Nolan Talks About Batman 3, Catwoman, The Riddler and The Penguin

[Seil]

Linkity link link. (http://www.comicmix.com/news/2008/10/28/nolan-talks-batman-3/)

Nolan Talks 'Batman 3'
Does He Have One More Left?

Batman, Batman, who's got the Batman? The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan sure did, but according to a new interview with The L.A. Times, he might be hanging up the cape and cowl.

"There are two things to be said [in deciding whether or not to make a third Batman]," Nolan tells Geoff Boucher. "What's the story? 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," he continues, "I have to ask the question: How many good third movies in a franchise can people name? [Laughs] At the same time, in taking on the second one [The Dark Knight], 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."

There are rumors all across the internet of what that story might be. Many suggest Catwoman, with Angelina Jolie as the most often discussed actress for the role, while certain news outlets such as the National Enquirer are convinced that Philip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp are locked as the Penguin and Riddler respectively.

Nolan, on the other hand, doesn't know much about what a sequel would entail. He admits that in filming The Dark Knight, his eyes weren't set towards a third film, despite leaving The Joker alive.

"I only deal with one film at a time," states Nolan. "We’ve never attempted to save anything for a sequel or set up anything for a sequel. That seems improbable to some people because, particularly with Batman Begins, the film ended with a particular hook [with Jim Gordon showing Batman a Joker playing card announcing the arrival of a new villain in town]. But for me that was just about the excitement of people leaving the theater with the sense that now we have the character up and running. I wanted people to walk away with that sense in their head. You know, that he’s become the Batman in the movie. That’s why we had the title come up at the end, because it was Batman Begins, and it was all very specific to that. Then I got excited about seeing where that character would go. It was planned in advance, but it followed in that way."

But Nolan is thinking the same thing that the rest of us are: a sequel without Heath Ledger is almost unimaginable.

"Heath created the most extraordinary character that you would love to see 10 movies about," Nolan says. "That's the bittersweet thing. It was incredible characterization. It is a bittersweet thing for all of us."

Still, there's some hope that Nolan will return to Gotham City once again. Other than getting the story right, which shouldn't be hard with the Nolan brothers and David Goyer in the Bat Cave, the director now has a taste for shooting films on grand IMAX scale, something he can't do with his beloved smaller films.

"After Batman Begins I certainly felt like taking on something smaller, but one of the things I got such a thrill from on The Dark Knight was shooting on Imax and creating that massive scale and achieving that larger-than-life quality," Nolan says. "So that’s a lot of fun. I’m drawn in both directions now. So maybe what I need to do next is a very intimate, small story that happens to be photographed on a ridiculously large scale. Or vice versa [laughs]."

No matter what Nolan decides to do, it's rather certain that Warner Bros. will make a follow up to their nearly $1 billion franchise. Fans will no doubt turn out in droves to see the second sequel, Nolan or nay, but we just can't help fearing that a Nolan-less Batman 3 will go the way of the Schumacher.But Nolan is thinking the same thing that the rest of us are: a sequel without Heath Ledger is almost unimaginable.

[Meister]

Nolan Talks About Batman 3 , Catwoman, The Riddler and The Penguin

[Seil]

Okay, yeah. I just got excited there for a sec and misread.

[Dørmatte]

If they did for the riddler what Dark Knight did for the joker then wow. Doesn't seem likely that there won't be any 3rd movie, I mean, with the booming successes that the two previous movies have been and all.

The Riddler would be awesome. Catwoman would suck. Catwoman would really, really suck.

[Bells]

mora than 1 villain would suck... c'mon, Batman begins barely pulled it off...

And sure, no more Joker... but there are ways to tell that 3rd story without touching the Joker... it's not a roadblock. More of a untouchable source.

I would love to see the Riddle on Nolan's vision. Also the Return of Rah's and probably Talia would make great stories.

[Magus]

I read this a while ago. As for Catwoman, etc., I believe Nolan has stated in at least one other interview he wanted to avoid characters who had already been brought to the screen, but then again he re-did the Joker and Twoface so he doesn't seem to know his own mind. I'd think we'd probably at least see an alternate combination, so it wouldn't be Catwoman and the Penguin again.

I'm not really keen on the Riddler, because Nolan for some reason made the Joker into the Riddler. I mean, he leaves clues as to his next crime at all the crime scenes in the movie, it's similar enough that if Nolan did the Riddler it would probably seem redundant.

I would push for Black Mask, although the back story for him is a bit dumb. They could maybe alter him to have been a criminal for a long time prior to feuding with Wayne and losing controlling interest in his company, since it would probably fit better than him suddenly becoming a criminal mastermind and suddenly gaining the necessary combat skills. Then also stick a female love interest in their for Wayne which also creates tension by virtue of criminality (Catwoman, Andrea Beaumont, etc.)

[Masked Jedi]

Honestly, I'm thinking they'll bring back Rutgar Hauer for Black Mask. He has the proper setup and everything!

[Donomni]

Who hasn't gotten a movie?

Clayface.

[Bells]

Who hasn't gotten a movie?

Clayface.

But nolan is all about "realism" in his Batman views, so Clayface wouldn cut it... that's why i think he will just bring Rah's and Talia on the next one. and probably a new villain that can connect with those 2

[Fifthfiend]

Who hasn't gotten a movie?

Clayface.

If I were to list every character who could ever conceivably fit into one of the Nolan Batman movies, Clayface would be at the top of my list of guys who were in no way ever going to be on the aforementioned list. Along with like, Killer Croc, and Bane (Bane's one that actually sounds like he could hypothetically work, it's just that if you ever actually tried, it would be dreadful).

[Magus]

Clayface could fit into the Nolanverse as long as they went with the Arkham Asylum version, which is where Clayface's power is to suffer from a horribly painful and disgusting skin condition similar to leprosy. So no, you're right, he won't be in a Nolan movie.

Rutger Hauer's character fits the backstory but it would be kind of farfetched to expect someone that old to be a match for Batman, even with guns.

[Seil]

Why does it have to be so realistic? Sure, the newer Batman movies are dark and gritty, but the only villains that have been done are realistic, or semi-realistic. Two Face makes sense because it's a deformity, Joker because he's just insane, Ra's because Batman needs both a mentor and an antagonist and Scarecrow has a fancy mask and drugs.

These guys are all realistic, sure - but why does Nolan have to define his Gotham as realistic? He's writing about a character who dresses up like an anthropomorphic bat to fight crime - in the first movie to save his hometown from ninja and in the second from the mob.

That being said, Bane could totally work. If you can pull of Scarecrow's fear gas, you can pull of Bane's venom. And Bane... what - broke all the criminals out of Arkham and waited until Batman rounded them all up? What did Ra's do? Break all the inmates out of Arkham?

Oh, and hey - a comic called "The Resurrection Of Ra's Al Ghul?" (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Batman-Resurrection-Ras-Al-Ghul-Grant-Morrison/9781401217853-item.html?pticket=l3rv5i45s4in3j5523ytt3fsZgGQh8wS pLuJTYkT8M4RMKzevxA%3d) So... Ra's and Talia are available now?

Clayface could work. Disguise artist.

[Mirai Gen]

Why does it have to be so realistic?
Because the Nolan Batman movies have been super realistic.

You could change Clayface - I mean Ra's was immortal in the comics and they didn't do anything more than simply hint at it in Begins - but I think of all the characters for Batman just not doing Clayface would be the best.

Also call me crazy but I really dislike the high-budget actors they picked out as names for Catwoman and Riddler and Penguin. It seems like Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie are less actors and more names you drop.

[Seil]

They've been a bit realistic. As realistic as Batman can be. When you have a supposedly immortal ninja master riding a subway with a stolen microwave emitter causing panic inducing vapor to cause everyone in town to go batshit and kill each other, then you have to imagine that there's a little wiggle room.

And just because the movies have been realistic, doesn't mean Nolan has to continue. Sure, there's got to be some believability... but as stated above, there's way for a little wiggle room.

[The Wizard Who Did It]

They've been a bit realistic. As realistic as Batman can be. When you have a supposedly immortal ninja master riding a subway with a stolen microwave emitter causing panic inducing vapor to cause everyone in town to go batshit and kill each other, then you have to imagine that there's a little wiggle room.

And just because the movies have been realistic, doesn't mean Nolan has to continue. Sure, there's got to be some believability... but as stated above, there's way for a little wiggle room.
Let's not forget the complete bastardizations of Physics in those movies, if we really want to be talking about realism.

In any case, at this point I have enough confidence in Nolan that he can take just about any character and make it work. For this reason, I lack a preference as to which Batman villain comes up next.

[Meister]

Clayface is a bit far-fetched in the Nolan universe but hey.

Man-Bat.

Other than that I like that Nolan, unlike other directors, doesn't immediately go "oh, of course we're going to make it into a trilogy! I'm already very enthusiastic about it! Did you hear that, producers? Now please let my wife go."

[Mirai Gen]

^Agreed.

Here's to hoping he picks the antagonists actors more carefully than playing Wheel Of Celebrities.

[Seil]

The neat thing that I will continue to declare about Nolan is that he is a talented writer. Granted, he was given a fleshed out character with a large fan base who were already looking for a decent Batman movie, as well as the freedom to put his own spin on the character because of the many iterations that Batman has gone through; and the ability to bring in big name actors like Bale, Freeman and Neeson allowed him to not only bring in the purists, but the casual movie goer as well.

I'm not saying anything against Nolan here - like I said, he is talented (he was given the tools, and he delivered) - but it drives me nuts the way my brother keeps going "In Nolan We Trust."

Other than that I like that Nolan, unlike other directors, doesn't immediately go "oh, of course we're going to make it into a trilogy! I'm already very enthusiastic about it! Did you hear that, producers? Now please let my wife go."

Yeah, good thing Nolan is married to his work.

[Lumenskir]

Because the Nolan Batman movies have been super realistic.
They've been a bit realistic. As realistic as Batman can be.
Hey, you guys need to chill out before someone gets sent to the cooler (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRH-Ywpz1_I&feature=related).
I'm not saying anything against Nolan here - like I said, he is talented (he was given the tools, and he delivered) - but it drives me nuts the way my brother keeps going "In Nolan We Trust."
Like they said in the article, it's might be due to the "keep Schumacher the fuck away" mentality that's been bred by one guy (and the associated writers) being responsible for two great franchise movies.

What I have trouble understanding is the "a sequel without Heath Ledger is almost unimaginable" line. Again, unless Joker accounts for 90% of Batman stories, it should be relatively easy to imagine a continuation of the Batman saga that doesn't involve a reused villain.

[phil_]

Do you think he could do Mr. Freeze? I mean, Bruce already has super-tech, so it's not that out there in the "Nolan-verse" for someone to have a cryo-suit, as long as the money comes from somewhere- crime, perhaps? Plus, he has his whole sob story, but now that I think about it, that might not be too important, given that the fans have already heard it.

A new take on Mr. Freeze could be as cool as Ledger's take on the Joker.

But no puns, Jesus.

[Aerozord]

Here is a better question, could a sequel go anywhere but down-hill? After you face the Joker, everything else seems pretty straightforward in comparison.

[Kaneda]

Here is a better question, could a sequel go anywhere but down-hill? After you face the Joker, everything else seems pretty straightforward in comparison.

Can you think of a single movie better than The Dark Knight? If so, it's possible for a movie to be better even without the Joker.

Obviously the Joker was a great character, but he's far from a necessary ingredient for a great movie. The Nolan brothers would have to do some terrific work to make up for that loss, but I think they are capable of doing so.

[Aerozord]

Can you think of a single movie better than The Dark Knight? If so, it's possible for a movie to be better even without the Joker.


but can you think of a better batman movie?

[The Wizard Who Did It]

but can you think of a better batman movie?
Even try anything in it's genre. Once you start getting to that point, it's hard to find some wiggle room.

[Premmy]

I mean, Bruce already has super-tech, so it's not that out there in the "Nolan-verse" for someone to have a cryo-suit, as long as the money comes from somewhere- crime, perhaps?
But no puns, Jesus.
I figured the thing that made the Nolan-verse so realistic is that it did'nt necessarily revolve around the crazy science and such.

For example
Originally, he joker went crazy and became the joker after a really bad day, and then falling in the magic joker juice.
In the nolan-verse, he's got very normal scars, paints his face, and is crazy for some undisclosed reason.

in the original comics
Scarecrow gets rejected by his medical peers, and becomes obsessed with fear
In the movie, Scarecrow develops a very realistic hallucinagen, and attempts to use it for conventional means, cash.

all of bat's most supery villians have origins and concepts that revolve around their powers. taking away from their realism


But I still wants my poison ivy. or freeze, and Dammit where's robin?

I know what they said about robin in the movie already, but dammit!

[Meister]

I figured the thing that made the Nolan-verse so realistic is that it did'nt necessarily revolve around the crazy science and such.
Maybe not as far as the villains are concerned, no.

[Aerozord]

Well if you really want to avoid the whole freak science thing, why not go with the Penguin? He was just a short web-toed man with a bird fetish

[Specterbane]

but can you think of a better batman movie?

In it's time could you think of a single better batman movie then Batman Begins?

It could be topped, what makes Dark Night so special that it's the end all be all. Maybe I'm just hopeful, but I'm pretty sure anything can be topped. It just might take a massive amount of effort and creativity.

[Magus]

If they match it, I will be more than pleased. It's a tough act to follow but at least Nolan himself acknowledges that. I'd be far more afraid of it sucking if the director just made empty promises that "oh yeah, we can top it, totally, so easy, don't worry". I mean, I have absolutely no doubt that Joel Schumacher, from day one, thought that Batman Forever was a better movie than Batman Returns. That is terrifying.

[Donomni]

I was just suggesting a Batman villain who didn't get into the big screen, and now that I think of it... a Nolan Clayface would probably be too similar to Two-Face, as he'd probably be another split personality guy, but with a mask.

Probably one of the most horrifying masks ever, mind you, but still.

[Seil]

Wikipedia's List Of Batman Villians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_Villains)

[Magus]

I've pored over that list many times for villains that could work, and it comes down to either already well-known villains like the Penguin, etc., or maybe one or two of the others like Deadshot, Hush, Tally Man, or what have you. Maybe Maxie Zeus if his electrical powers were reduced to some sort of cattle-prod or electrified gloves or something technologically explainable. I think the God complex thing wouldn't translate too well, though, unless combined with the theme of vigilantism (but in the comics he's a crimeboss, so it would involve altering the backstory).

[Wyndon]

Harlequinn with Hamill voicing an incarcerated Joker (really just the laugh!!) and Riddler! Go!

[Kim]

I think maybe the Mad Hatter, since apparently he was helping the Joker in The Dark Knight, according to the credits.

[Mirai Gen]

People also cited the drugged-out guy Scarecrow threw on the ground as Killer-Croc.

You can't trust everything that seemed to make a cameo.

[Death by Stabbing]

Well Batman has the greatest Rouge's Gallery in all of comicdom (Spider-Man a close second)

So I don't see it really being too big a problem...I don't see anyone playing the Riddler better than Jim Carrey....unless they were to build a time machine and get Gene Wilder from 30 years ago to do it!

Also they did Killer-Croc

Or am I the only one who saw the super great Gotham Knight DVD that came out about a month before Dark Knight?

I'd really like to see Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy in a movie that you know...wasn't made of suck, feces, and nipples...how Schlmaker found work after that is beyond me (Though I grudgingly must admit that Phantom of the Opera was pretty good) I guess they'll hire anyone...I mean Uwe Boll still gets work.

But I think that Black Mask would be cool...it could almost be like the recent Iron Fist stories...attacks on both identities.

Or how about a Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy team up? That would be sexy...

There'd be so many nipples that Bats would almost wish he still had them on his suit...


...almost

DBS

[Mesden]

None of these freak mutation villains would ever fit in a Nolan Batman Movie. =X Not even a little bit at all.

[The Wizard Who Did It]

None of these freak mutation villains would ever fit in a Nolan Batman Movie. =X Not even a little bit at all.
Poison Ivy/Harley Quinn look like they'd work just fine.

Eco-terrorist who uses lots of venom and a clown girl thing.

[Mirai Gen]

I don't think they'd bring Joker in to the next movie, and I don't think you can have Harley without Joker.

Riddler, yes.

[Fifthfiend]

Honestly you have to have a pretty developed universe before Harl works on the level of anything other than "random clown-looking girl who's in the Joker's gang".

[Magus]

Apparently Nolan actually has admitted to having some "rough outlines" going (http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-12-07-dark-knight-nolan_N.htm), but he doesn't like much of what he's come up with so far.

""I don't know why they're hard to do," Nolan says. "Maybe there's so much expectation to them. But I wouldn't want to do one if it weren't going to be as good as the first or second. That's not respectful to the fans."

The fact that he's at least doing some outlining would probably point to a future Batman movie, but I wouldn't bet on it coming in only three years like between Begins and The Dark Knight. Maybe four.

[Meister]

People also cited the drugged-out guy Scarecrow threw on the ground as Killer-Croc.

You can't trust everything that seemed to make a cameo.
I don't know why exactly but that and the Clayface discussion made me remember Dick Tracy, which was pretty good and all but I don't want Christopher Nolan's Batman to become it.

[RickZarber]

The fact that he's at least doing some outlining would probably point to a future Batman movie, but I wouldn't bet on it coming in only three years like between Begins and The Dark Knight. Maybe four.I'm fine with that. I want Nolan to make another non-Batman movie first anyway. I mean, he got The Prestige done in between BB and TDK...

[Mirai Gen]

It seemed like Batman Begins ended with him fairly certain that he knew where The Dark Knight was going, but I never got that same feeling from the latter.

But hey the third in the series has been frequently where things get bad (TMNT3 and X-Men 3, for example), it's nice to see he puts quality over speed.

NEXT TIME ON
WHEN SEQUELS GO BAD

EDIT: One thing I have to wonder about as well; how is Gotham City going to be affected by the newer villains, IE, Riddler? Usually it's always about how Batman is the protector of Gotham and the villains (Falconey, Ra's, Joker) who are trying to destroy it. If Riddler's the new man, how is he trying to mess things up?

[Azisien]

But hey the third in the series has been frequently where things get bad (TMNT3 and X-Men 3, for example), it's nice to see he puts quality over speed.

Agreed, but it's worth noting at least that X3 had a different director than the first two. Assuming Nolan stayed on board for a third Batman installment, he's more than proven himself in the first two to let me set my skepticism and cynicism aside.

...You know, until it sucks.

[Mirai Gen]

Yeah except Singer left X-3 to do Superman Returns.

So, yeah.