Nolan Not A Shoe-In For 'Batman 3'

After last summer’s mega hit THE DARK KNIGHT started shattering box office records, we all assumed Warner Brothers wouldn’t be far behind to announce a sequel. That hasn’t changed, BATMAN 3 is going to get made, but it might not feel quite the same.

Christopher Nolan knocked the ball out of the park with the last 2 Batman films and the thought of him not coming back for a 3rd seemed ridiculous. Well now it looks like Nolan being replaced might not be that farfetched.

Apparently the plan all along was that Heath Ledger would return as the Joker for the 3rd installment, but when he overdosed in January of 2008 everything changed. Nolan reportedly took the death extremely hard and decided that THE DARK KNIGHT would be his last Batman movie.

joker the dark knight

Let me just say, I fully expect Nolan to be back, but we can’t ignore the rumors floating around him right now. Word last year from David Goyer and Jonathan Nolan, was that they really had to lobby to get Chris to come back for the 2nd movie. Furthermore that they’d most likely have to do it again if they made a 3rd. But that was before the death of Heath Ledger and apparently, since they killed off Harvey Dent, there aren’t any other villains Nolan really feels good about.

That means, if he can’t be convinced of a worthy villain and decides he’s done, the WB will have to find a new head for the project. Batman fans will remember when Joel Schumacher stepped in and destroyed the last franchise with Bat-Nipples. And there is an even larger potential for letdown now if we lose Chris this time around.

The studio however has to continue with or without him because there is just too much money to be made. So the studio has to have a list of possible replacements, but whom?

Zack Snyder who directed 300 & Watchmen, has let it be known he isn’t interested…ok. Thanks Zack, but as much as I liked your last 2 films, you weren’t on my list for this anyhow. So who is on my list? I like Aronofsky, he’s great. Or given a descent script maybe Marcus Nispel…

Regardless though, Nolan or not we aren’t going to see this movie till Late 2012/Early 2013 at the soonest. So who’s on your list?

Paging Mr. Nolan…

harvey dent the dark knight

19 Comments

		2009-06-18 15:06:04 Toni Smith If Niolan can't do it. Aranofky is an excellent choice; it could mean Rachel Weiz as Catwoman (they're married) But seriously; I wouldn't want anyone but Nolan at the helm; unless Warner would let Frank Milller direct a live action "All-Star Batman and Robin," that would be the most insane thing ever!

		2009-06-18 09:06:44 Martini D I really do hope that Nolan comes back. BTW Snyder sucks. He isn't a director he is a cinematographer. So I'm glad he recognizes his own lack of talent at keeping a story interesting and is keeping away.

		2009-06-18 09:06:02 Fisticufflinks If Nolan does quit... Hire Michael Mann! PLEASE! He would be able to do it as well as Nolan. I felt "The Dark Knight" kinda felt like a Mann film anyway.

		2009-06-18 10:06:38 mramazing Danny Boyle.

		2009-06-18 10:06:28 renostar Michael Mann, Guillermo Del Toro, Jon Faverau (could be cool)

		2009-06-18 12:06:17 Ranger6 They should stop at two. Wait a few years and do a reboot. Maybe more slightly over the top, with more heroics. That's better than having a super huge 3 1/2 hour long flick with like seventeen villains that cost like eleventy billion to make.

		2009-06-18 12:06:45 MUNKRAWK I say, just fire a bunch of money at Nolan and get him to do it. I think giving it to any other director would be disasterous. Nolan wouldn't turn down a giant paycheck, and I think that it would be worth keeping him on board. If you guys are talking about the Michael Mann who did Miami Vice, Collateral and ALI then I think that would be terrible. There is nothing in his list of accomplishments that would make me want to see Michael Mann direct the next Batman. Guillermo Del Toro could be

		2009-06-18 12:06:17 MUNKRAWK a good replacement but GIVE NOLAN ANYTHING HE WANTS TO CONTINUE!!!!!

		2009-06-18 12:06:43 Dr. Kronner Nothing on Mann's list really? Heat? Manhunter? The Last of the Mohicans?� Mann is one of the best directors working today, and I think PUBLIC ENIMIES is gonna be tits.

		2009-06-18 13:06:22 EL GUAPO If Nolan doesnt want to direct the movie, throwing cash at him and having him do a half ass job because he's doin it for the money might be a bad idea. Mann and Toro could keep it intresting and do it cause they want to....and shits load of cash too.

		2009-06-18 13:06:40 Fisticufflinks Sorry, but I think it to be a travesty that anyone couldn't find at least 3 out of the full list of Micheal Mann's genius works to enjoy. That is just plain sad. Not even "The Insider"? Really? Have you watched his films? To each his own I guess... however, you have sent my mind totally off the tracks of belief! @ Dr. Kronner you are a man of good tastes. PUBLIC ENEMIES is going to be the best film this summer, I think!<

		2009-06-18 15:06:53 Kronner's #1 Fan Toni Smith... you're an idiot....

		2009-06-18 17:06:16 MUNKRAWK Michael Mann has only done three movies since 2000! and Miami Vice was terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible.

		2009-06-18 18:06:08 Dr. Kronner You're right, MIAMI VICE did suck, but the 3 before that: ALI, THE INSIDER, and COLLATERAL combined for 11 Oscar nominations...

		2009-06-18 20:06:27 shauntacular if they stopped at 2 it wouldn't be the worst thing. I can't think of a 3rd movie that was better than the 2nd. (LOTRIII, SW - ROTS, and Robocop are on that short list).

		2009-06-18 20:06:10 MUNKRAWK I'm not pleased with any of the new Star Wars movies, Revenge of the Sith was the best of the three I think. They were all good to a point and I can still watch them but even know the effects were awesome in every aspect, the movies just felt fake to me. Also, I think that Return of the King was better than the Two Towers. Extended versions anyway, thats all I watch when I watch those movies.

		2009-06-18 21:06:45 Conmaniac89 umm....Robocop 3? Are you kidding me, that movie is why we've not seen robocop on the big screen for almost 20yrs. They should have just let Frank Miller go ahead with his original script (an utter bloodbath). This article is worthless though, not one bit of actual news at all. Nolan needs a break, that is all. The SAME thing happened after Batman Begins. I don't think the problem is going to be money, but directorial freedom. Nolan probably wants free reign, and he should get it.

		2009-06-20 04:06:34 The Goombah If any of you actually think Frank Miller should ever direct anything again, go shoot yourself in the face.

		2009-06-25 07:06:20 torchbearer i'm sorry, but only one man can take over from nolan, lets all lobby for Uwe Boll to direct batman 3!!!!!! Please do not take me seriously!