The Dark Knight Rises
 

Granted it's a long ways off, but I figured we should have a thread devoted to the follow up film to The Dark Knight, the untitled Batman 3! Here's a chance for us to discuss all things Batman 3 related: possible casting choices, the plot, the look of the film, the direction, etc...

So to get things going:

• Will Christopher Nolan Return?
  
• Who will the new villains be, and who might possibliy be cast in the roles?
  
• Will it be as dark as TDK, or more along the lines of other third acts in movie trilogies?
  
• Will certain villains and characters make surprise returns or cameos?

I'm guessing it'll be called The Dark Knight Returns and I think WB will pay Nolan to keep him on board.

I think they'll stay dark or even go darker and go with the Riddler (Guy Pearce) and Penguin (Philip Seymore Hoffman) as the villains. Penguin will be the mob boss and Riddler will be more of a shadowy figure like the real Zodiac killer like some have suggested.

If they're smart they'll keep it a 3 films but won't make it a finale like other trilogies. If they keep it serialized like a comic it won't have to have the cliche happy ending.

Oy. The last thing I want to see is a Batman Returns Redux or Batman Forever Again.

That title does sound perfect!

As for Nolan I really hope he returns, it would be foolish otherwise!

I really do like the idea of The Riddler, and Guy Pearce is a good suggestion. I also wouldn't mind seeing Paul Bettany, Jude Law(Think Road to Perdition), or Edward Norton! Also, I'm in complete agreement with the Zodiac angle to The Riddler, something akin to Scorpio in Dirty Harry.

I agree, Philip Seymour Hoffman would make a great Penguin!

As for Catwoman, I could see Angelina Jolie, Rosario Dawson, Shannyn Sossamon, or Rachel Weisz in the role.

For the overall tone, I hope it stays dark, but maybe lightens up a tad along the lines of Batman Begins. No cliffhanger endings or suped up finales, just have a nice shot of Batman overlooking the city and call it a day. Something along the lines of Tim Burton's Batman ending!

Whatever they decide to do, I just hope they keep the integrity of the first two films and don't get too carried away with delivering bigger and better ala Spiderman 3! Keep the villains to 2 max, the look and tone the same, and all should be well

I hear in the 3rd movie they are going to have an army of furry little bears with spears.

I don't want to see a repeat of those two films either, but I'd be shocked if a sequel isn't made! With the amount of money TDK is looking to bring in( Upwards of $400 million domestic, which would put it in the top 5 films of all time), Warner Brothers will most likely want a follow up. Nolan has too much integrity to make a crap film along the lines of Batman Forever, and as for Batman Returns, he might have a darker style but he doesn't go for overly weird like Burton. I'm sure the crime drama feel of the first two would still be in effect, and not a campy goth fest ala Burton, or psychedelic disco explosion like Schumacher!



Batman vs. Ewoks, that would be something else!! LOL

This would be different though no half man half penguin or any of that crap. Nolan would ground it in reality. I was thinking of how to make the Riddler more psycho looking and thought maybe instead of the green jacket with the ????? maybe he'd have tattoos all over with ???? (not too blatent like on the neck or face though).

Not a bad idea! It would be kind of funny if Guy Pearce was cast, considering his look from Memento!

That's kinda where the idea came from.

That's the only way I could figure the Riddler wouldn't look silly. They could eliminate the costume altogether but he need to have something that harkens back to the comic.

Pearce is really sounding more and more plausible, especially considering his and Nolan's past working experience! He definitely likes to take the Scorsese approach with casting actors in multiple films, he's used Bale and Caine three times now.

At one time Carrie-Ann Moss might have made a good Catwoman! She'd of course have to slim down to her Trinity size again!

Catwoman, Penguin, and Riddler are tough sells...its gonna be tough to follow up on Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart's work.

I think its likely they'll adapt some of the elements from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns comics...it would follow in logic to a certain degree because much of that series has Batman being viciously tailed by the police. Also, the series starts with Batman coming out of a decade long hiatus to stop a brutal gang that threatens to destroy Gotham. Its loaded with great character moments, and because it deals with an older Batman, it actually offers a satisfying conclusion to his career. It might be interesting to see what sort of direction Nolan and Goyer would take such material.

What I've loved about these two films is how they've managed to interweave the best Batman stories into a cohesive narrative. Begins is very much a combination of Miller's Year One and the fantastic O'Neill/Adams run on the comics from the seventies, and Dark Knight is primarily composed of The Long Halloween and The Killing Joke (with some Dark Knight Returns elements thrown into the mix). If they can keep this franchise afloat for one more movie, I'll be thrilled...but I'm also down with the fact that they've managed to create two masterpieces so far.

I really don't know how you top the Dark Knight, if it is even humanly possible, but there's no reason why they couldn't make another solid installment. My vote goes for the Riddler, for the many reasons already addressed. I'm not sure about Catwoman.

I haven't been all that interested in these Batman movies, but a return of Catwoman would peak my interest. That's if it looks like Catwoman (not Halle's).

Riddle me this, Batman; How do you follow the spectacular success of The Dark Knight with a Rogues Gallery of weak and inferior villains (that all look like clowns) to The Joker?

We need a Catwoman like in The Animated Series. See the pilot, The Cat and The Claw. She'd do quite nicely.

Adrian Barbeau is a little old now.

My interest was peaked with The Joker (my favorite villain) soooooo...

I don't think it can be topped in any real way. TDK is a perfect movie and likely whatever follows it will not reach it's heights. But I think ONE more is good. No more than that though.

I also feel like, Catwoman shouldn't be in it. I'm not really into the idea of Catwoman. I don't know who should be the villains. Riddler is my best guess.

I'm not really for it, but I haven't seen much talk of Robin. Only problem, the huge lame stigma surrounding his character. Maybe if they make just one more, they introduce him later in the film so you know that they do eventually team up, and I'm sure they could make it seem very cool/believable.

Try re-reading my post.


The key modifier was "like."


I didn't think it was that difficult of a concept...

Sarcasm. It's not too difficult.

Nolan has sated, along with Christian Bale, that they do not want to introduce Robin at all.

I did read something about that, but I was just bringing it up on how it might work.

And thank god for that.


Robin is one of the biggest mistakes in all of Batman canon.

I completely agree. Robin is useless and lame. I'm so glad Nolan and gang are smart enough to realize how dumb that is.

It's also dumb to just introduce MORE enemies because it's a sequel. By B&R (yes, sorry I mentioned that one) there was three villains and three super heroes. Alica whatshername playing Bat Girl and showing off her wonderful British accent (she said she was from there but had no accent in the film)... or from Warner's perspective, showing off her Bat Butt.

Thank God!! Robin sucks!!

If they stick to one new villain and bring back Two Face, or introduce two new villains like they've done so far, that would work! Personally I wouldn't mind the return of Two Face, and then for the second baddie The Riddler. The Riddler could work great if they took a darker approach to him, ala Zodiac. Or a Hans Gruber approach, who pretty much was the Riddler but in a Die Hard film.

Catwoman I'm not 100% sold on, but she could be interesting and fill the void as a possible love interest. As for the Penguin, I'm not really a big fan of him!