Everyone is awaiting the release of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. It’s almost time folks, but what are we going to do after the film is released ?
Well don’t worry - it’s now junket time for the movie and the question on most journalists’ lips is “What about the next film?”
As you can imagine everyone is rather vague about a third film for many reasons: this one could tank (unlikely I know, but you never know), if they seem too eager then they shoot themselves in the foot contract wise, they might not be invited back (Katie… is that you?) or they probably don’t know anything.
That doesn’t stop people asking questions and guys like me speculating.
However, when Christian Bale was asked about he chances of Robin showing up during his time in the Batcave he simply said:
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“If Robin crops up in one of the new Batman films, I’ll be chaining myself up somewhere and refusing to go to work.”
Meanwhile Christopher Nolan himself and Gary Oldman gave their thoughts and opinions on the next film.
Firstly, when Nolan was asked by Movieweb about whether or not he would helm a third film he said:
“I don’t know. I take my projects one at a time, and I am not thinking about that right now. I don’t know if I want to come back.”
Sounds like he’s acting very coy, considering that when he did Batman Begins he stated that he’d planned the story over three movies. I hear the words “contract negotiation” in his future.
Nolan was also asked if he would recast the role of the Joker he replied:
“I don’t know. I honestly have not taken a moment away from what is going on with the film now to even think about that. I don’t know. I simply don’t know.”
Gary Oldman was a little bit more open when talking about the third film in the current Bat franchise.
Oldman was also asked about the chances of another actor taking the place of Heath Ledger and he stated:
“I don’t see why not. I mean, they did it with Katie Holmes’ character. I understand that this is a different circumstance, but I think another actor could do the job. I think Heath would want another actor to do the job. Maybe we don’t need the Joker. Because we’ll have The Riddler.”
Very interesting. The Riddler? Hmmmmm…
The interviewer went on to see if Oldman would be returnng for a third film and he replied:
“We don’t really know if Nolan is coming back. I guess I have to come back.
Oldman then went on to say:
“Nolan will come back for a third one. I think we all have to.”
Very interesting news. However in what context did Gary Oldman say “we’ll have The Riddler” ?
Was he being hypothetical or was he implying that The Riddler is goung to be in the next film?
Who knows, and I think that it will be about another year or 18 months before we find out the truth.
In the meantime prepare yourself for The Dark Knight which opens on July, 18.
Sources: Contact Music and Movieweb
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33 Comments
I hope its not the Riddler. Isn’t two-face supposed to be the villain for the 3rd movie? I thought Dent only becomes twoface at the very end of TDK and it was a setup for the third film (like the Joker card was in batman begins)
I’m hoping for a stand alone this episode and they write a new story for a third movie, like the clock king or some one else.
Yeah, I really hope they don’t recast the Joker, nobody will beat Heat’s performance on that one. Ok I’m not glad about Katie either, but it was acceptable I guess.
Steven
The only thing we have with every franchise are the installments that
we already have .
Nothing else is guaranteed.
Although I would prefer a Joker cameo, there is no need and definitely not considering it would need a recast. I just hope he stays away from villains like Penguin, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze…
Clock King would make a good choice for a villain, as would Riddler. Two-Face is still one of my favorites.
Batman has an array of villains that could be used, so going for another makes sense.
Would like to see Bane done properly, not the big idiot in the Schumacher movie.
But Two-Face does appeal.
I think Hugo Strange should make an appearance as he suits Nolans overall dark tone for the Batman films…Strange could get in his head…
OKi, I can see how Bale don’t want robin in the movies, but how about nighwing? No robin just nightwing.. A fellow vigilante that starts to fight crime in gotham, than runs into batman - he saves batman or batman saves him, and Batman than takes him on as a partner? no?
I would like to see Talia or Selina in the third film and please NO Robin!!!!
Robin wouldn’t fit in very well with the new dark Batman (even though Batman in today’s comics is considerably darker, and Robin has adjusted accordingly, thank god), but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to see a cameo of the Graysons.
Does anyone think that Harley Quinn would be decent in the movies, if they made her over like they did to the Joker here?
For the third movie, I think that the Riddler wouldn’t be a bad choice.
Gary Oldman, Spolier warnings gheesh. He just ruined the movie for me. I’m gonna see “Space Chimps” now.
^
Personally, I don’t want anyone to play the Joker for the next 20 years.
One word “BatWing”
Two-face can’t be the only villian in the next film, and Clock King is way to obscure a villian, most people have never heard of him. The Riddler, if performed with the same intensity as Joker could be even better… So the question is, who will play the Riddler ????????
God, I hope they don’t recast The Joker! I have enough trouble with Katie Holmes being replaced… (not because I thought she was any good, just because I HATE recastings in otherwise tight continuations).
I’ve been crossing my fingers that the story calls for The Joker to either die or be otherwise put out of commission, so he doesn’t NEED to appear in a third film.
Then again, wasn’t there a rumour at some stage that the third film would revolve around the trial of The Joker? I dunno where that came from… I just recall reading a quote from someone before The Dark Knight began production.
I, for one, want to see what Nolan does with Catwoman… but I reckon Warner Bros. would be scared to use her after what they did to her back in ‘04.
The only thing worse than the Catwomen video game was the Catwoman movie. ;-O
^
Yeah I hope your right Kane and somehow they close Joker out of the next one.
I won’t miss Katie Holmes however.
Hugo Strange, The Riddler, Bane, Catwoman would all be interesting in Nolan film. I also wouldn’t mind The Penguin in that small role as a british arms dealer was rumored a couple years ago or as a mob boss like he was in the comice books pretty recently.
Two Face should be the main villian in the next film, but mixing in Hugo Strange and the riddler or penguin would be cool.
Bane would be a tough one because of the story line he was introduced in, but if done well and cast with the right actor would be very cool.
I think when it’s all said and done Nolan will return for a third film, so the better question is who will take over once Nolan leaves? A friend was telling me he thinks Paul Greengrass would be a good choice…maybe? Tough question
Yea yea, villan smillan! there is lot’s of great batvillans to take from, and the third movie will be great, why not make SIGNALMAN the main villan ey?
But-
What about my idea, to cut out the whole robin fase of greysons life, and make him Nightwing from the start. Or are you guys totally against Batman taking on a partner at all?
Batman having a. partner is not gonna work for me, and I’m pretty sure Bale feels the same way.
????? I don’t see more than one new villian past ??????Two-Face?????, as Nolan brings his vision to a close..??????????
I agree with those who said NO Robin in third movie!
I think with all due respect in order to continue the batman films after the third film (if that happens) they would need to make a justice leauge film and continue doing those with all the Actors from thier respectful Films Bat Man Super Man etc.
I am shocked Bale would not want to see a Robin alongside him in a Film Just like in the Comics if done right you can have a kick ass Robin…
think about it adapt his new Costume for the Film from the current comics black and red. he would have to be a young Actor about fifteen who can play a serious roles like Cameron Bright who played a really messed up kid in the butterfly effect. what do you guys think.
The reason they dont want to use Robin is because the Batman right now is young. So Nightwing would be defenately out of the question. What could work maybe would be a small part towards the end of the third, and then maybe have him do his own film with an older version and maybe even have a Bale cameo
lol lets all just write a screenplay and turn it in to a movie company, alot of people here have alot of interesting ideas : )
what does Niall Browne and the other authors on Screen Rant think about the idea of a dark Robin like the way Jeph Leob seems to be Defending the Boy Wonder i think they can do it and if done like he suggests it would give them a fresh and exciting new angle to the Franchise…
I’m not totally against having a Robin in the new Batman series, but I think that he isn’t really needed.
I think that they fitted Robin well into Batman Forever, but it didn’t work in Batman and Robin - for obvious reasons!
I feel that mabye in a few movies, but not in the next movie or two.
Niall
Robin is totally unnecessary. Nolan’s Batman has a lot of momentum, maybe after a few movies it’ll need to jump the shark and add Robin. I doubt it will get to that point.
Nolan’s take so far has been the old style Batman, before Robin, Joker being a mass-murdering lunatic. The only way I wanna see Robin is if Dick Grayson is introduced and killed within like two minutes. J/K about that btw
Hey gang, want to see a COOL take on Robin? Check out this older Screen Rant post:
http://screenrant.com/grayson-fan-film-cool-274/
Then come back here and tell us what you think.
Vic
I do think Robin can be done. I’m not the most read on the comics, but I know enough to see it can be done and Robin is part of the Batman world.
If they have a kid/young man who is as devastated by his loss as Bruce was, you can set up a mentor/student plot (I prefer that angle than hero/sidekick).
However I wouldn’t want to see Robin in soon, as this is the early times of Batman. There’s plenty to get from Bruce/Batman himself yet, and I’d like to see more on Gordon too.
But that Robin looked cool. Thanks for showing that. What happened to that film?
No Robin at least right now…at all, but why not introduce Dick Grayson. Nolan could show Batman slipping deeper and deeper into the Batman persona and then a young Dick Grayson could almost save him from that by giving Bruce someone other than Alfred to care about. A 8 to 10 year old Dick Grayson would mean he wouldn’t and couldn’t be Robin for awhile, at least a couple more movies. The Batman movies have a ton of villians and stories to draw from, it could go on and on like the Bond movies have. They are already having trouble deciding who will be the villian for the next Iron Man movie. The only problem you have with Batman is which one to use, for both major and minor roles…Catwoman, Riddler, Penguin, Black Mask, Killer Croc, Bane, Man-Bat, Talia, Hugo Strange, Poison Ivy, The Ventriloquist & Scarface, Victor Freeze, Harley Quinn and on and on and on.
At the end of a third film you show Bruce with one (or two) of his girlfriends walking into a big top tent with a bill board or poster touting the Flying Graysons…end film. That way Nolan will be done with the trilogy not having to worry about putting the boy wonder on screen and warner bros will get the dream of having a robin in the later movies, but a Robin done right and done well.
Just a thought.
What about SINALMAN? worst villan ever.. haha, the first comic he is in is just stupid… But apparently he got better later, dark and gritty, have not read this.. -Would be fun to have him as a side villan in the beginning of the film, some nut that wants to be a costumed supercrock and becomes SIGNALMAN using fireworks and fx to steal money - than BatBale twarts him quite quickly? No?
Calendar Man might have been one of the worst ever, he was a joke, but Loeb turned him into almost a Hannibal Lecter type of serial killer in Long Halloween and actually made him usable…no small task, lol
Sorry, meant to say Sale and Loeb and only mentioned Loeb…sorry Timmy, lol
I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the Dark Knight, specially with all this hype on how the late Heath Ledger portrayed the Joker. If he really played it the way the press said he did, then this is will be one hell of a movie!
Hmm…now about this “issue” with Robin. I think I have to agree with some of the opinions posted here. As in, no Robin…for now at least. I think the character’s introduction into the franchise should be made gradual, in a sense that Dick Grayson may already be featured in one of the future Batman films, but his development into Robin would be slowly built-up, like a “back-arc” story where clues to his adopting the Robin persona will be left in the end of the movie, a foreshadowing if you will, and the next movie can center around him and his quest for revenge on his parents’ murderer/s, with the Batman trying his best to dissuade or stop him before Robin becomes a nemesis to Gotham rather than its protector (like Batman). Needless to say, he could start out as an even “darker” Dark Knight than Batman himself (well, its just an idea).
Anyway, kudos to the guys at Untamed Films. I really think the “Grayson” film has great potential. The story’s premise is really intriguing to say the least. If this doesn’t make it to the big screen, then perhaps it can be developed into a TV series. But whatever the outcome, “Grayson” to me has shown how Robin can be taylor-fitted into a Batman film.
What about going the Carrie Kelly direction?
This Batman already takes many influences from the Dark Knight Returns, why not another?
Am i the only one who thinks Killer Croc was already introduced as the next villain, in the Dark Knight?
I’m not going to give anything away to anybody who hasn’t seen the film yet, but the big guy, crucial scene, (orange outfit, weird skin markings…. you’ll notice if your looking for him.)
any bat geeks confer?
Killer Croc was in the Batman Gotham Knight animated feature that bridges the two movies
A friend of mine made a good observation from TDK that could foreshadow a new villain - when Bruce and Lucious are talking about the suit protecting him from dogs, Lucious says “maybe cats?”
I didn’t make the connection (although I thought that line was al ittle off) until my friend mentioned it later. Interesting….
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!