The Dark Knight Trilogy (Christopher Nolan, 2005-2012)

[Roger Ryan]

I imagine that after Ledger's spectacular, and popular, take on the Joker, Nolan would be hesitant to go with a character in a similar vein such as the Riddler. Catwoman is certainly open to be interpreted in a darker, more damaged fashion (maybe with a little S & M thrown in); I'm sure she will be fine as long as she doesn't actually purr. As noted by others, Bane will likely be treated as an intelligent character, not just a brute.

I trust Nolan to do this right and we'll finally get a superhero trilogy that doesn't fall apart in the third film.

[aox]

and we'll finally get a superhero trilogy that doesn't fall apart in the third film.

Could this be the first criterionforum.org jinx?

Stay tuned!

[Markson]

But in The Dark Knight is there not a guy from Wayne's company who discovers his identity and plans to announce it on television?

Yeah, I remember that. But he was such a weaselly and effete minor character––and dispatched with by Freeman with ease––that his story wasn't given much emphasis and his threat never seemed very imposing. This strand seemed less about posing a threat to Wayne's identity and more about addressing the relationship between Batman's technological wants and Wayne Enterprises' quiet fulfillment of these needs. It seemed to preempt the audience question of "How can no one at the company know a fortune is being dumped into a mysterious venture?"

[SenorBoggemes]

The villain will definitely be Bane. I live in Detroit (where they are filming the majority of the film, due to tax incentives) and a few friends of mine are working in the crew. Its in pre-production, but filming begins later this year.

[flyonthewall2983]

I imagine that after Ledger's spectacular, and popular, take on the Joker, Nolan would be hesitant to go with a character in a similar vein such as the Riddler. Catwoman is certainly open to be interpreted in a darker, more damaged fashion (maybe with a little S & M thrown in); I'm sure she will be fine as long as she doesn't actually purr. As noted by others, Bane will likely be treated as an intelligent character, not just a brute.

I agree. Plus having two definitive antagonists deflects some of the pressure on either of them to live up to Ledger's Joker. And if you consider the romantic elements of the last two movies, Catwoman is a perfect character to add to this chapter. On top of the obvious sex appeal, there is room for a good dramatic arc. That, I'm excited about. The casting less so, but then again I wasn't crazy about hearing the guy I only knew from 10 Things I Hate About You was going to be the villain last time around, so I'm going to go in it with an open mind.

[Mr Sausage]

The pattern in these movies has been to have one major and one minor villain whose plans are somehow entwined. Begins had Ras Al-Ghul and Scarecrow, Dark Knight had Joker and Two-Face. The question with Rises is who will be the major and who the minor villain. I wouldn't be surprised if the main focus was on an odd love-hate relationship between Catwoman and Batman, with Bane in the background adding problems and just generally making things difficult.

[flyonthewall2983]

That sounds plausible. I just hope the Gordon character isn't lost in the shuffle, because there's major potential for that character to have a presence given how the last film ended.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Speaking of Catwoman! I really hope this finds its way into the script. All of it.

[mfunk9786]

Jayne Mansfield is Catwoman

[flyonthewall2983]

Wally Pfister on Hathaway

“She’s so good. She did an incredible job. She is a great, great actress… and she looked phenomenal in the wardrobe.”

*twitches*

[SpiderBaby]

Now it's being said Joseph Gordon-Levitt will most likely have a role in the film. Could this be another 3rd movie overload? I was perfectly fine with just Tom Hardy.

[knives]

Given the big stink over over AMH's role in the last film I doubt this is actually going to suffer from being overstuffed.

[James Mills]

Now it's being said Joseph Gordon-Levitt will most likely have a role in the film. Could this be another 3rd movie overload? I was perfectly fine with just Tom Hardy.

This would be really disappointing for me, personally. I think Joseph seems like a pretty cool guy, but I find his presentational style to be distracting, and it could only be worse as an aggrandized super hero/villain.

[SpiderBaby]

Now it's being said Joseph Gordon-Levitt will most likely have a role in the film. Could this be another 3rd movie overload? I was perfectly fine with just Tom Hardy.

This would be really disappointing for me, personally. I think Joseph seems like a pretty cool guy, but I find his presentational style to be distracting, and it could only be worse as an aggrandized super hero/villain.

I couldn't agree more. I like JGL but the fanboy thing needs to stop at some point. Riddler and Joker has already been given a big fat NO, so I don't know why others are giddy about this news anyways. It actually takes away the chance of having JGL as the Joker in a future non-Nolan Bat film. I am perfectly fine having Bronson *cough* I mean Bane *cough* Tom Hardy alone. Having Anne and prob JGL (most likely as some young cop anyways) is too much for a film that is also suppose to have a close to this trilogy. Don't all-star it up when the bottom line is, this is Bruce Waynes' story. Heck, even Gordon's story.

[Cold Bishop]

I don't know: all films, in a way, have had five active "leads": Batman, Gordon, Rachel Dawes (now deceased), Villain #1 (Ra's al Ghul, Joker), Villain #2 (Scarecrow, Two-Face). With Dawes gone, and Selena Kyle doubling as a villain and female lead, there could be room for another character and still not be too crowded from what came before. Plus, you know JGL is totes gonna be Robin!

[Jeff]

Plus, you know JGL is totes gonna be Robin!

I initially misread this line and had great fun picturing crusty old Godard as The Boy Wonder.

[flyonthewall2983]

Nolan has said there won't be Robin.

[MoonlitKnight]

I really wish for once Nolan would cast a love interest who actually LOOKS relatively the same age as Bale. Holmes, Hathaway, and (to a slightly lesser extent) Gyllenhaal all look/looked considerably younger than he does. At least in the first Batman series this wasn't an issue.

[flyonthewall2983]

I don't see that at all. A little younger maybe, but not by too much.

Oddly enough I was watching the first Die Hard recently and it struck me how odd it was that they casted someone older than Willis for McClane's wife.

[MoonlitKnight]

Honestly, if I were a bartender I'd probably end up carding both Holmes and Hathaway; definitely not Bale, though, and probably not Gyllenhaal (depending on what she was wearing both clothes- and makeup-wise, I suppose). :-"

[willoneill]

I really wish for once Nolan would cast a love interest who actually LOOKS relatively the same age as Bale. Holmes, Hathaway, and (to a slightly lesser extent) Gyllenhaal all look/looked considerably younger than he does. At least in the first Batman series this wasn't an issue.

This is kind of a bizarre complaint, no? I mean Bale is only 4 years older than Holmes, and only 3 years older than Gyllenhaal.

[Arrow]

Besides, Wayne is a millionaire playboy, the expectation is he date someone younger.

[domino harvey]

What if JGL is the love interest?

[SpiderBaby]

What if JGL is the love interest?

How Hollywood likes that, an Oscar would finally come Nolan's way.

[matrixschmatrix]

What if JGL is the love interest?

How Hollywood likes that, an Oscar would finally come Nolan's way.

You know, it's funny, I hear this a lot but I don't know that there's actually much to back it up- the last big gay movie that got nominated for Best Picture (Brokeback Mountain) lost to the execrable Crash (as did Capote, now that I think of it) and I'd be surprised if The Kids Are All Right won much of anything.