The Dark Knight Rises

[apsham]

I an't link to it right now as I am at work on my lunch break - but we finally have a confirmation on the title of the next and final Nolan movie in the Batman franchise and also, a confirmation that The Riddler will not be the villian. At the same time, Nolan has apparently been interviewing young actresses - so go wild with that news. hopefully someone puts down a source for me, etc.

[therockbox]

I thought this would be about the porn parody.

[TKz]

I'm actually glad it's not The Riddler. Would probably just feel like a weaker Joker.

[Guest Jacob]

Oct. 27, 2010 | 6:25 a.m.

Christopher Nolan. (Liz Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Christopher Nolan’s third Batman film will be called “The Dark Knight Rises” and though the Gotham City auteur isn’t ready to reveal the villain of his 2012 film, he did eliminate one of the big contenders: “It won’t be the Riddler,” Nolan said in an exclusive interview with Hero Complex.

Nolan was most eager to talk about the fact that Warner Bros. had agreed with his argument that the film should resist the current 3-D craze and instead use high-definition approaches and IMAX cameras to strike out on a different cinematic path than the stereoscopic technology that, for better or worse, has become the dominant conversation in the blockbuster sector.

Check back here later in the morning for a more in-depth look at that decision and the Nolan ambitions and reasons behind it.

As for the title, it shows the writer-director’s intention to keep his Bruce Wayne trilogy tightly stitched together. “We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones,” Nolan said cryptically. I had an odd thought: What if Nolan somehow brings back Harvey Dent? The only reason I even mention it is because, back during post-production on the second film, Nolan told me that the title “The Dark Knight” was just as much about Dent and his fall from the status of shining-knight civic crusader. Dent was plainly dead at the end of the last film, though, and Nolan has been intent on keeping his Gotham City film firmly rooted in a gritty gangland realism– this isn’t a franchise that has veered off into the supernatural or even much super-science.

Nolan plays things close to the vest — he’s one of the few filmmakers of his generation who actually does wear a vest — and he chuckled when I tried to get a few more details out of him. “Oh, you know me, I don’t talk.” He began our conversation by comparing it with a visit to the dentist’s office. Well, if so, he’s a patient who never opens wide. I asked if he could imagine a time when Warner Bros. would let a filmmaker shoot a Batman script where the villain isn’t one of the signature creations from the comic books. “Ah, Geoff Boucher, master of the leading question,” he said with a chuckle.

That’s when he did agree, however, to eliminate a villain candidate, namely Edward Nigma, the green-suited Riddler, who many people (myself included) assumed was the next natural choice. That character could be taken in a lot of directions — think of Kevin Spacey’s character in “Seven” as a compass point for one of those dark paths — but Nolan and his team are going a different way. As with “Dark Knight,” the new film has a script written by Nolan and his brother, Jonah, and it’s based on a story by the director and David Goyer. Earlier, I got Nolan to take Mr. Freeze off the list and, yes, this is like pulling teeth but don’t think for a minute that I mind. Nolan makes sublime films, and any secrets he wants to keep in place are done so to protect the final product. As for me, I’m hoping now for Hugo Strange who, come to think of it, looks a bit like a dentist…

Source

[LittleDaniel]

This journalist is such a self-important asshat, bolding his own name in the article as if he is of any importance.

[gunnar hendershow]

Using The Riddler in a "Seven" inspired capacity would have been neat. That said, was there any confirmation that Dent was dead? This goes back to the idea that Batman doesn't kill. Same for Joker, actually, but I think it's safe to say we won't be seeing him back under any circumstances.

I think it's safe to say we won't be seeing Killer Croc in this film either.

[DFF]

So, Harley Quinn maybe? Would tie-in the Joker without having to re-do it.

[TKz]

I honestly don't see any problem with Catwoman. I think Nolans name power and The Dark Knight would bring fans in any way, no one is going to be thinking 'CATWOMAN!? LIKE THAT FILM WITH HALLE BERRY!?' when they hear that she's in the film.

I don't think Killer Croc is THAT out there either. A slightly deformed mob boss? A cannibal lurking the streets of Gotham? I have faith that Nolan could make most villains work. It's just a shame that with Two Face and Joker done, there's no big name villain to leave the franchise with.

[Cadj]

Think it'll be interesting to see who Tom Hardy plays as most people automatically assumed he'd be The Riddler.

Not the biggest Catwoman fan but I'd be perfectly fine with her in the film although I'd quite like Nolan to maybe go down the road of Talia Al Ghul as we've already had Ra's in Begins so you could tie them together.

Can't wait either way.

[probablyoliver]

I can't remember who said it, but Phillip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin would be glorious.

[brenchill]

I said it for The Dark Knight and I'll say it again. Black Mask would make an awesome side villain in Nolan's Batman Universe.

[GoGo Yubari]

That inspires a whole lot of "meh" from me. But then again, so did the news of Heath Ledger as The Joker.

[MDK]

No Mr Freeze means I will not be watching.

Hmpft.

[zero]

Yeah, I'm of the mindset that there's no point in doubting Christopher Nolan's vision for this series. First, everyone said the franchise was dead, then Nolan gave us the best comic book movie ever made with Batman Begins. Then everyone said no one could top Jack Nicholson as The Joker, then no one thought Heath Ledger could be The Joker, then we got an Oscar-winning performance and the new king of comic book movies (and action movies in general) with Dark Knight. I have no doubt he'll give us a fitting conclusion in 2012.

[Hewey]

While I was hoping for The Riddler, I wouldn't mind Two Face returning in someway as the main villain in the new movie. I thought he was fantastic in the last movie, and was somewhat overlooked due to Ledger's great performance.

Edited October 28, 2010 by Baby Hewey

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'm still gutted Scarecrow was pretty much written off in the last movie. Harley Quinn would be pretty lovely but I'd imagine it's more likely to be Catwoman that Batman gets involved with as he's on the run.

Still, Harley Quinn inspired by The Joker would be a nice villain to have running amok in the piece but not as a main villain and it probably would be too close to Joker's antics.

This worries me as I didn't really want to see Penguin.

[Hewey]

Didn't Nolan say we wouldn't get Mr. Freeze or Penguin in his movies due to them being too unrealistic?

I do hope one day we do end up getting a Batman movie with Mr. Freeze as the main villain, and then one with Poison Ivy, just because next to The Riddler, they're probably my favorite Batman villains, and I just wanna forget them from Batman & Robin

[GoGo Yubari]

If Nolan said that about The Penguin I have to roll my eyes at him. The Penguin, Danny DeVito version aside, is arguably the most realistic major Batman villain. At his core he's just an eccentric crime boss.

[Lint]

YEs, Nolan did say that somewhere and I fail to see his reasoning. He has no superpowers or anything..he's just a plain guy..thats a little out there..actually seems like he's be perfect for the Nolanverse..

[DFF]

If they had enough time (multiple movie wise), I'd have built up Hush to be the final villain. The graphic novels (whilst suffering from 'DCSyndrome' (ie Let's show horn as many characters in as possible)) are excellent.