The true meaning of Inception's ending is one of the greatest film mysteries of the decade, and members of the cast and crew have weighed in with their own takes. Released back in 2010 when director Christopher Nolan was coming off the heights of The Dark Knight, Inception proved there was still a viable market for an ambitious, original studio tentpole. The sci-fi film brought in $828.3 million at the worldwide box office and was even a player on the awards circuit. Among its accolades were Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
Inception seized the zeitgeist when it was released, partially because of the ambiguous ending. Finally reunited with his children, main character Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) spins his top to see if he's in a dream or reality. Famously (or infamously, depending on who you ask), the film cuts to credits before the answer is revealed. In the eight years since, people have continued to debate Cobb's fate, and with Michael Caine's thoughts once again making their way through the news cycle, we thought we'd see what the makers of Inception think of its conclusion.
Related: 15 Secrets Behind the Making of Inception
Michael Caine
One of Nolan's most trusted collaborators (and good luck charm), Caine portrayed Miles, Cobb's old mentor, in Inception. Ever since the film was released, the actor has maintained the end sequence is meant to be in reality, saying, "If I'm there, it's real because I'm never in the dream. I'm the guy who invented the dream." For those who don't remember, it was Miles who taught son-in-law Cobb how to traverse the dream world.
In his more recent comments, Caine basically reiterated his earlier statements. One slight difference is that the thespian revealed it was Nolan who told him that if Miles was in a scene, it was supposed to be the real world. However, that shouldn't be taken as gospel - seeing that it contradicts Nolan's comments on the matter (more on that in a minute). Caine admitted he was confused by the script and didn't understand where different parts took place, so it's more likely Nolan did what he could to help his friend deliver a stronger performance. As we're about to see, the filmmaker never intended for Inception to be boiled down to such simple terms.
Christopher Nolan
As the writer and director of Inception, Nolan is the definitive authority on the movie, so there's obviously a lot of weight to his thoughts on the ending. Unsurprisingly, he's fielded the question very frequently, but he designed it in a way to be purposely unanswerable. To Nolan, it doesn't matter if Cobb's dreaming or not, and people obsessing over that exact detail are missing the point of the scene entirely. Cobb, who spent the entire film trying to determine if he's in a dream or reality, walked away from the top so he could be happy with his children. That's his character arc.
It's a smart approach to take, and allows everyone to have their own interpretation without wondering if they're right or wrong (which, in turn, represents the beauty of film - it's all subjective). What can't be denied is that it's very cathartic to see Cobb back with his children, ready to be the loving and supporting father they need. Whether he's asleep or wide awake, Cobb's dream came true after an arduous experience and he'll be happy for the rest of his days. There are no plans in place for an Inception sequel, so the story definitively ends on this high note.
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In many respects, the Inception debate is this generation's version of the Deckard replicant question from Blade Runner. A clear answer isn't going to make much difference and essentially defeat the whole point of the movie. Nolan will probably be asked about this for the rest of his career, but sooner or later, it'll be time for viewers to move on and accept what he's said. We'll add to this post if other Inception cast members give their theory.
MORE: Inception Ending Explained
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