I hope we do get to see a third film from Nolan to complete his vision. Otherwise, the franchise, this sequence of films, will just fill incomplete. I can only imagine how much of a toll the Dark Knight took on him, but I hope time will help to reinvigorate him. Don't know if a 3rd film would be able to surpass the 2nd, but I don't think it should be measured that way, but rather for what it brings to the Batman mythology and specifically this story arc that Nolan has created. Would the Joker's presence help in that, perhaps, but it isn't necessarily needed. Yes, he said that Batman and him are destined to do this forever. So whatever happens in 3, you shouldn't see any type of resolution to their relationship anyways. Besides that, I'm thinking a 3rd film would be a little redundant to have the Joker character back again in a leading role so soon. His presence should be felt, sure. But you can do that in other ways without having to necessarily recast the role. Perhaps the Joker can torment Batman and the people of Gotham from inside the walls of Arkhamn; orchestrate chaos form the inside. Remember he always seemed two steps ahead of Batman untii the very end. Well perhaps he already envisioned the inevitably of being caught. At the same, you have a character like the Riddler, whom I think would fit perfectly into Nolan's world, to fill the Joker's shoes without actually being the Joker. Can you imagine the mindf**K that would put on Batman, to feel the Joker's presence coming from different angles only to find out that it's not the Joker at all. And I don't buy that time is all you need. In fact, I would rather not see a story that takes place decades later....several years is fine. But you skip twenty years into the future, are we to believe that the Joker had been incarcerated that whole time? He hadn't found a way to escape yet? Or that people will still care about Harvey Dent being Gotham's savior? If you travel that far ahead in time, and Gotham is still in utter shambles from the events in Dark Knight, than maybe Bruce was wrong in the first film, that Gotham doesn't deserve to be saved.
TDK had a "to be continued" style ending. Batman's on the run from the law. If Nolan makes another film, he's obviously planned to pick up where he left off.
I wonder if there are edited scenes with Ledger from TDK that could be used to help the story arc in the 3rd movie ?
Good post, Max. But I disagree with the quoted bit above. If you read Frank Miller's excellent Batman: Year One series, you'll find a Catwoman that would be right at home in Nolan's universe. There are also recent interpretations of The Riddler and The Penguin that would make a lot of sense in Nolan's Gotham, though he said somewhere he wasn't going to use The Penguin. Personally, I'd like to see Catwoman next and it's my guess we will. She makes perfect sense with the cliffhanger from the last movie, being herself ambiguous wrt questions of the law and morality. And it would be great to see the troubled love affair angle from the comics through Nolan's lens. But I think you really have to read Batman: Year One to get an idea of how it could work. None of the movie/TV/cartoon interpretations of Catwoman bear any resemblance. I would also really love to see Man-Bat. I'm sure Nolan would consider him too sci-fi for his realistic Gotham, but I have some ideas about how it could work.
I think the best way to complete the story arc is to not bring the Joker/Ledger back in front of the cameras but to have the character be a part of the story from behind the scenes. The third movie should start with Batman doing what he's always wanted to do--fight crime. Batman hunts down The Riddler after a series of clues and riddles and finally catches him. After catching him, Batman questions why The Riddler was so careless with his crimes when he was supposed to be a mastermind. Riddler, just smirking off, asks him "do you really think all the crimes that's been going on...all the crimes we've been committing...everyone in that rogues gallery of yours...was just coincidental? therein lies the bigger question...the bigger joke". Batman soon realize that the Riddler and everyone else has been working FOR the Joker. It'll become a cat and mouse game where Batman is trying to find out where the Joker is hiding. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne has found himself working harder at Bruce Wayne Enterprise and partying harder, inexplicably meeting a Dr. Harleen Quinzell and is immediately charmed by her. All of this, of course, leads to both Batman and Bruce Wayne's life being affected, once again, by the Joker. I think if they're going to use any footage of Ledger as the Joker it has to be at the end during a climatic scene where Batman finally finds the Joker and puts him back into Gotham.
Did anyone read what he said about making it 20 years in the future? That worked out awesome for Godfather III. In fact the third movie is always the worst. Just leave it alone and let someone else come and screw it up.
isnt the typical trilogy 1>3>2? The second one usually always sucks and then they try to redeem themselves in 3 somewhat. Some examples- Oceans and Bourne
When it comes to media hype over something, I'm a professional cynic. The trailers I saw with Ledger didn't impress me, neither did the comments from insiders on how great he was in the movie. I almost had my mind made up that he couldn't live up to the hype. Then I saw the movie (DVD). Ledger was great. The hype after his death was a little extreme, but he delivered the goods. That Oscar was most definitely not an act of charity. Also, as a youngster, I was a Marvel guy to the point of being anti-DC. My friends and I ridiculed Batman and Superman. I was also an Iron Man fanatic. The Iron Man movie was great and I loved it, but no way it measures up to Dark Knight. DreamRoxCoogFan, Spider Man 3 fell off a cliff compared to the first two. This is what people have on their mind about Batman.
Empire Strikes Back kicked the **** out of Return of the Jedi. The second Spiderman was the best of that series too. Ditto the second Star Trek (Wrath of Khan). And the second Superman. I liked it even better than the first. In fact, it seems to me like the second movie is usually the best and the third is usually a let down.
The only problem with The Bourne Supremacy was the shaky cam; otherwise the story was every bit as solid as the other two; it probably ranks just behind Identity for me. And Ocean's 12 might have been somewhat of a letdown from 11, but it certainly wasn't bad. In fact you learn to appreciate it more with each viewing.
Pretty much everything shot was used. Though in the script there is a scene right after the party where the Joker is in the back of his car and is very giddy about his first face to face with Batman. I assume they filmed it because there was a publicity still: Also I remember seeing local news video of Ledger in costume getting ready to carjack somebody, I have no idea where that would have fit in the narrative. So basically there is nothing usable for a sequel.
Gotta disagree on Frank Miller's Catwoman. I'm just fed up with his making practically all of his female characters prostitutes or strippers. I liked Catwoman in the Long Halloween where she was possibly an illegitimate daughter of Falcone.
I loved how the ending of The Dark Knight was open ended. Batman was never meant to be the savior and hero, he was meant to be what they portrayed at the end, a vigilante on the run. Leave it the way it is. Let someone like Darren Aronofsky create his owen version in like 10 years.
LOL, FAIL...everybody knows Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol was the signature movie of the franchise.
Grease 2 and Revenge of the Nerds II weren't so hot. Bring Joel Schumacher back for the next Batman, completing the circle. Eh, I guess Grease 2 doesn't count. Friday The 13th part III and A Nightmare on Elm Street Part III both outdid their Part 2 predecessors.
One flaw in the "2nd is the best of the trilogy" theory is clearly Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Also, if you count the new star wars trilogy... Attack of the Clones was the worst in my book.
