Apr.28 2009

Bale Says He’s In for Batman 3, But What About Nolan?

Total Film Magazine has an interview with Christian Bale that hits newsstands tomorrow. They spoke with the Welsh actor last month as he and Warner Bros. were gearing up to promote Terminator Salvation. The conversation, as it tends to do when speaking with Bale, inevitably evolved into a conversation about Batman. Bale discussed Heath Ledger’s legendary performance and Oscar win, as well as TDK’s best picture snub. Then he touched on a question that the entire world is asking with salivating anticipation: What’s the deal with Batman 3?

Bale elaborated on the subject: “Will we do a third movie? It’s got to be the right story. You can’t make something like The Dark Knight and then come out with something disappointing. I would like it if people say, ‘You’ll never make a good third movie.’ I say, ‘OK, let’s make a third movie in that case, let’s prove them wrong. But that’s just me. The fact is, I have to! I’ve signed up! Chris doesn’t. So I’m in a bit of a fix if he says he doesn’t want to!” So breathe easy bat-fans, there will be a 3rd film with Christian Bale as The Caped Crusader. But what about the man whose vision of Batman revolutionized Hollywood and they way we throw around the term “blockbuster?” Listen to me!…Christopher Nolan WILL be back to direct his 3rd and final Batman film.

Lets break this down. In an interview with the LA Times back in October of last year, he gave a very coy response when asked about returning for a third film, saying “If the story is there, everything is possible. I hope that was a suitably slippery answer.” The fact that he didn’t say “No, I’m all Batman’d out” (like Bryan Singer did after X2) means he’ll be back. Plus he’s continuing his intermission filming routine. Like he did after Batman Begins, he took a break and did The Prestige. Now, after TDK, he’s doing Inception before he tackles the final installment in his Batman trilogy. It’s a way for him to clear his head artistically and not get brain fried from too much Batman.

The Dark Knight made over $1 billion people! It’s getting close to a year since TDK was released last summer and NO NEW director has been announced. Iron Man 2 is already shooting and it made half the amount of money, as well as being released only two months prior to TDK. If a studio’s film makes $1 billion, they would USUALLY want to get the sequel out ASAP to capitalize on the public’s appetite for the former movie; “strike while the iron’s hot” one might say. Unless!…they want the director to come back for the sequel. So to please him artistically, they sign an agreement that allows him to contractually do another film before returning to finish the trilogy. The Dark Knight shattered so many levels of quality and expectations, that the only person who has a possible chance at meeting or exceeding them, is Christopher Nolan. Warner Bros. is not stupid enough to endure the fanboy back lash that would occur if they were to enlist a new director because they were too ancy to wait for a 3rd film and do it right. We all remember Brett Rattner and X-Men 3.

We are going to have to be patient. Inception begins shooting this summer and will be released in July of next summer. It’ll be in theaters for two months, then released on DVD in Novemberish. So the earliest that Nolan will admit any tidbits of script, characters, casting, etc., will be around Christmas of 2010. Damn that’s a long time, but the wait will be more than worth it. I’ll be posting an article soon on what I THINK the story of Batman 3 should be, who should be cast and why. Stay tuned.

What Do You Think? Discuss.

Categories : News, Rants

http://intensedebate.com/people/MovieMike MovieMike

YES!!! Thats great news. As long as Nolan is still in but i dont see any reason why he wouldnt want to do another one. I wonder what it is going to be called? i personally think The Dark Knight Returns would be cool but then again it might be better to have it changed again because Batman Begins would be kinda left out title-wise.
http://intensedebate.com/people/fukelonabioch fukelonabioch

With Bale already saying that he will do a third, I feel that it will be hard for Nolan to say no. If Bale decided not to do a third I think that the studio would not want to do it since the downfall of the other batman series was the constant switching of the Bruce character. but ANYWAY with Bale in I think that the studio will wait as long as they have to to get the commitment from Nolan. If the studio does not let him take some break and do some other projects the chance will be slim. So for Nolan to get In, I feel that it is all up to the Studio and the time limit they give Nolan….Title and Villain doesn't matter until Nolan commits…duh Kpiepho haha
http://intensedebate.com/people/Millsap Millsap

can't help but guarantee that this is going to be a let down. I was shocked and thrilled TDK lived up to the hype but following that movie up is like following in the footsteps of Brett Favre
http://intensedebate.com/people/Moosh Moosh

Brett Favre??? Wat?! Believe me. Chris Nolan is a genius. His ability to tell a great and complex story and convey the entirety of the human emotional spectrum is rivaled by few. I believe Nolan is gonna protect his brain child and come back to wow us one more time with the third and final installment of Batman.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Matt_Damon Matt_Damon

dude, Nolan is coming back FOR SURE, as to what its going to be about and what its going to be called should be the topic of debate. I think Karl's statement of the Riddler being in the next one is pretty accurate but who the hell knows, they could take this a number of ways. From the storyline of TDK it seems like the writers are loosely following the comics, so I don't really know what happens next in the storyline after the joker and two face. I do think Robin will be introduced in batman 3 along with The Riddler. The only thing I know about the Riddler's origins is that he used to have worked Wayne enterprises and that path was kind of set up in TDK (the guy who finds out the real identity of batman). So I'm pumped to see where they take the next one.
http://intensedebate.com/people/MovieMike MovieMike

Hmm, not so sure of Robin in the third one. It seems to me that this batman does not need a sidekick. He is all about doing it himself so no one else has to get hurt. The role of Robin has NEVER been intense or badass in any way. At least in the old movies, Batman was still kind of a badass. I just don't see how they could write him into the storyline in that way. We'll see though.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/kpiepho28 kpiepho28

I agree with the idea about Nolan taking breaks between Batman films. I anticipate that Nolan will be back for a third.
"The Dark Knight Returns", no, not the most creative name for a movie title. That would be like going back to the original big screen Batman series with "Batman Returns"…. a "Returns" title is PLAYED OUT! Its like giving your movie titles numbers; it's boring and unoriginal. Nolan is too much of a creative genius to have "The Dark Knight Returns" as the third movie title! If Nolan comes back to do a third movie he'll have something more 'poetic'.
I'm guessing, if the rumors are true, and The Riddler makes an appearance, that will have some sort of play into the film's title. I cannot begin to guess what the title will be, all I know is that it will not be a "returns". You can quote me on that.
http://intensedebate.com/people/fukelonabioch fukelonabioch

I do agree with riight tiight matt damon about that I think it would be cool if not only if they introduced the riddler but if they went into his backround a little bit. I think that the riddler could a dark character. Even though that Jim Carry is a GOD I do not think, along with the two last movies as a whole, did not take them dark enough. From what I have read about the riddler he could def pull of the way TDK was taken. However, Robin will NOT be introduced. One Nolan already said he won't use him in the series, and two Robin is a pussy (altough I like Chris O'Donnell).

So in overview Riddler Good, Robin BAD!!
http://intensedebate.com/people/Matt_Damon Matt_Damon

I'm just saying its a possibility, they opened up the door for it with Gordon's son taking on the role. And they can easily make his role wicked intense and badass, they re-defined batman in TDK so re-creating robin would be a piece of cake.
http://intensedebate.com/people/MovieMike MovieMike

I dont know, i just cant see it, but if nolan can do it right then im all for it. As for Gordon's son…i dont think that would work because he is like 10 years old in TDK. And lets not forget about Batman Begins, that is where Batman was re-defined. But again, if the storyline calls for robin, and they can do it right, im all for it.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Matt_Damon Matt_Damon

Just because he's ten doesn't mean shit, Robin was always supposed to be a teenager, jump ahead 5 years, big deal. Another thing you have to take into account is that Batman is now the "bad guy" taking the heat for harvey dents murders. This would be a good segway for Robin to step in, and like you said he's never been bad ass or intense in any of the previous movies, that's why it would be sick if he was in this one. The point is that Batman was redefined, Nolan is brilliant enough to do it for Robin.
fukelonabioch

Nolan already said no to Robin before TDK even came out…there is no way he will be in the new one
http://intensedebate.com/people/MovieMike MovieMike

Again, i just don't see this batman needing help from a 15 year old with no experience considering batmans past in these movies. It would be cool if they did make him badass but i dont see how it fits in or a need for him. and fukelonabioch is right, nolan did say no robin
http://intensedebate.com/people/Matt_Damon Matt_Damon

That was before TDK, a lot can happen until then, Nolan can easily change his mind, but from your comments I would say you guys may be right, I just like the addition on another character.
http://intensedebate.com/people/MovieMike MovieMike

you are definitely right. the new one will need some type of new major character now that Rachel is gone
http://intensedebate.com/people/kpiepho28 kpiepho28

True, nothing really matters until Nolan commits.
http://www.disputedknowledge.com Matthew

Batman star Christian Bale has declared he will quit the comic book movie franchise if producers ever decide to include Robin.

But the actor is hoping that the character of Robin is not brought back into any of future Batman movies – because he will resign in protest.

He says, “If Robin crops up in one of the new Batman films, I’ll be chaining myself up somewhere and refusing to go to work.”
http://www.disputedknowledge.com Matthew

I found this a couple of weeks ago and put it on my site.

This is definitely good news for anyone who liked The Dark Knight, which I will assume is most of you. If you didn't like it….please, let's never talk.

A New Jersey paper, the Courier-Post, talked to Dark Knight executive producer Michael Uslan to discuss his career and previous Batman business. Uslan revealed in the interview that he is signed on to continue his role as executive producer in the next film from the franchise, which he has said should be in theaters by 2011.

However, he would not divulge any more information, particularly that of the next villains. “If I told you,” he said, “I’d have to kill you.”
http://themoviemash.com/2009/08/batman-3-rumor-mill-nolan-using-inception-as-an-imax-guinea-pig-possibly-megan-fox-as-catwoman-not-so-much/ Batman 3 Rumor Mill: Nolan Using Inception as an IMAX Guinea Pig? Possibly. Megan Fox as Catwoman? Not So Much. | THE MOVIE MASH

[...] you Bat fans who are concerned that Nolan has not “officially” signed on to Batman 3. As I’ve claimed for months now, the fact that Nolan hasn’t given Warner Bros. a definitive “No” [...]
http://themoviemash.com/2009/11/wb-reportedly-announcing-batman-3christopher-nolan-plans-in-january/ WB “Reportedly” Announcing ‘Batman 3′/Christopher Nolan Plans in January | THE MOVIE MASH

[...] trilogy that has forever cemented itself atop the threshold of American cinema. It has been well documented on The Movie Mash for months. Well, now we have “word” that Warner Bros. will wipe the drool away from [...]