcasing his versatility as a director and producer. As the show continues to gain popularity, audiences can expect more laughter and excitement in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout.
