The Dark Knight Rises (Nolan, 2012)

[SirNewt]

I just don't see how they can make a third. The Joker was beautifully contradictory. He was compelled to stand against batman because he could but in the end he had to validate himself. (I don't think you can ponder the philosophy of super heroes better than this script did). And, Ledger played it for all he could. You cannot top that. Also, these films have kept the overarching conflict very cerebral so far and so that leaves you a handful of choices because they have to match wits with Wayne and at the same time teach him something about Batman. Return of Raz via lazerus pit or Freeze, neither of which would seem to work in Noland's world. Maybe, The Dark Knight Returns would work. He would just have to leap ahead thirty years which doesn't seem like it would work either.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Well, what is the third film going to be about?

That is to say, the first film is about Batman's training and mastery of fear. So the logical villains were R'as and Scarecrow. The second film is about escalation - what Batman provokes from the city. So we get two people fighting for that escalation: Harvey Dent and the Joker.

The third film will probably be about Batman trying to find out what side of the law he's really on, since the cops are now after him in full-force. That suggests, to me, Catwoman, who also frequently towed the line between legal and illegal.

It would also do something to offset the sausage quotient in Gotham.

[DavidSeven]

Burton/Keaton stepped away after two features. Perhaps Nolan/Bale will do the same. I'm sure both have generated enough good will from The Dark Knight, commercially and critically, to do what they want for a long time.

[ledfloyd]

what do people think about talia al ghul playing some role in the third film?

[SirNewt]

what do people think about talia al ghul playing some role in the third film?

Good call says I. It would escalate the romance situation into something more sinister/complex without the need for Catwoman. As I said bringing back Raz or somehow making Freeze work in Nolan's universe are the only two ways I can see of keeping the mental battlefield strong. So making a Raz resurrection work in Nolanland and bringing in Talia would possibly satisfy me.

[Qrazy]

Well, what is the third film going to be about?

That is to say, the first film is about Batman's training and mastery of fear. So the logical villains were R'as and Scarecrow. The second film is about escalation - what Batman provokes from the city. So we get two people fighting for that escalation: Harvey Dent and the Joker.

The third film will probably be about Batman trying to find out what side of the law he's really on, since the cops are now after him in full-force. That suggests, to me, Catwoman, who also frequently towed the line between legal and illegal.

It would also do something to offset the sausage quotient in Gotham.

I'd say the third film should have him questioning his role in everything resulting in him either giving up vigilante status and hanging up the costume by films end (symbol lives on perhaps to be taken up by someone else) or dying (although not obviously so that he could still be alive). Two Face (if what I heard is true) and Catwoman could be the primary antagonists... with Catwoman being mixed.

[SirNewt]

I'd say the third film should have him questioning his role in everything resulting in him either giving up vigilante status and hanging up the costume by films end (symbol lives on perhaps to be taken up by someone else) or dying (although not obviously so that he could still be alive). Two Face (if what I heard is true) and Catwoman could be the primary antagonists... with Catwoman being mixed.

This I like. It would allow for a Dark Knight Returns film which we all want anyway.

[Qrazy]

This I like. It would allow for a Dark Knight Returns film which we all want anyway.

What's the story with that? I don't know much about it. It takes place 30 years later or something?

[megladon8]

What's the story with that? I don't know much about it. It takes place 30 years later or something?

Yeah, it's actually an "ElseWorlds" story if I remember correctly - doesn't actually have anything to do with the real Batman world.

It's 20 years into an alternate future, and Batman's been retired for a while. He comes back into the game to fight the Mutants (a vicious gang of genetically altered, well, mutants) and the return of the Joker (who has also aged quite a bit).

It also sees a new Robin, a 13 year old girl named Carrie Kelley. While a lot of the story is seen through her eyes, sort of worshipping Batman, she actually becomes an intrinsic part of the plot later on.

It's a fantastic read, and IMO only slightly less brilliant than Miller's "Batman: Year One".

Interestingly, one of Miller's greatest influences in writing the dialogue for Batman in "DKR" was Clint Eastwood - specifically, Dirty Harry.

Then, about 10 years ago, Eastwood actually said that he really liked the story, and was considering an offer to both direct and star in a film version of the book, but nothing came of it, and of course now he's too old and I'm sure his interest has subsided.

[Melville]

the Mutants (a vicious gang of genetically altered, well, mutants)

They were genetically altered? As far as I know, they were just teenage thugs.

But, yeah, the comic is good stuff. It covers a lot of the same ground as The Dark Knight movie, including Batman impersonators, Batman causing an escalation of violence (the Joker comes out of a catatonic state because he sees Batman on TV), Batman employing totalitarian methods, duality in Batman and his enemies, and so on, but it does so in an ultra-pulpy way that's loaded with political satire.

Edit: Now that I think of it, Qrazy might find the whole thing too glibly pulpy.

[origami_mustache]

Riddler + Catwoman seems like the only combo that could compete with topping Joker+Twoface and remain somewhat realistic.

[Acapelli]

i think trying to top tdk would be an awful way to go about the sequel. they should bring it down to the street level, have batman develop his detective skills even further (which was shown a bit in in tdk)

[origami_mustache]

i think trying to top tdk would be an awful way to go about the sequel. they should bring it down to the street level, have batman develop his detective skills even further (which was shown a bit in in tdk)

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Dead & Messed Up]

I didn't really care for The Dark Knight Returns. Its themes were interesting, but the deviations with Superman and Green Arrow were boring to me, and the future-shock world of mutants and Orwellian news coverage seemed like ideas that Miller awkwardly fit into Gotham.

I was much more satisfied by Year One and The Long Halloween.

[Lucky]

Weren't there rumors during production of TDK that they were looking for an actress to cast as Harley Quinn? With The Joker out of the picture they might drop that idea for a third movie, though.

[Qrazy]

They were genetically altered? As far as I know, they were just teenage thugs.

But, yeah, the comic is good stuff. It covers a lot of the same ground as The Dark Knight movie, including Batman impersonators, Batman causing an escalation of violence (the Joker comes out of a catatonic state because he sees Batman on TV), Batman employing totalitarian methods, duality in Batman and his enemies, and so on, but it does so in an ultra-pulpy way that's loaded with political satire.

Edit: Now that I think of it, Qrazy might find the whole thing too glibly pulpy.

You may be right but I tend to enjoy pulp as long as it has a style which speaks to me... I think I'll start with Watchmen and Sandman before this though... graphic novels are a fairly large artistic blindspot for me.

[Melville]

Sandman

[

Show Spoiler

It sucks.

]
If you're just starting out with comics, I recommend Jimmy Corrigan over any of the famous superhero stuff. It's way more formally interesting, it has black humor that should be right up your alley, and it has a more affecting story.

[Dukefrukem]

is Morgan Freeman out of the third film? I remember him saying that he wasn't going to work for Wayne as long as he had the device around, but inputting the password destroyed it right?

[Acapelli]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

this is exactly why the studios wouldn't go through with it

[Ezee E]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

Wats' idea of doing something like Seven would be pretty damn cool if set in Gotham with a villain like Man-Bat or Mad Hatter behind it all.

[megladon8]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

Wait...you'd find it boring to watch a Batman detective movie?

[origami_mustache]

Wait...you'd find it boring to watch a Batman detective movie?

I was kind of joking, although I don't find Batman's character very interesting; I have always been much more interested in the villains in comic/horror/fantasy films. Actually I think it would pretty interesting to do a Batman noir variation or something like that, and it is probably a better alternative to trying to top The Dark Knight, but I can't see the studios going for that as Acapelli has already pointed out.

[Ezee E]

I was kind of joking, although I don't find Batman's character very interesting; I have always been much more interested in the villains in comic/horror/fantasy films. Actually I think it would pretty interesting to do a Batman noir variation or something like that, and it is probably a better alternative to trying to top The Dark Knight, but I can't see the studios going for that as Acapelli has already pointed out.

It'd be a wild approach, but you could definitely fit in some chase scenes. Take a look at The Departed, a cat & mouse movie that has only one, maybe two explosions in it.

Seven, a police procedural, is gripping the whole way through.

It'd be a unique, and won't ever happen, but it could easily work.

[Qrazy]

[

Show Spoiler

It sucks.

]
If you're just starting out with comics, I recommend Jimmy Corrigan over any of the famous superhero stuff. It's way more formally interesting, it has black humor that should be right up your alley, and it has a more affecting story.

Nice, I'm on it.

[megladon8]

My Batman script is a detective story.

Has my own twist on the Joker origin.

/nerd