Staying in context with the complete story that Chris Nolan is constructing, I’ve thought of a sensible step to take with the next Batman installment.
At the end of TDK, Batman is on the run. Commissioner Gordon is in a compromised position because only he knows that Batman is truly innocent. But the Mayor of Gotham would be putting pressure on Gordon, so the hunt for Batman would have to begin. It wouldn’t be an easy task, not with Batman’s skills and technologic support. So they would have to recruit a bounty hunter.
Enter Deadshot.
I think Nolan could conjure up a fantastic concept for this character and he’d be a completely new threat to Batman.
Also with Rachel Dawes now deceased, Batman hasn’t got a love interest. When have you ever seen a comic book movie without a female counterpart for the lead character???
Enter Catwoman.
Again, a new threat and I’m sure Nolan could make an interesting conflict between the two characters.
Nolan has also said this will be the final installment of his Batman series....
"Without getting into specifics, the key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story. And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story . . . I’m very excited about the end of the film, the conclusion, and what we’ve done with the characters. My brother has come up with some pretty exciting stuff. Unlike the comics, these things don’t go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful. Viewing it as an ending, that sets you very much on the right track about the appropriate conclusion and the essence of what tale we’re telling. And it hearkens back to that priority of trying to find the reality in these fantastic stories. That’s what we do.” – Chris Nolan, March 10th 2010
So with that in mind, what would be a good ending for the story? Throughout TDK a phrase constantly used is “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain". I could see the story ending tragically for Batman but in a heroically inspiring way. This could be a useful premise to introduce Dick Grayson because somebody would have to take up the mantle of Batman. Although Christian Bale has stated that he would leave if Robin entered the frame, I think the character of Grayson should be introduced, not Robin and after the death of Batman he'd be inspired to suit up.
Please share your own thoughts and ideas.
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