Nolan isn’t the first to be put into this position… think back to M. Night Shyamalan around the time of Unbreakable and Signs. In the way Nolan is now often held up to Kubrick, Shyamalan was as frequently compared to Hitchcock and Spielberg. This happens in sports, commerce, technology, art… we love the idea that we’re watching a new Titan forming, even as that kind of excited build up often results in a premature collapse of the figure being spotlighted (see: Shyamalan!). The difference between Nolan and Shyamalan though, is that Nolan’s beginnings and ascent to his current level of power and clout were much more modest and slow-burning. Memento was a big deal, but not at the phenomenon scale like The Sixth Sense.

M Night Shyamalan's career fell apart quickly after the Sixth Sense, critics didn't like his films after that movie. Unbreakable had mixed reviews and Signs was barely fresh. Nolan has had 5 films that were loved by critics and one of them got serious Oscar contention. Give it up BKB. Nolan is a great director and he isn't going to vanish like M. Night who was only a one trick pony.