The Batman Franchise After Nolan

Registered User

03-17-11

I think we all know that DKR is going to be a mega hit come 2012. All Doomsday predictions aside, how long before Warner Bros stumble upon another goldmine Batman Script and give the franchise another shakeup ?

I think After Nolan does his trilogy, Batman could dissapear for at least a decade before Warner Bros decide The Caped Crusader will return.

Thoughts ?

Yoda

Administrator

03-17-11

This is a great question. They're absolutely going to try to get Nolan to keep going, but to my mind there's very little chance of that happening. Nolan's said all along he envisioned a trilogy, and he can't keep topping himself, anyway. He's doing substantial things to the characters and he's made it quite serialized, to the point at which it would become increasingly difficult to keep the story moving forward at the same speed over more than another film or two. He's also going to run out of relatively mainstream, believable characters at some point. I'm sure he could spin some of them enough to make it work, but there'll be diminishing returns to the point at which they either have to modify them more and more, abandon most fan favorites, or something else.

The only way I see Nolan going past The Dark Knight Rises is if he has a flop or two outside of the franchise and comes to the conclusion that he can buy some more faith in funding other films by returning to Batman. Which is plausible, but not something I'd bet on.

If I had to put my money on any one option, it would be Nolan bowing out after this next film, a few years going by, and Warner Bros. finding a fairly respected (or relatively unknown) director to pick up where he left off. Not another reboot, but a continuation. I don't know if it would last more than a few films without Nolan before having to go through another incarnation, but I'd like to be wrong. Perhaps Nolan's established enough of a tone and feel that even another director would be able to use it to create some very solid entries. Probably not as good, but good enough.

DexterRiley

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

03-17-11

I always thought the late 90's toon Batman Beyond would adapt well to live action.

For those not familiar, from Wiki

The pilot episode begins in 2019, where an aging Batman, equipped with a high-tech Batsuit, takes on the kidnappers of Bunny Vreeland (the daughter of Veronica Vreeland, one of Bruce Wayne's girlfriends). During the battle, Batman suffers a heart attack which leaves him unable to fight, forcing him to betray a life-long principle by threatening a criminal with a gun. By this point, Bruce Wayne's assistants, Alfred Pennyworth and Lucius Fox, had both passed away. It is implied by virtue of his lengthy career as Batman, and his retaining the Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl costumes, that a tragic occurrence had transpired that caused Bruce to sever his ties with the Justice League and forbid his allies to assume their alter-egos (the events which caused all of this are revealed in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker). Afterward, Bruce then decides that his time as Batman is over and vows "never again" as he shutters the Batcave.
The story fast-forwards to 2039 in Neo-Gotham, a futuristic megalopolis equipped with staggering high rises and flying vehicles. Bruce Wayne is a recluse living in bitter isolation with no companion but his guard dog, Ace. Terry McGinnis is an athletic 16-year-old high school student and reformed troublemaker with a deeply ingrained sense of personal justice. His first act in the series is to defend a fellow passenger on a commuter rail from a member of the Jokerz gang. After trying to defend his girlfriend from a gang of Jokerz, Terry engages in a high-speed chase which ends on the grounds of Wayne Manor, where he runs into the elderly Bruce Wayne. Bruce and Terry fend off the Jokerz side-by-side, but the exertion aggravates Bruce's heart condition. Terry helps Bruce back to the manor, and, after Bruce nods off for a bit, stumbles upon the entrance to the Batcave. He is chased out by a recovered and angered Bruce.
Terry returns home to discover that his father had been murdered, apparently by the vengeful Jokerz. Soon after, he finds out that the man actually responsible for the murder was Mr. Fixx, the bodyguard of Derek Powers�CEO of a merged Wayne-Powers and his father's employer�because he possessed knowledge of illegal chemical weapons being produced by Powers. Terry "borrows" the Batsuit, intending to bring Powers to justice. Bruce initially opposes his efforts and vehemently demands Terry return the suit (at one point paralyzing the suit while Terry is wearing it), but Terry convinces Bruce to let him take on the Batman mantle, and he subsequently defeats Mr. Fixx. Realizing that crime and corruption are running rampant in Gotham without Batman's presence, Bruce offers Terry the chance to assume the role of Batman.

Dream Casting for old man Bruce Wayne would be Clint Eastwood.

Or, as a wink to fans, Michael Keaton aged in makeup perhaps.

As to the kid.. whats haley joel Osmet doing these days?

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MovieMad16

Registered User

03-17-11

weird i was just looking at The Batman Beyond Wiki Page. I myself see Jon Hamm as Batman if they want to do a continuation, but i do like Keaton returning. Emily Blunt would also be good as a romance. It would be interesting to add a Sci Fi element to Batman with realistic tones. Fingers crossed.

DexterRiley

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

03-17-11

Well i thought of Eastwood, i guess partially because i just read he was offered Superman back in the 70's.

If ever a natural square jawed old fogie could have been a super hero, its Eastwood from a believability stand point.

but yeah the more i think about it, Michael Keaton is a viable and of course less expensive option. Also, age is a non factor for him moving forward in terms of sequels. Eastwood is in his 80's after all.

MovieMad16

Registered User

03-17-11

If we are talking direct sequel wise.

Jon Hamm would make a great Batman. He has the phisque for it. Emily Blunt i could also picture in as a romance. As for villians, either Johnny Depp as The Riddler, Ralph Fiennes as Black Mask, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as The Penquin.

Directors. David Slade, Duncan Jones are good options

Alfred - Christopher Plummer or John Hurt.

will.15

Semper Fooey

03-17-11

The problem is always going to be villains. The comic book can go on with average stories, but the movie needs major villains and I think even Nolan was making a mistake putting two in one movie. Two Face and Joker? The movie would have been just fine with just the Joker and two Face done properly can sustain a movie also. The next one will reportedly have three. It will probably work as a story. but it is really using up the supply. Nolan's reluctance to use some heavy hitters like Riddler and Penguin means there are still some left for a continuation, not a reboot, but they will be lucky if they can extend the Nolan version to three more. And if one of them bombs the series will be cold turkey for at least eight years for the next reboot.

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DexterRiley

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

03-17-11

in fairness to Nolan, he didnt forsee Ledgers death. If i recall correctly, originally it was only to be Harvey Dent and Joker, with Two-face to pop in the next installment.

MovieMad16

Registered User

03-17-11

Its a shame because I could have seen Nolan tackle The Penquin & The Riddler, but it does make sense and a more realistic approach to the trilogy. You don't want villians with superpowers going in and messing up the realism of a well established series of films.

MadMikeyD

Capra Fan

03-29-11

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.co...invent-batman/

Planning for the post-Dark Knight era already, WB has announced plans to "reinvent" Batman after Nolan's last film in the director's seat. Nolan will be kept on as producer, however, a role he also fills on Snyder's Superman film. They are also planning for a Justice League film in 2013. We don't know yet if the new Green Lantern or Superman films will connect to the potential Justice League movie, or if it will start from scratch as they had previously planned.

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Yoda

Administrator

03-29-11

Probably how it has to be. Nolan's making choices that advance the story in a way that must allow it to end at some point, so rebooting it yet again seems to be necessary if franchises like this are going to be at all serialized -- which they should be. I don't know if modern audiences would go for throwback franchises where everything at the end of each film is just as it was at the beginning. Even Bond is serialized now.

Monkeypunch

I'm not old, you're just 12.

03-29-11

You know, I'd still love to see a film based on Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (but please not with Miller himself involved...he's NOT a good screenwriter, or really not a good anything writer these days).

Dream casting of an older Batman? Kurt Russel. I can just see it. Don't know why.

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wintertriangles

It's all painted cold

03-29-11

I would hate to see a reboot, it feels like forgetting about the others to me, but Batman Beyond isn't a terrible idea

will.15

Semper Fooey

03-29-11

I think rebooting a third time may be a bit much. I think they probably made enough money from Batman movies.

MovieMad16

Registered User

04-01-11

Go with The Batman Beyond idea would be the most logical step. It would bring a fresh image to Batman.

TentativePoke

BANNED

04-02-11

The idea of keeping it as a trilogy is the most logical way to go. You really don't want them to go beating the dead horse, which would happen sooner or later. There's always a weak link sooner or later (Spiderman 3....*sigh*)

The great thing is that Nolan is tackling this 3rd film with the mind-set that it is an ending. This allows for a whole new different direction writing-wise that he would otherwise stray from if there was a chance he would consider a fourth film or beyond.

So that being said, I would hate to see them try to 'continue' from the films, especially since I am pretty sure Nolan would not return, under any circumstance. Here's hoping right?

MovieMad16

Registered User

04-02-11

well he's producing so there is some sort of continuation there. I would presume with Nolan producing, they might be continuing the same road, only with new cast.

But if i was smart, I would do Batman Beyond seeing as it has never been adapted to a live action film and its an idea that will bring in money and audiences of both Comic Books & Sci Fi fans.

MadMikeyD

Capra Fan

04-02-11

I think they need to watch what happens with The Amazing Spider-Man. Seeing how well that "reboot" does so close to the previous films might be helpful in deciding what to do next. It would probably be wise to go the Batman Beyond route and get away from Bruce Wayne for a while before "rebooting" the same character again. But, then again, if it proves to be a big success for Spider-Man, why not go for it?

DexterRiley

Keep on Rockin in the Free World

04-02-11

I am thrilled my batman beyond idea is gaining traction.

if it goes viral, can i get a line in the Special thanks section of the end credits

wintertriangles