Speaking of trajectory, you were on the shortlist for the new Superman movie. Did you ever take meetings on that?

DJ: Yeah, with Chris Nolan. That was pretty scary.

Oh yeah?

DJ: Well I'd met him once before, socially, I think it was after he'd done The Prestige. I was there at the after party and I was like [*cracks his voice*], "Oh it's very nice to meet you." [laughing] But this was the first time I'd met him on a professional level and [he's a] very, very lovely man. Very smart guy. Didn't talk about Superman once.

We talked about what was it like doing Moon? What was it like doing Source Code? And then he told me what it was like doing Memento and what it was like doing Insomnia, and about that move from small independent film to kind of a bigger one. After that I got the idea, like Oh, okay, I kind of see how this meeting is. [He was] kind of feeling me out as far as where I am in my career and whether I'm ready for it.

And, you know, I think Zack Snyder is going to make something visually spectacular and with Chris Nolan really hands on there, and his keeping the script where it needs to be, I'm sure it'll be fantastic.

Had you drawn those comparisons between your career and his before then?

DJ: Oh yeah! Absolutely! I've been strategic in that respect. Trying to find a way to get myself into a position where, like him, he's now in a place where he can make big budget films based on his own material. That would be a dream to get myself into that place.

He went from "Memento," to "Insomnia" to "Batman Begins" after that. Are you hoping your third film will be on the "Batman Begins" scale?

DJ: I tried to mirror myself, career wise, on his first two films. Third film I think — You know, Superman was kind of a "Hail Mary" a little bit. It was like If that happens, I'll go for it.

You would have taken "Superman"?

DJ: I think I would have taken Superman. I didn't get to read the script, so obviously it would have all been depending on the script, but I had faith. Obviously it's Chris Nolan who's involved. He thinks the script's good. I've got to read it, but I feel it's worth reading. I didn't get that opportunity so obviously they had made some decisions at that stage which were right for them. I don't think there are many other projects like that I would jump into.

Also the big difference are times are very different from when Chris Nolan made the first Batman film to where they are now.

Because of him.

DJ: Because of him, absolutely. In fact, you're absolutely right, because of him there are opportunities for directors in my position, which he didn't have. I have the opportunity to make a film, which I've written at much bigger budget than I probably would have when he was making that decision. So I have some options he didn't have, which may change what I do compared to what he did.