What’s Next For The Batman?!
So…
I saw The Dark Knight Rises this week. And while I am not here to bust out spoilers (sorry, but it’s going to kind of happen) I do want to talk about what may come next and why Christopher Nolan or who ever will be in charge of the project should be allowed to do whatever they want with their Batman storyline.
Here’s the thing – when you walk into a superhero movie you can not expect that the story will unfold the same way it did in the pages of your favourite comic books. It’s not going to happen.
Note: Every time any book gets made into a movie people get up in arms about which is better and how (often) it’s the movie that does not live up to the expectation or excellence of the book. Comic book fans are quite the same. After decades of this going on I would think that we would all be used to the differences and be able to just move on and enjoy the show.
Now, Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have both stated quite publically that The Dark Knight Rises will be their last Batman film as director and star. However, I would not be surprised at all to see that Nolan stays on as producer for at least 2 more Batman movies, much like he is going with the Superman reboot that we will see in theatres in 2013.
A large part of me really hopes that Nolan does stay on because I want to see a continuation of the current story. I want the studio and DC and everyone involved to have the balls to move forward with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (JGL) and a new Gotham City.
SPOILER!!!
(this is where I talk about what I want to see happen and it may/will give away things that happened in The Dark Knight Rises)
We find out that Robin is the real name of John Blake at the end of the movie… but with Bale not returning in a role he’s been very good in, I hope that we skip the Robin costume and see JGL in the cape and cowl as the new Batman that Gotham City needs and deserves.
I know that Blake isn’t ready to be Batman immediately. That’s okay though, 4 years passed in Gotham between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. 8 years passed between The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. There’s no reason that we can’t have 4 or 5 more years pass as Blake settles into his new home at the Wayne Manor Orphanage and the Batcave that he discovered and Gotham City is rebuilt and renewed after the tragedy and destruction of Bane’s attacks. He can train, get bigger, smarter, stronger and be prepared to take over the mantle of The Bat.
What I would love to see is movie 4 (Batman: A New Hope) as a JGL Batman movie. Commissioner Gordon (Mayor Gordon perhaps) would stay involved. I would have Father Reilly become the new Alfred in that he is the guardian of Wayne Manor and confidant of Robin John Blake. And then in movie 5 (Batman: Revenge of The Bat) we have a Batman and Robin movie with one of the orphans becoming the Boy Wonder.
It would take balls for this all to happen. It would ruffle feathers with Batman fans. It would make people mad. But it would make for a hell of a continuation to Nolan’s Batman franchise.
Now listen up, comic book fans/nerds/aficionados will be pissed if Nolan decides to start writing his own Batman storyline. But why the hell shouldn’t he be able to. For decades we’ve had DC writers taking on The Bat and writing stories that have had fans happy and satisfied as well as unhappy and unsatisfied. That’s the chance that you take. I don’t see why these movie writers should be given any less license than comic book writers.
This is the entertainment industry. Deal with it.
PS. I know that other, smarter, more in the know people have written about this. And they probably have a better hold on things than I do. But I know what I’d like to see. And this is it!
PPS.
1) I’d love to see The Penguin introduced as a villain in the sewers of Gotham now that they have been introduced to us. Not in the same, deformed way that Danny DeVito played him, but in a gritty, hidden, mean gangster that has taken to the sewers for protection.
2) I would also like the see The Riddler in a serious, dangerous, cerebral character that has a menacing laugh and not a ridiculous giggle.
3) And I think that The Mad Hatter could also be introduced as a supporting villain. He stays in line with a non-supernatural world and could be a hired gun for The Penguin.
4) I would really love to see Solomon Grundy, but that’s not in the cards in a traditional way. Perhaps in an updated, more “legend has it” incarnation.
If you haven’t seen The Dark Knight Rises yet, I’m sorry. I warned you at the start and middle that it might get spoiler-y in here.
If you have seen The Dark Knight Rises I would love to hear what you think.
And I would love to hear what you think might happen next in Gotham City!
creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.
SPOILERY COMMENT BELOW! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
SPOILERY COMMENT BELOW! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
SPOILERY COMMENT BELOW! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!
I love the idea of having a further trilogy and think the ending of TDKR was totally going in that direction. However, I dunno about JGL/Robin John Blake becoming a Batman, maybe Nightwing would be a better fit leaving an opening for Christian Bale to come back in a supporting role/cameo (he said he wouldn’t star, never said he wouldn’t be in it at all).
I don’t see the need to replace Alfred with Father Reilly unless Michael Cane wants out of the franchise as well…and even then they *could* just replace him with a different actor. The character of Alfred, however, doesn’t as far as I can recall, need to be replaced because the movie left him very much in Gotham – except for his once a year Italian vacations. As well, keeping Alfred in the mix would give Blake access to contact Bruce and an opening for that aforementioned cameo/small supporting role to happen. Beyond that, bringing Father Reilly in on the secret of Batman would just be one more person who can conceivable talk and reveal the secret if push came to shove.
Loved TDKR and hoping they continue the franchise as well!
I LOVE the idea of Nightwing. I just don’t know if they’ll introduce a new hero without having him introduced by Batman. That means your cameo idea just could work… you smart son of a bitch!
Ok, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I admit I do like your premises for 4 and 5. It does tie in to the cryptic line “anybody can be Batman”, but Bruce Wayne will be forever Batman. I do feel Bale could be brought back as a mentor but even the villains know when Robin, Red Robin, Nightwing, Bat-Girl, whomever show up, they do not really worry until Batman shows up. These characters are always “Batman-lite”. There will have to be a Batman. With Wayne Enterprises being gutted, where does JGL get the tech? Let’s face it JGL can’t get a part time job as a photographer to buy supplies. Even though Bale is spotted in Italy, his face is still easily recognized if someone gets photo or satellite surveillance to it. And then there is Selena, Bruce and Selena together, too beautiful too showy to keep to the shadows, someone would notice, etc. and really she is too “catty” and unpredictable……imagine she sees a priceless trinket and “has” to have it……..maybe Bruce really changed her? She could help mentor too?
Then there is the League of Shadows, they keep popping up with new assassins. And they know who Batman was/is and anyone who takes up the mantle will easily be traced back to Wayne or his resources.
You have questions in your continuation that need to be addressed but with everything else I have read, movie wise it could work. I saw where in a blog someone suggested Batman go to HBO as a continuation series where all the supporting characters could be developed and then they could adapt storylines like Hush, The Killing Joke, etc. That is intriguing too.