'Inception'

Release Date: July 16
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe

Instead of diving headfirst into a sequel to “The Dark Knight” that could never live up to the expectations, Christopher Nolan began working on a secret project he’d supposedly wanted to write and direct for a long time. Tidbits of information about the project called “Inception” slowly seeped onto the Internet, including a fantastic cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, along with a brief synopsis about the mind as the scene of a crime.

And it seemed most film fans everywhere were pumped beyond belief. Aside from “Iron Man 2,” “Inception” is surely the most anticipated film of the summer, so we have to wonder if Nolan can do no wrong. Warner Bros. probably gave him the theoretical blank check to do this in the hope that people would see it based on his name alone (and it’s not as if “Inception” is a small indie character piece — it’s a full-scale heist-powered actioneer). So far, they’ve been right.

If “Inception” turns out to be good or verging on great, Nolan will have officially taken the step into director super-duper stardom, a place where fans will now see his films based on name alone. And based on everything he’s done so far, there is no reason to suggest that won’t happen.

HYPE: 10
EXPECTED QUALITY: 10