It's hard to say for sure. But considering his dedication to bringing a realistic and gritty take on Batman, it wouldn't be surprising if he had read the comics to draw from that source material.
Definitely 'Inception'. It has a really cool concept of dream heists and has been extremely popular around the world. The action scenes within the dreams and the different levels of the dream world are fascinating. Another one is 'Interstellar'. The idea of traveling through a wormhole to find a new habitable planet has captured the public's imagination. It also has some really emotional moments.
The batman trilogy is a series of superhero films directed by Chris topher Nolan, including batman: the dark knight (2008), batman: the dark knight rises (2010), batman: the dark knight is broken (2016).
There's also a film, Dunkirk, directed by Chris Norland (2015). It's a war film about Britain's resistance to the invasion of Nazi-Germany during the Second World War.
In addition, other well-known films by Nolan include Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Memento (2004), and so on.
The closeness varies. Certain Batman films strive to be faithful replicas of the comics, while others reinterpret and modernize the story. It all comes down to the creative choices made by the filmmakers and the demands of the audience at the time of release.
The Batman movies often inspire new storylines and character developments in the comics. They can bring in fresh ideas and perspectives that the comic writers incorporate.
I'm not sure specifically who Nolan Hayes in this 'true story' is without more context. It could be an ordinary person with a unique experience that only those familiar with the particular story would know.