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The Oscar-winning director made the comments during his first appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Host Jimmy Fallon asked Nolan whether he would ever consider directing an 'easy' project, specifically suggesting a romantic comedy.
Nolan, known for films including "Interstellar," "Inception," "Dunkirk," "Oppenheimer,'" and 'The Dark Knight' trilogy, said he admires the genre but would not attempt it himself.
'I think doing a rom-com would be incredibly difficult,' Nolan said. 'I love watching those movies. But, no, I think people who direct comedy, people who do comedy, I think that's one of the hardest things in the world to make people laugh that way.'
He added that comedy carries a unique risk compared with other genres. 'When you make a film, if I show a film to people and maybe they don't respond to bits of it, I'm like, "Ah, they don't get it. Whatever. "There's no hiding behind that when you do comedy.'
Nolan said he 'would be terrified' of attempting a romantic comedy.
The director's remarks came alongside separate comments in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which he discussed his interest in horror. Nolan said his adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey," which includes several horror-like sequences, had increased his interest in the genre.
'It very much whets my appetite for more,' Nolan said, when asked whether the project had made him more inclined toward directing horror.
He said horror requires careful conceptual development. 'I've always believed that horror as a genre has to be approached very carefully from a conceptual point of view. In other words, you have to have an amazing idea,' Nolan said, citing the film 'Obsession' as an example of a strong concept-driven horror film.
"The Odyssey," starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway, is currently playing in theaters. The 70mm IMAX feature marks Nolan's adaptation of the ancient Greek epic.
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