Christopher Nolan & Leonardo DiCaprio’s Sci-Fi Masterpiece Officially Joins Elite Film History List After 16 Years

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Several films have received a major industry award, including a critically acclaimed movie by Christopher Nolan.

Released in 2010, Christopher Nolan’s Inception quickly became a global phenomenon. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a skilled thief who, instead of stealing, implants ideas into people’s dreams. The team’s target: the mind of a powerful CEO. Inception received eight Academy Award nominations, winning four, and earned over $828 million worldwide. It continues to be critically acclaimed, currently holding an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Christopher Nolan’s Inception is now part of the National Film Registry, joining 25 other films selected this year for preservation. The Library of Congress adds 25 films annually that are significant for their cultural, historical, or artistic value. The Registry now holds a total of 925 films, including many classics.

Christopher Nolan’s films Memento and The Dark Knight are already part of the Registry, and this year’s additions showcase a wide range of movies. The new selections include beloved classics like The Karate Kid from the 1980s, the powerful drama Philadelphia starring Tom Hanks, and the animated hit The Incredibles. Several important documentaries, such as Ken Burns’ Brooklyn Bridge, were also added to the list.

Check out the full list of movies added to the National Film Registry for 2025 below:

  • The Tramp and the Dog (1896)
  • The Oath of the Sword (1914)
  • The Maid of McMillan (1916)
  • The Lady (1925)
  • Sparrows (1926)
  • Ten Nights in a Barroom (1926)
  • White Christmas (1954)
  • High Society (1956)
  • Brooklyn Bridge (1981)
  • Say Amen, Somebody (1982)
  • The Thing (1982)
  • The Big Chill (1983)
  • The Karate Kid (1984)
  • Glory (1989)
  • Philadelphia (1993)
  • Before Sunrise (1995)
  • Clueless (1995)
  • The Truman Show (1998)
  • Frida (2002)
  • The Hours (2002)
  • The Incredibles (2004)
  • The Wrecking Crew (2008)
  • Inception (2010)
  • The Loving Story (2011)
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Interestingly, Inception isn’t the newest film added to the Registry this year—films from any era are eligible. That means well-loved classics like White Christmas, Clueless, and The Truman Show are just now being included. The most recent addition is The Grand Budapest Hotel, which marks the second film by director Wes Anderson—following Rushmore—to be selected for preservation.

Robert R. Newlen, the Acting Librarian of Congress, explained that preserving films means preserving American culture for future generations. He noted that the films chosen for the National Film Registry are key to documenting important moments in our nation’s history.

After the success of Inception, Christopher Nolan has consistently created groundbreaking films, solidifying his place among the greatest directors ever. Since 2010, he’s directed acclaimed movies like Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer, and is now working on a large-scale adaptation of The Odyssey. Like many filmmakers recognized by the National Film Registry, Nolan has the potential to significantly impact the future of cinema.

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2026-01-29 19:12