That is the question on everyone’s lips.
The man behind the second highest grossing film of all time (unadjusted) hasn’t signed on to direct a third installment yet, and The Dark Knight’s producer Charles Roven has said that nobody has even talked to Nolan yet because he is on vacation.
Roven said:
“There are a lot of us who emotionally would love to do it, but it’s really Chris’ call. Chris is the kind of filmmaker who just doesn’t think about the next movie before he has completely finished the movie he is working on. When he comes back, we will see how he feels.”
|
|
You bet a lot of people want to make a third film – especially after the amount of coin that That Dark Knight has taken in ($871 million and counting!).
So how will Chris Nolan feel, and will he want to make another film in the series? And if he doesn’t, what would stop him from making Batman 3?
Well one reason not to return is that some believe that Nolan has made the perfect Batman film, and he might not be able to top that. Third films in a series are very hard to get right. The first film in a series is often an introduction to the characters; the second is where the plot develops and the third film often has the thankless task of sorting out the loose ends. It’s quite easy to bring up examples of disappointing third films in a series:
- Alien 3
- Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines
- The Godfather 3
- Spider-Man 3
- X-Men 3
- The Matrix Revolutions
- and some would even argue The Return of the Jedi (although not me).
Nolan strikes me as a director who likes to get things just right and if he doesn’t feel that he can do that maybe he would just walk away. After all, making a film of that magnitude takes a lot of time and effort, and if you don’t think that it’s going to be good why bother?
Another thing that might stop Nolan returning to Gotham City is salary. Few would argue that the success of The Dark Knight doesn’t rest on Nolan’s shoulders and his paycheck for a third film would have to reflect this. Therefore if the director doesn’t get the quote that he thinks he deserves he might move on to pursue other projects. Negotiations in Hollywood are often very tricky and the money men can often get very argumentative, so anything could happen with regards to that process.
If Christopher Nolan does decide to tackle Batman again it won’t be for another three years – at the very least. Nolan will obviously want to make another non-Batman related film between now and Batman 3, much like he did with The Prestige. Any “in-between” project will dictate the time frame of the next installment in the Batman franchise. Let’s just hope that Warner Brothers doesn’t pull an “X-Men 3” and try to rush the film into production with or without Nolan.
I would like to highlight that Nolan is a fantastic director in his own right, away from the Bat-franchise. Memento is a modern classic; The Prestige is a cracking little magical mystery tour and Insomnia is a good (and slightly under-rated) psychological thriller – so I don’t think that we can begrudge Nolan some time away to develop his directing skills on other films.
I have no doubts in my mind that Nolan will be back – but I have been known to be wrong from time to time. If Nolan doesn’t direct the film I wonder who Warner Brothers will hire to direct the next Batman movie? Surely not Brett Ratner? What about Frank Miller or maybe Zack Snyder?
Who would you like to see direct a Batman film if Nolan decided to leave the franchise behind?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Loading ...
83 Comments
hmm..well Godfather 3 wasn’t meant to be a 3rd installment in the trilogy at all, the execs just forced the name into that to make it sell.
Return of the Jedi was pretty perfect as a number 3 as though.
Pirates 3 on the other hand was bad, and even worse than that was the 3rd Matrix film…and definately X3 which you pointed out.
I agree with you, that Nolan will be back but in 3-4 years time, building movies off of hype usually means rushed projects and done correctly. If nolan does another film first, it’ll clear his mind and the hype, and allow him the time to make a perfect end to the Bale Batman. That will also allow time for other DC films to get their title characters out, and as WB hopes, maybe lead to a multi-character film.
…and *not* done correctly.
I think WB would be INSANE to have anyone else besides Nolan on board for B3. If he wants $30 million, GIVE IT TO HIM. I mean even if the 3rd movie is HALF as good as TDK, it’ll make a killing and $30mil will seem like chump change. We certainly don’t need another Spidey 4 fiasco….
OOPS! Meant to say Spidey 3 fiasco….grrrrr
Haven’t we gone through this before,with Favs and IM2?Will Favs direct the sequel or not?They haven’t spoken since the premiere.Sound familiar?
Chris Nolan will direct,”Batman 3″,and he will get paid royally for it.
BTW,Kofi I always thought The Last Crusade was a better movie than Temple Of Doom in the IJ films.Of course nothing compares to Raiders though.
X-Men 3 was the best of the series.
I say give Batman to a director who will give us good emotion and action (Nolan’s action scenes were satisfactory at best), how about Ridley Scott, or whoever directed Phantom of the Opera. That movie had action, drama and it was a musical! Batman should sing in part 3.
Joel schumaker directed phantom of the opera. We’ve been down that road.
Joel Schumaker caused the Bat frieght train to take a dirt road.
Of course Nolans coming back and if he saved some footage of Heath like I’ve heard, then the next installment could be even better.
Nolan will be the go to guy for Batman 3 or the Dark Knight Returns…
if nolan, for whatever reason, decides not to do a third batman, then WB should just forget about it. at this point, i don’t think anyone would have much faith in another director to live up to the dark knight or batman begins. nolan has completely reinvented the character (at least cinematically speaking), and that would put a lot of pressure on another director. in the same way that no one else should play the joker in number 3, nolan should be the only director for number 3
I really hope he returns and I also hope they don’t call the movie The Dark Knight returns because I would love to see someone do an adaption of that comic to film someday and that kind of prevents that.
First off my first choice would definitely be Nolan. Whatever it takes, concede it to him, he’s earned it. But if he can’t do it, or doesn’t want to do it, I’d say get David Fincher to do it. He has a good track record. Yes, I’m aware that he did direct Alien 3, but that was his first movie. He did Fight Club, Seven, The Game and Zodiac.
The man can direct dark suspense-filled thrillers, he has an attention to detail and knows how to direct complex characters.
If Nolan couldn’t come back my first choice would be me lol but that wouldn’t happen. So I guess these guys would work.
Brian Singer who is talented and I think he could handle taking over if they would let him X2 was an excellent film. M. Night Shyamalan I’m not a huge fan of most of this guys work but Unbrekable was one of the finest works of art I have ever seen I think he could do a good job with Batman if he tried to stick with Nolans vision. James Mangold this guy simply has an excellent track record and in multiple genres.
Those are just a few names I could come up with off the top of my head.
What Joe said, I second. It would be somewhat agonizing not to see what happens to Batman after he’s voluntarily taken on the mantle of Gotham’s bad guy (falsely) for the sake of the city, but I’d rather leave it at that then have the jarring experience of another director stepping in (and several of the actors possibly not signing on, as it seems they’ve developed a bit of loyalty to Nolan) and providing a lackluster answer to those questions.
No, it’s all or nothing here and I hope it’s all, but I’ll take nothing if that’s what it comes to.
Are you listening WB?
Theres an obvious reason why he hasn’t committed to it yet:
Heath Ledger.
He has to know, for sure, that he can pull off a film that technically has the joker alive in it.
Interesting idea with M.Night, Daniel.
I always wondered what he could do with an already-established property, especially a highly-coveted one like that Batfilms. I heard a while back he was interested in doing the final Harry Potter film.
Although, I’m not sure he could pull of the action sequences. Who knows.
I liked signs, but I would be afraid to see M.Night’s twist ending at the end of Batman 3, or his cameo appearance. as a person I think he has a big ego, I heard somewhere he said he is this era’s Alfred Hitchcock and we all know that’s Bu(( sh/t.
i think peter Jackson should do it…
ok now maybe you will think i am crazy but peter knows how to make EPIC films LOTR (which btw i the hiest grossing trilogy of all time and LOTR The Return Of the King is Second to titanic in WW box office revenue’s.
i think he can maske a epic finish to the films that would blow us away
i love nolan and i want him back for the third but PJ just a thought…
I hope he only comes back if he truly has another great story to tell.
What /I/ want to know is what is going to happen with the whole Batman x Superman crossover. Anyone who saw “I AM LEGEND” would have noticed the billboard in the background advertising it, so I’m guessing it’s sort of a hint of an upcoming movie. But, getting back on the Nolan subject …
It would be suicide if Warner Bros hired anyone else BUT Nolan. He, afterall, singlehandedly PERFECTED Batman. As good as many of the directors you all mentioned are, I highly doubt they would be able to appropriately capture Nolan’s vision and transfer it into a third film. Now that we have seen the director’s take on the superhero, you could say that fans have certain expectations on how a Batman movie SHOULD be done. I imagine going on with the project without Mr. Nolan would only result in another disappointing movie that would destroy everything that made Nolan’s Batman so amazing. In my opinion, if they’re planning on making another Batman, they should do it right or not do it all.
M. Night? Well keep him out of the writing, or we will find out Alfred is really an alien that dissolves in water
I think they should hand it over to Alfonso Cuaron or Jean-Piere Junet they’ll be able to make it wierder, there’s nothing I hate more than a director trying to copy another director’s style…
If they are going to have a different director make the whole thing feel new!
i luvv christian bale and hisz movie soo if he doesnt star as batman in the next batman movie then I WILL COMMIT SUICIDE!! lolZz but i luv him with all my heart!
Alfonso Cuaron would bring have the best take on the movie, though Guillermo Del Toro or David Fincher would probably be more stylized.
I’d definitely veto Snyder until he can show the world that he knows what a character is.
God I would hate to see Guillermo take over. Nothing against the guy he’s decently talented judging by his previous films I’m afraid of what he would do to it.
Ok, Nolan will more likely be back because WB’s will bank role at least one or two movies to make sure he comes back. Nolan may finally be able to get The Prisoner movie made. At least thats the way I think it will go down.
Why does no one think of David Goyer when asking the question who may take over for Nolan when he’s done with the series. All of Goyers movies look great and he of course has his fingers on the pulse of what batman is and should be. He would be perfect choice to me.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the next movie for Nolan will be. As was said Momento is a classic and one of my favorite movies, The Prestige is another classic to me and a truly entertaining and great film and Isomnia is very under rated film.
Btw, notice I said Goyers movies look great, not that they are great movies…just thought I’d point that out, lol
Also GOD NO WAY ON Frank Miller. Love some of the guys stuff but The Spirit honestly looks awful…which I hate saying because I was looking forward to it, but not anymore.
David Fincher is one of my favorite film makers but I don’t see him doing a Batman film…but then again I was little leary of Nolan doing a Batman film and boy was I wrong on that one.
Ronnie,
I think that Fincher would be a good choice for directing a Batman film.
I’ve always thought that parts of Seven reminded me of Frank Miller’s Batman Year One.
Niall
NOLAN SHOULD COME BACK TO DIRECT THE THIRD INSTALLMENT & IF HE DECIDES TO BRING THE JOKER BACK R.I.P HETH LEDGER DID A GOOD JOB. MABE ROBERT KNEPPER FROM PRISON BREAK COULD PLAY A GOOD JOKER.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!