The Dark Knight Rises

OK, here are "official" and on the record comments about "BATMAN 3" that come straight from the mouths of actors, filmmakers, and the studio.

Chris Nolan, December 2008

Nolan says he is jotting notes and doing some rough outlines for a third story, but he hasn't yet found anything he's willing to commit to film, despite Warner Bros.' eagerness to get a new film underway.

"It was obvious when the box office was so big ($530 million domestically) that we had underestimated how ready fans were to reboot the franchise. The worst thing you could do now that you've gotten the plane back in the air is mess up the landing." (USATODAY.COM)

Chris Nolan, October 2008

"[Will I return for a third BATMAN?] Is there a story that’s going to keep me emotionally invested for the couple of years that it will take to make another one? That’s the overriding question. On a more superficial level, I have to ask the question: ‘How many good third movies in a franchise can people name?’ At the same time, in taking on the second one, we had the challenge of trying to make a great second movie, and there haven't been too many of those either. It’s all about the story really. If the story is there, everything is possible.” (BOF)

"[Warner Bros. is] being extremely gracious. I have a very good relationship with the studio. They know that I really needed to go on holiday and take some time to figure what I want to do next. They’ve been very respectful of that, which is terrific and one of the reasons I enjoy working with Warner Bros." (BOF)

Charles Roven, October 2008

“I can't speak to that [BATMAN 3] right now.

We are excited about the possibility of something coming together, but we're definitely in the stage where we're just thinking about it. Chris [Nolan] is really the one who is thinking on it.” (BOF)

David Goyer, October 2008

“[All the recent Batman rumors] -- it’s all B.S. ALL of it.”

“Chris and I haven’t even talked about it. He quite understandably is taking a long, long vacation and wants to purge himself. We have mused here and there [but] I mean Chris is pretty much a one movie at a time kind of guy.” (MTV)

Warner Bros./Alan Horn, August 2008

Warner Bros. confirms an offer is on the table for director Chris Nolan to helm a third BATMAN. "We have no idea where Chris is going with this. We haven't had any conversations with him about it," says Warner's Alan Horn. (VARIETY.COM)

Warner Bros./Jeff Robinov, August 2008

Warner Bros.’ Jeff Robinov says that the studio plans to release four DC Comics-based films over the next three years, including a third BATMAN. (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

David Goyer, July 2008

“I think that’s the scariest thing – to think, could we come up with a third movie that was as good as the first two. Can we top ourselves? Doing it a third time would be a big proposition. We’ve only talked loosely about [doing a third one], Chris and I.

I have [a theme for the film], but I’m not going to tell you. Chris is very particular about that.” (MTV)

Gary Oldman, June 2008

“I think there is every possibility that there will be a third one, certainly.

I do think that there will be a third one, yeah. And I think that Chris will do a third -- if Warners wants a third one I think that Chris will do it. I’m pretty much convinced -- it’s his baby, you know? He’s not going to give his baby up.

I don’t think Warner Bros. -- what they are learning now is, with the franchise, is you need a captain. Maybe with HARRY POTTER you can do it differently, but they’ve learned that you just can’t slap ‘BATMAN’ on it and succeed. It just isn’t enough. You’ve got to have someone at the helm. You’ve really got to have someone with a vision for it, and Chris has certainly got that.

So I think that they will tempt him (laughs) with all sorts of things and he’ll do it…and it is his baby.” (BOF)

Jonathan Nolan, June 2008

"[A third film] got to be better. That’s [Chris'] mandate. No point in doing it again if there isn’t more to say and if it there isn’t a legitimate shot there to make a better film." (COLLIDER.COM)

David Goyer, June 2008

“Well we’ll see.

Look, Chris is definitely a one movie at a time guy and it was 3 months after BATMAN BEGINS came out that he finally called me up and said, let’s have lunch and talk about another one.

But no, there’s been no ‘specific’ talk of doing a third one....

[And if we have unofficially talked about another one], we’re certainly not going to tell you.” (MTV)

Chris Nolan, June 2008

While doing press for THE DARK KNIGHT
during the Summer of 2008, director Chris Nolan blows off all questions about doing a third Batman film. Nolan says that he put everything into THE DARK KNIGHT that he wanted, and didn’t leave anything out for a possible sequel

Christian Bale, March 2008

"Knowing the DARK KNIGHT story, I would like very much to complete a trilogy.

I think that knowing the story of THE DARK KNIGHT, it leaves you anticipating something that really can get very, very interesting for a third.

Now, the question would be: Is Chris going to be doing it? Because to me I find it tricky to imagine working on it without it being a collaboration with Chris." (BOF)