Idea for new Batman trilogy

[mourasantos]

I have a very clearly defined idea of how the general broad-strokes should be put in place for the next couple of Batman flicks. First of all I think it should be said that I believe people have misinterpreted the fabric of “Nolan’s universe” as being one that adheres closely to our own. My take on the films is at odds with this approach. I agree that the two films Christopher Nolan produced are more realistic than any of the other “Batman’s” that preceded it… but people forget that the principal theme surrounding Batman Begins and continuing onto The Dark Knight is of one pertaining to escalation. I believe that if the series does go on with Nolan under the helm, he should continue to explore the Batman mythos as a world that becomes progressively weirder and more outlandish, so that towards the end of the series it is hard to recognize it as the same presented to us in the saga’s beginning: a world where Batman’s own existence repeatedly spawns a plethora of villainous characters continuously outdoing one another in their excentricity and implausibility so that nearing the series’ apex it manages not only to be more faithful to its fantastical comic-book source material as well as being able keep in tune with its original intent of elevating the films away from Burton’s mediocre pop-artistry.
Given The Dark Knight’s sensational box-office gross I think it would be ideal to produce the next Batman as a two part spectacle filmed back to back a la Harry Potter’s last outing. The reasons for this decision abound:
• The Batman franchise, if done right, has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be a highly rentable one. It would not be much of a gamble for Warner Bros. to finance two pictures “in one sitting”.
• Christian Bale’s performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman is invaluable for the series’ continuity and his contribution to further franchise installments should be insured contractually for two back-to-back films so that the actor’s age does not become a hindrance to the plausibility of the character. The long process between the realization of each singular installment would then be eliminated, thus discarding the rather ludicrous prospect of audiences watching a 40+ year old Batman performing feats of near physical impossibility.
• The fact that two Batman films could be done and over with, in one fell swoop could open up the possibility for director Chistopher Nolan to expand his artistic ambitions. Once completed, he could then focus on other kinds of non-Batman related projects a director of his caliber is surely interested in.
• Finally, the remote possibility of super-hero genre market saturation. In other words, the assumption that, however unlikely, the popularity of movies based on comic book properties will soon peak and therefore, the necessity to release them before such happens becomes a priority.

With the necessity of the films being shot back-to-back out of the way, the creative process for these films can be discussed:
In my view, the tentative use of the Riddler for the next movie should be discarded. I believe he should be pushed back to the second sequel to The Dark Knight; His villainous machinations are too reminiscent of the Joker’s own trickery for them to have any resonance with audiences as early as the next movie. The use of the Riddler as the main antagonist for Batman in a direct sequel to The Dark Knight would seem derivative to the public and would therefore desenpower the presence of such a villain on screen. Thus, the Penguin would be the perfect foil for the next movie.
A movie which, in my mind, should have as its main precepts the following:

• GCPD’s prerogative will be to bring down the Batman at any costs. This will prove a hindrance to Batman’s crime-fighting agenda throughout much of the film.
• The Penguin should take movie goers one step closer to Batman’s fantastical comic book roots. His visage should be abhorrent and wonderfully grotesque but not enough that it would project audiences into the realm of incredulity.
• In another nod to the idea of escalation and Batman’s world growing ever stranger, The Penguin’s use of a deadly umbrella should be included, but in a careful manner so as to avoid slipping into the realm of camp. Perhaps a modified unbreakable umbrella like the real world ones used by the Secret Service of the Phillipines would be appropriate.
• The Penguin should be a high-tech arms dealer who is flooding Gotham’s underworld with real-world high tech weapons systems such as the DREAD or the CORNERSHOT. He could be viewed as a kind of twisted, malevolent Lucius Fox, obsessed with using his weapons expertise and vast financial resources to put an end to the Batman’s existence.
• The Bat-suit will suffer yet another upgrade in order to cope with the weapons being flooded into Gotham. However, Batman’s refusal to stoop down to his antagonist’s level by acquiring guns of his own should be seen as both heroic and—given the graveness of the situation—pathological. This point will be driven home with audiences by showing them Bruce Wayne’s injuries as being graver than the ones caused by any of his previous scuffles. The amount of bodily harm to which the protagonist subjects himself to should be gruesome to the point that even Alfred questions his refusal to “fight fire with fire”.
(As we already know, Batman refuses to use guns of any kind as he associates them with his parents’ demise.)
• Much like the James Bond series, movie-goers hunger for interesting gadgets in a Batman film. This thirst should be partially quenched with Batman’s upgraded suit and the revelation of a sleeker, cooler prototype vehicle being in the works (only to be finished/used in the following film). However, most of the high-tech eye candy will be provided by the Penguin’s arsenal of state of the art weaponry. This will not only augment the movie’s visual appeal but also help to cement The Penguin’s status as a genuine threat.
• Batman’s partial redemption in the eyes of Gotham’s public should be achieved through his defeat of the Penguin. The Penguin’s threat to the integrity of Gotham will be such that its citizens, in a desperate plea for salvation will call out to what they perceive as a necessary evil: the Batman. This fight fire with fire approach will be polarizing amongst Gothamites, but by the end of the picture, and given the protagonist’s slew of heroic deeds (including The Penguin’s downfall), many will question the veracity of Batman’s involvement in Dent’s supposed death, allowing Comissioner Gordon’s GCPD to re-assess Batman’s incarceration as a priority.
• Batman’s presence within Gotham City should be shown to have an effect upon the image of the city itself. Gotham should suffer an ever-so-slight metamorphosis veering towards the dark and gothic as a reflection of its iconic protector. More gargoyles and building facades featuring chimeras and the like should be a staple in Gotham. This would help identify Gotham as a city with its own identity as opposed to just another large North American hub.
• Finally--and functioning as the movie’s cliffhanger--Two Face’s survival should be revealed. Comissioner Gordon having pulled the necessary strings, it is revealed to audiences he is alive and incarcerated in Arkham Asylum under an alias. Gotham’s dirty little secret hidden away amongst Gotham’s other psychotic evildoers such as Scarecrow, The Joker and now the Penguin.
With all these points discussed above the setup for a second sequel featuring the Riddler is established. I also have some very clearly defined ideas pertaining to how that particular movie should play out, the most important of which, to my mind, include the revelation in that film’s ending of The Joker having taken control of Arkham Asylum. An ending which would be perfect for a fifth and final film: an adaptation of Grant Morrison’s influential graphic novel “Arkham Asylum” featuring The Scarecrow, The Penguin, The Riddler and the Joker’s long awaited return; a movie which would function as the apotheosis of all the weirdness building up in Gotham and one where Batman’s own psychosis becomes readily apparent. The ending of the film could conceivably consist of the tentative re-imagination of Superman descending from on-high and approaching the Batman for recruitment to the JLA—an image which would not be so out of place within the dbizarre context of the film, but would still be seen as some kind of apparition to a disbelieving Batman. This climax could be viewed as either a catalyst to all the ascending preposterousness going on within Gotham or as a discomforting look into Batman’s fragile mind.
In other words, Superman’s arrival in the end of “Arkham Asylum” could be the fruit of Batman’s shattered psyche, a hallucination conjured from a mind so twisted by the Joker’s machinations that its way of coping was by raising a Jungian archetype out of its own imagination. This is a concept which was briefly discussed in “Batman Begins” and one that would duly fit within “Arkham Asylum”.
Either way one wishes to interpret the ending of this film opens up the possibility for the eagerly awaited JLA film.
I truly believe this to be the only conceivable manner to conciliate Nolan’s vision with a hypothetical Justice League spin-off.

[Global Honored]

interesting, but i think they should go back to the "POW" "WOP" "BANG" type of storytelling with ridiculous riddles being solved by Bats after Gordon and new star character Ohara call him on the super secret Red Bat Phone. Why escalate? The crime could be the Riddler knowing Bats identity and leveraging it for Wayne finances....oh wait, nah...I say he shrinks the United Nations with a shrinking ray. Yep, that sounds better.

[!Shazam!]

Very cool man! Can tell you really have given this a lot of thought. So there is rumblings of using the Penguin and the Riddler in the next film right? Philip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp? I even heard somewhere that Harley Quinn (http://www.comicvine.com/harley-quinn/29-1696/) (linked for people unfamiliar with her) could be played by Kristen Belle, that'd be pretty cool. Maybe use some stock footage of Heath in a prison and her trying to wreak havoc on Gotham in his absence. Would be a demented, blind love situation. Maybe a seducer of Batman or something.

[!Shazam!]

interesting, but i think they should go back to the "POW" "WOP" "BANG" type of storytelling with ridiculous riddles being solved

Haha, that could work too.

[nepenthes]

uh, you could have done that in half as many words. Penguin is much better than Riddler as the next villain I agree, however he should be doing much more than gun running and he should not be a grotesque. I dont know what comics you're reading but that's hardly what the Penguin is about. The film also needs a more physical and exciting second villain, Deadshot or Firefly would be a good match.

The transformation of Gotham goes without saying, as does Batmans redemption by good deeds; the GCPD hunting him down; and the need for more gadgets and batman suits. anyone would include those in an outline.

the best way to present the Penguin (and I've yet to see anyone else suggest this idea) is to set his 'lair' on a rooftop penthouse, under the sky beside a swimming pool etc. I can explain why later on but if you think about it even for a moment it should become apparent on it's own.

[Global Honored]

Was this cut & pasted from a school assignment?

[mourasantos]

If they absolutely have to use Harley Quinn in one of the movies--which I think is quite ridiculous--then I see no other person better suited to playing that role than the infamous pornstar Tory Lane.
Seriously. Look her up, she'd be perfect for it.

[Lew Moxon]

I have alot of respect for Harley and I mean alot. But, when all is said and done, it's a bad idea to use someone so connected to the Joker right after the Joker arc.
However I disagree on The Penguin for one simple reason, Nolan hates the charector, and I wouldn't want Nolan to do a figure he doesn't like. That said, the Penguin could be easily done well.

[!Shazam!]

Okay, well, I definitely don't think it should be a porn star playing Harley Quinn. Let me just start off by saying that, haha.

I've been thinking about this though, and I'm thinking maybe it shouldn't even be someone we suspect it to be. there are a shitload of batman villains (http://www.comicvine.com/batman/29-1699/enemies/) to choose from, I don't know if Nolan should agree to make it about one or two that are obvious. Why not an obscure one? Bane? Or even stranger, Tweedledee and Tweedledum?

[mofo]

its a good idea but....i dont think the nolan brothers would go for it
i;m not trying to put you down here man
my reasoning is that they wont do something like this because
1) it will require a lot of planning of future movies and such (which we know chris hasnt done at all)
2) someone else (YOU) thought of it

but some good shit here

slightly off topic but...i dont think there would be any Batman Vs Cops in the next movie mainly because the head cop (Gordon) knows the truth and he'll put such investigations and stuff on the back burner

[!Shazam!]

When public support, and the police department (minus Gordon and his private corps) throw themselves behind capturing Batman the Convict, I don't know if the Commissioner would have much power. I definitely see the next Batman film having an, at least mild, Batman v. Cops theme.

[mourasantos]

Jim Carrey would be a good choice for the next film take on the Joker. I think he could pull it off.

[n2doop5u]

Jim Carrey would be a good choice for the next film take on the Joker. I think he could pull it off.

Did we learn nothing from Batman forever? Haha, only joking sir... but seriously, I don't think that would be very good. He is not restrained enough. He can play restrained... in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind. He's a fine actor but the Joker? He couldn't play heath's joker. Not that I'd want that, but I don't think he could play anywhere near heaths joker. He'd be more Mark Hammill joker then anything.

[theNighteye]

Did we learn nothing from Batman forever? Haha, only joking sir... but seriously, I don't think that would be very good. He is not restrained enough. He can play restrained... in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind. He's a fine actor but the Joker? He couldn't play heath's joker. Not that I'd want that, but I don't think he could play anywhere near heaths joker. He'd be more Mark Hammill joker then anything.

I completely agree...and i also think that if they were to replace the joker they would have to get a relatively unknown actor so that we are not overcome by superstardom but rather, good acting. if jim carrey id the joker in the next film i would not go watch it. I'd probably wait til i could rent it. johnny depp on the other hand would be a fantastic riddler. i know nolan could pull that off with ease.

[JTPencils]

An obviously well thought out (and time consuming) proposition.

I think what I'm having the hardest time getting my head around is the city of Gotham transforming from what we see now (almost ultra clean Chicago) into the Gotham more portrayed in the Burton films (hey, whether or not you liked the film's... the city designs SCREAMED Gotham). How you justify that the mere presence of Batman is going to influence a city to practically tear down everything they've already built, to ram in the gothic looking towers, facades, gargoyles baffles me. I just don't see it. I can't imagine that the existence of an "urban myth" character, of any sort, altering and affecting the actual physical presence of an established city.

Now Metropolis, that's a different story. Every time Supes meets up with an adversary, they tear half the city apart, and it needs rebuilding (gads I'd hate to be an insurance carrier in that town).... so during a rebuild, there may be an influence to keep it cleaner lines (or at least, cheaper to rebuild... cuz big blue's gonna just wreck it again).

I just don't get it. But then again, I could be daft.

[mourasantos]

Well the change should be very gradual and never as out there as it was in the Burton films, of course

[Damiean Dark]

BORING i live for the day when a pure fantasy comic book batman film is produced that shows his detective skills,athletic ability,fighting skills and real smarts, villains that are straight out of the mainstream books with no apologising for thier outlandishness. Reading Dark victory, haunted knight, Knightfall ect and rewatching TDk and BB makes me weep.

[n2doop5u]

BORING i live for the day when a pure fantasy comic book batman film is produced that shows his detective skills,athletic ability,fighting skills and real smarts, villains that are straight out of the mainstream books with no apologising for thier outlandishness. Reading Dark victory, haunted knight, Knightfall ect and rewatching TDk and BB makes me weep.

try new and exciting. I hate how everyone bashes those movies for being too realistic, not enough like the comic books. The comic books are great, but a lot of the stuff done in the batman comics could only be done in the batman comics. It's silly to think otherwise. I'm not saying I want every Batman movie from here on out in the Nolan world, but I really like what he did with the realism. I say lets stop being so rigid with our batman interpretations and give people a shot at trying something new.

[the goddamn batman]

I have alot of respect for Harley and I mean alot. But, when all is said and done, it's a bad idea to use someone so connected to the Joker right after the Joker arc.

I think she works well, actually. She follows the idea of Batman's presence being responsible for Joker... and Joker's presense being responsible for Harley, especially with him being locked up now. She could easily be a copy cat villain with a small role in the film. (Somewhere there's a fan image of a movie Harley that I thought was just aces.)

Though, for me, that concept leads right to a Carrie Kelly esque Robin character, and I'd rather not go there.

slightly off topic but...i dont think there would be any Batman Vs Cops in the next movie mainly because the head cop (Gordon) knows the truth and he'll put such investigations and stuff on the back burner

But lke Batman said at the end of TDK, "you'll hunt me because you have to."

And really, I think batman can handle running from the cops. He handled the swat team jsut fine at the end of the film.

[mourasantos]

BORING i live for the day when a pure fantasy comic book batman film is produced that shows his detective skills,athletic ability,fighting skills and real smarts, villains that are straight out of the mainstream books with no apologising for thier outlandishness. Reading Dark victory, haunted knight, Knightfall ect and rewatching TDk and BB makes me weep.

Yes but my idea is for the series to grow gradually to that level of outlandishness.

[the goddamn batman]

BORING i live for the day when a pure fantasy comic book batman film is produced that shows his detective skills,athletic ability,fighting skills and real smarts, villains that are straight out of the mainstream books with no apologising for thier outlandishness.

It's too bad you don't have a time machine that can travel back to June 23, 1989.

[Damiean Dark]

It's too bad you don't have a time machine that can travel back to June 23, 1989.

As much as i loved Burtons movies they still where slightly limited in scope and by the times despite that they got more right then wrong for me.

[Damiean Dark]

try new and exciting. I hate how everyone bashes those movies for being too realistic, not enough like the comic books. The comic books are great, but a lot of the stuff done in the batman comics could only be done in the batman comics. It's silly to think otherwise. I'm not saying I want every Batman movie from here on out in the Nolan world, but I really like what he did with the realism. I say lets stop being so rigid with our batman interpretations and give people a shot at trying something new.

So with todays filming techniques stuntmen and budgets we cant get a batman who can perform a backflip or a roundhouse kick?.:rolleyes: . Batman has no mystery in Nolans world (TDK especially) he is a shell of the comics batman the image of the bat as a supernatural force of nature is completely lost he is reduced to a guy who uses batman as a tool to get the job done. Bale can deliver intense looks in spades but has no substance in his looks no feeling he is above average intelligence (now i dont mean the do anything batman of some comics but a feeling of a smart guy). Freeman pulled it off in one scene in BB (where he is given the code number for the evaporator machine from Rutgar Hauer, he thinks for a second and instantly recollects the machine and what it does thats just amazing acting to portray Lucius intelligence) which he carrys with aplomb throughout two movies Bale couldnt do it with 80% screentime in two movies:frown: .

In the butons movies ,despite thier limitations, Batman was part of wayne not some throwaway tool even with the chance of love he wouldnt give it up and unlike in the Nolans movies he actually seemed a smart guy beneath the absentminded act not with tons of dialouge on some comlicated subject or another but with with simple good acting its a nuanced thing few actors can portray in a balanced and beleivable way.

I didnt really like BB either but it had a twinkling of the making of a great batman the docks scene and the wonder if batman is some supernatural entity rocked but it was given up for supercop batman who stands around in police stations:mad: :eek:

[mourasantos]

Actually, I thought Batman Forever captured the spirit of Batman more efficiently than the Burton outings. It just gets a bad rap for being Joel Shumacher's, the man who brought us its dismal follow-up.

[n2doop5u]

Actually, I thought Batman Forever captured the spirit of Batman more efficiently than the Burton outings. It just gets a bad rap for being Joel Shumacher's, the man who brought us its dismal follow-up.

I disagree, I think that movie gets a bad rap because it wasn't all that good. Riddler stealing peoples memories? Two Face flipping his coin over and over again to get the result he wanted? ROBIN?? Though it was as silly as B&R it was still a jump in the wrong direction.

I'm still an avid follower of comics are comics, movies are movies. Let Nolan try his realistic world, at least the take on the characters are new. You want comic Batman, then read the comics... thats what I do.

[PastePotPete]

Nolan's super-real Gotham is great. No need for improvement.

As for villains, if they can't bring Joker or Two-Face back, (and it looks like they can't), I'd say put Batman up against an all new adversary specifically created for the film. I love Penguin but I don't think he'd work in the world Nolan has established.

My friend thought it might be cool to see Clayface as a non-powered assassin who is a master of disguise and have him working for The Riddler, who would be the mystery man behind a global illuminati-type crime conspiracy. Cool ideas.

But if you have to call him "The Riddler" I honestly don't see him fitting into Nolan's world. The name itself kinda doesn't fit.

[Testament_X]

Nolan's super-real Gotham is great. No need for improvement.

As for villains, if they can't bring Joker or Two-Face back, (and it looks like they can't), I'd say put Batman up against an all new adversary specifically created for the film. I love Penguin but I don't think he'd work in the world Nolan has established.

My friend thought it might be cool to see Clayface as a non-powered assassin who is a master of disguise and have him working for The Riddler, who would be the mystery man behind a global illuminati-type crime conspiracy. Cool ideas.

But if you have to call him "The Riddler" I honestly don't see him fitting into Nolan's world. The name itself kinda doesn't fit.


Thats funny, I had the thought that Poison Ivy could be an assassin, using various poisons and gases from plants.

Mad Hatter could be a viable villain if they use a plausible mind control technology.

[n2doop5u]

Thats funny, I had the thought that Poison Ivy could be an assassin, using various poisons and gases from plants.

Mad Hatter could be a viable villain if they use a plausible mind control technology.

If you asked me a month ago if I thought Mad Hatter would be good I'd call you crazy. But I just watched his episode in the animated series and I think that Nolan could definitely do something with him.

[Redem]

If you asked me a month ago if I thought Mad Hatter would be good I'd call you crazy. But I just watched his episode in the animated series and I think that Nolan could definitely do something with him.

Well if you get read of the whole mind control ordeal he can get sizeably more realitic and creepy (not that he ain't creepy already simply it would bring him more inpredictablity)

[CaptainOtter]

Don't go outlandish with this batman franchise, at all. The fact that it tries so hard to be grounded in reality is arguably its most defining feature. I also think there should be a third batman movie in this franchise, but not a fourth. As we have seen, its been hard to come up with the premise for the third movie (we don't have one yet even), so its going to be even harder to come up with a fourth. Dont bother mentioning connected movies, as Nolan has explicitely said he does each movie as its own piece. Go for one last movie, wrap up this arc, then let Nolan's universe come to a close. I know alot of guys on this forum want Batman to do the more outlandish stuff. Once this movie is done, put him with the rest of the Justice League and let him fight them. I think if you start throwing in those bizzare characters, the entire premise of the series will fall apart.

[CaptainOtter]

[QUOTE=PastePotPete;7868497]

My friend thought it might be cool to see Clayface as a non-powered assassin who is a master of disguise and have him working for The Riddler, who would be the mystery man behind a global illuminati-type crime conspiracy. Cool ideas.

QUOTE]

Thats actually a brilliant way of imaging Clayface. He might not be a great villain by himself, but as a supporting one, I could get behind that.

[Redem]

[QUOTE=PastePotPete;7868497]

My friend thought it might be cool to see Clayface as a non-powered assassin who is a master of disguise and have him working for The Riddler, who would be the mystery man behind a global illuminati-type crime conspiracy. Cool ideas.

QUOTE]

Thats actually a brilliant way of imaging Clayface. He might not be a great villain by himself, but as a supporting one, I could get behind that.

Well actually in the Animated Series showed Clayface as something of a guy doing job for a corrupt executive before become a big mass of mod

[Damilkster]

i really like your idea

in the third film i want to see the batcave (they were hinting to it at the end of BB but not mentioned during DK but only the wayne manor mentioned.)

i also want to see a new bat mobile, and possible the plane or the boat.

[Death by Mime]

Of all the ideas in the OP, this one makes the least sense:

• In another nod to the idea of escalation and Batman’s world growing ever stranger, The Penguin’s use of a deadly umbrella should be included, but in a careful manner so as to avoid slipping into the realm of camp. Perhaps a modified unbreakable umbrella like the real world ones used by the Secret Service of the Phillipines would be appropriate.

Film 1: secret city-destroying ninja organization + fear gas
Film 2: clown-themed mad bomber with a small, highly organized army of mobsters and escaped mental patients + a deranged vigilante with half his face burnt off.
Film 3: an arms dealer with an umbrella! And not just any umbrella, a weaponized umbrella! You can hit people with it really hard and it won't break!

I do like the ending, though.

The ending of the film could conceivably consist of the tentative re-imagination of Superman descending from on-high and approaching the Batman for recruitment to the JLA—an image which would not be so out of place within the dbizarre context of the film, but would still be seen as some kind of apparition to a disbelieving Batman. This climax could be viewed as either a catalyst to all the ascending preposterousness going on within Gotham or as a discomforting look into Batman’s fragile mind.
In other words, Superman’s arrival in the end of “Arkham Asylum” could be the fruit of Batman’s shattered psyche, a hallucination conjured from a mind so twisted by the Joker’s machinations that its way of coping was by raising a Jungian archetype out of its own imagination. This is a concept which was briefly discussed in “Batman Begins” and one that would duly fit within “Arkham Asylum”.
Either way one wishes to interpret the ending of this film opens up the possibility for the eagerly awaited JLA film.
I truly believe this to be the only conceivable manner to conciliate Nolan’s vision with a hypothetical Justice League spin-off.

This is totally trippy. The last film ends with Batman going insane and seeing a god-like superman descending from the heavens and beckoning to him. And then a JLA spin-off where it turns out Superman was real after all, and now Batman can hang out with him and fight crime! Or ...

...is Batman insane after all, and the whole JLA just a fevered product of his imagination while he lies catatonic in his padded cell in Arkham???:eek:

[mourasantos]

It's interesting you were unreceptive to the Penguin idea, which to my mind seems more in tune with Nolan's vision than anything else, yet you enjoyed my idea for the very end, which I thought would be the hardest one to swallow. Anway, thanks for the comments.

[EZMOHR]

I say Talia comes looking for Bruce/Batman to carry on the machinations of her father's orginization. She hires Slade Wilson to bring in Bruce at any cost. Batman is still protecting Gotham, but at the cost of being the most hated man in the city. This causes Bruce to loose his grip and become bitter towards people. Bruce essentially is going through the motions only.

The plans of Talia/Slade come to a head at a circus benefit that causes the death of the all members of the Flying Graysons, save one member....Richard Grayson. Bruce sees murder in the eyes of Dick, and decides to kidnap him and train him to channel his hate for good, instead of murdering Slade. This leads to more Bat-outrage in Gotham (hey, he kidnapped a kid,) but leads Bruce to regain his humanity and remember his mission and why he became Batman and not just go through the motions.

Anyway, Talia and Slade come up with an overall plan that causes a Slade/Robin rendevous, and Batman ending Talia's criminal empire. Have the ending be Talia meeting with a criminal arms dealer to get some remenants of her empire back...only to be shot and left for dead by the most ruthless vilian in all of the DC World...Lex Luthor. Could set up a Nolan JLA movie or Nolan Brave and Bold movie.

I would cast Marion Cotlliard as Talia, Terry O' Quinn as Deathstroke, Logan Lerman (Bale's son in 3:10 to Yuma, and an older teen) as Dick, and Jason Issacs as Lex Luthor.

And this is just a rough outline. I don't get paid to write...the Nolan Bros. and Goyer do. If they can't make a Batman/Robin movie work (like has been said in the past by them) then sorry to say it...they all SUCK as writers and creators. You have a young man in the same spot as Bruce that could turn into him, or an evil version of him, that has more god-given talent than Bruce, and a writer can't make that work. C'mon Nolans'....ya'll are better than that right?

[Damiean Dark]

Yeah i love some of the most diverse and interesting characters in comics watered down to semi real idiots in Nolans world.:rolleyes:

[nixon]

I doubt the 3rd film will have one major baddie, instead focusing on different factions and corrupt politicians all leading to a final crescendo.

I can imagine Jeremiah Arkham playing a role similar to Scarecrow's in Batman Begins, using the asylum for his own nefarious needs, growing obsessed with the ultimate madman aside from the Joker - the Batman himself.

He teams up with his patients, freaks who've made themselves known in the Joker's aftermath, just like Joker grew out of Batman's theatrical shadow. With their help he wants to discover Batman's true identity, examine him, and finds more than a little help from the likes of Maroni and the Gotham PD, who simply want to kill the guy.

Black Mask can pop in as a bridge between the 'freaks' and the plain old criminals - a guy who wears a mask when carrying out hits, a mask he 'becomes' by the end of the film when he switches sides to turn into a true freak, resulting in gang war.

But that may be too similar to Harvey's role in TDK... You know, I've just realized I can happily live without another film really. It would be nice, but we've already got what we deserve.

[the goddamn batman]

You know, I've just realized I can happily live without another film really.

Yeah, but you're going to get one regardless. There's no way WB is going to let it die. Be it with Nolan or not, there's going to be a third... at least... Bat film.

I hope Nolan does it. At this point, I could see WB handing it off to someone else and taking creative control, re casting Joker and destroying everything Nolan built. I mean, look what happened when Burton left. I'd like to think they've learned from that experience, but we all know they haven't.

[EZMOHR]

Nolan's made a great Batman movie (Begins) and a great movie that co-starred Batman (The Dark Knight.) He has proven right now he is the best man for the job if a third one gets made.

Having said that, I hope Nolan doesn't rest on his laurels, because there is ALWAYS someone better for the job out there. I have no doubt in my mind someone on earth could make a better Batman movie than Nolan. No doubt at all.

[mourasantos]

If Nolan bails out I'd really like to see Terry Gilliam's take on the franchise.

[Death by Mime]

It's interesting you were unreceptive to the Penguin idea, which to my mind seems more in tune with Nolan's vision than anything else, yet you enjoyed my idea for the very end, which I thought would be the hardest one to swallow. Anway, thanks for the comments.

Okay, okay, since you're being earnest about it ...

Your general direction is a poor fit with the Nolan franchise, but at least your ideas are consistent with one another. The police hunting him! The Penguin a waddling grotesque! High-tech weapons systems! Violence, lots and lots of violence! Gotham sprouting gargoyles! The adaptation of a Grant Morrison story for a sequel!

But then with the Penguin you wuss out right in the middle. With all the other crazy stuff going on, you decide for some reason to suddenly hold back on the umbrella, because you wouldn't want it to be camp. Just an unbreakable umbrella he can hit people with. A stick, essentially.

Why? You have him with loads of high-tech weaponry already, how is a stick he can hit people with in any way escalation? Give him a machine gun in there, at least. Or a flamethrower. Some sort of super-miniaturized laser beam. Ricin. A one-man flight unit, if you can manage it. A sonic bird-controller. The controls for all the weapons systems embedded in its handle. Go nuts!

[nixon]

Yeah, but you're going to get one regardless. There's no way WB is going to let it die

Of course of course, and after I first saw TDK I was pumped about a 3rd film just like everyone else. Then I saw it again last night on IMAX and left on a more peaceful note, realising I was happy enough we got this film. It deserves a 2nd viewing just to appreciate everything in a more rational, less impulsive way.

[mourasantos]

But then with the Penguin you wuss out right in the middle. With all the other crazy stuff going on, you decide for some reason to suddenly hold back on the umbrella, because you wouldn't want it to be camp. Just an unbreakable umbrella he can hit people with. A stick, essentially.

Why? You have him with loads of high-tech weaponry already, how is a stick he can hit people with in any way escalation? Give him a machine gun in there, at least. Or a flamethrower. Some sort of super-miniaturized laser beam. Ricin. A one-man flight unit, if you can manage it. A sonic bird-controller. The controls for all the weapons systems embedded in its handle. Go nuts!

I think you misunderstood what i meant. I mentioned the unbreakable umbrella as being modified. That certainly does not exclude all those modifications you mentioned from being imbedded in it. I just thought that the fact unbreakable umbrellas already exist would be an interesting hook to ground the film in a quasi-realistic environment...but no, I never intended the Penguin to walk around with just an incredibly hard blunt instrument.

[JohnRD]

As far as your idea that the "Nolanverse" is not supposed to be based on the real world neglects the fact that Nolan has said that it is. He has also expressly said he doesn't believe superheroes would fit in his world.

I mean, he could change his mind and work it out, but that is what he has said multiple times.

[mourasantos]

As far as your idea that the "Nolanverse" is not supposed to be based on the real world neglects the fact that Nolan has said that it is. He has also expressly said he doesn't believe superheroes would fit in his world.

I mean, he could change his mind and work it out, but that is what he has said multiple times.

Well...they wouldn't fit in the universe he's created THIS far...besides, he's always going back on his word.