Warner Bros. to 'reinvent' Batman after 'The Dark Knight Rises', Justice League movie coming in 2013

We're patiently awaiting the release of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, but Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov is already thinking beyond that. Robinov revealed some very interesting details about the future of Batman in an interview with The LA Times.

Robinov's top priority is to bring all of DC Comics' superheroes together in a Justice League movie. The script is already in development, and Warner Bros. hopes to have the movie ready for 2013. You may remember in 2007 George Miller signed on to direct a live action Justice League film. Characters were cast, costumes were designed, and story boards were completed. The film never took off though, and it was canceled about a year later. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out this time around.

The most intriguing part of the interview had to do with Warner Bros.' future plans for solo Batman films. Here's an excerpt from the article:

Robinov knows that the most bankable part of his superhero empire has been Nolan and his Gotham City films – the studio has yet to deliver a 21st century superhero blockbuster hit without Nolan in the director’s seat. Batman will continue to be a centerpiece property beyond next year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and Nolan’s departure from the franchise. “We have the third Batman, but then we’ll have to reinvent Batman,” he explained. Asked whether that meant he wanted to reinvent or possibly even reboot the character, Robinov answered assertively: “I do. Chris Nolan and [producing partner and wife] Emma Thomas will be producing it, so it will be a conversation with them about what the next phase is.”

It's great to hear that Batman will continue to be Warner Bros.' "centerpiece" moving forward, and even more exciting to know that Christopher Nolan will be staying on to produce "Batman 4". It's unclear if Batman will be completely rebooted or continue where The Dark Knight Rises leaves off -- we'll have to wait and see.

What do you guys think about Warner Bros.' future plans? Let me know in the comments.

SOURCE: Hero Complex

203 comments

Thomas

March 29, 2011

sigh

The Chicago Bat

March 29, 2011

Dear God no...

If WB does this Batman will be dead another 8 years as it was after Joel Shitmaker's last outing.

LandonVanBus
March 29, 2011
Quit being retarded.
1. Ricky C
  March 29, 2011
  Ummm actually, maybe you need to re direct ur comment to urself in the mirror.
  Re booting these films, RIGHT AFTER they are done is Very Idiotic!
  Does Hollywood think that people will go see it bc of that, just like many saw batman&robin.
  If WB keeps rebooting Batman, they will eventually BORE us to death, meanwhile putting the character in Character Jail, kinda like spiderman. There is NOTHING I care to see bc we had 3 on the last 10 years. Is Hollywood really that un imaginative.. Not only running out of ideas, good or bad, but they really thing "re booting a Movie we JUST AFTER EVERYONE SAW IT. Give us time to See other movies, or shit another hero..
  1. LandonVanBus
    March 29, 2011
    If you're going to be bored to death by seeing new interpretations of the character, I pity you.
    1. Mr_Wayne
      May 13, 2012
      Exactly!!!
  2. Mitchel
    July 20, 2012
    Actually what they should do is continue with the story until it's finally over, every superhero film they made never came to a final film, they always ended up rebooted, Spider-Man went the same, I don't want the same shit to happen to Batman. CONTINUE WITH BATMAN 4!!!
    1. Syqnys
      July 22, 2012
      Yes. This is nonsense if they reboot. Either continue on with the story, or wait a decade, at least. There are tons of good characters out there that they could make movies about.

Guest

March 29, 2011

I'm really sick of all these superhero movies. The 60s had cowboys, we have... grown men in well-designed Halloween costumes.

Michael
March 29, 2011
Waaaaahhh!! :P
Cool story bro :P
M6000
March 30, 2011
then why are you on a site that is dedicated to news on a new superhero movie?
Blueshroud
April 21, 2011
what the hell are you doing on a superhero movie site then?!!
Imgoing_nucking_futs
September 8, 2011
Then ignore comic book movies then from now on you fucking retard. No one is a holding a gun to your head when it comes to all of these comic book movies that come out. You know what I'm sick of? Holier than thou people like you who think that anything comic book related is bad.
Shayna C
November 17, 2011
Well if your "sick of all these superhero movies" why dont you just hmm idk maybe not watch them. They make people happy, something to look forward to in our economic downward spiral. If you really feel like they are doing such a bad job, why dont you make a movie you approve of and see how much you make in profits? These superhero movies make a lot of profit because they make people happy! Get over it or make your own damn movie GEESH!

The Chicago Bat

March 29, 2011

(Regarding "Justice League" that is...)

Francois

March 29, 2011

Rather than let other superheroes destroy BB, TDK and TDKR, i hope they just reboot Batman if they feel the need to do this Justice League movie....
Im just wary of camp batman making a return, solely for the purpose of making a few quick bucks in merchandise...
Adding superheroes and aliens and monsters toe Nolan/Bale's Batman will make me so very sad

Michael
March 29, 2011
I feel like I could see it happen. They could just make the vibe as real as possible. It would still be tough though.
Djghost215
June 10, 2012
That is why they should not do Justice League. I can't even see Batman fighting some super alien. Also, they need to keep the current Batman movies going. If know one picked up on it, they said it is the end to the DARK KNIGHT trilogy, not the Batman story. The Dark Knight movies represent the beginning of Batman's career.

BatmanNewsChris

March 29, 2011

Since Nolan is planning to produce "Batman 4" do you think that means Bale might consider returning as Batman?

Francois
March 29, 2011
I hope not...
Michael
March 29, 2011
That would be awesome. But it would depend on how the direction will go, but I bet he would consider it. Maybe.
1. Daniel F.
  March 29, 2011
  I totally agree.
TheDarkNight4ever
March 29, 2011
I think we will have to wait and see, I don't totally believe that Nolan is done with the Batman Franchise or is ready to give up the directors seat. I know he's said over and over again that this is his last go-around with Batman but if he's going to stay on to produce and the story is still going to be written by Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer, then I think we can start thinking this might turn into a saga. Why not? Batman is the most bankable and successful superhero in the world today, why and how would Warner Brothers let Nolan and company walk away from that?
I say keep the Bale-Batman going for as long as possible and make this into a 6-part saga. Imagine the stories that could be told and from the eyes of Nolan. Letting this franchise slip away would be the biggest mistake in the history of Warner Brothers, they let is happen once already---they won't again.
1. Dennis25
  May 3, 2011
  Let's start a Chris Nolan Batman4 Campaign
  O.k. so I was thinking that we as fans of the Chris Nolan Batman franchise do not want to see another interpretation of Bruce Wayne unless he's much older(TDKR). No, so I was thinking lets start a campaign to show our love and support for Chris Nolan and what he is doing for the Batman franchise expressing our interest in keeping Chris Nolan, his brother and David S. Goyer on Batman films at least the next ones to come after The Dark Knight Rises.I was thinking a T-Shirt Campaign and a petition (maybe on facebook).
  1. Dennis25
    May 3, 2011
    Because of all people, WB & Chris Nolan should know that if they"UPSET THE ESTABLISHED ORDER THAN EVERY THING BECOMES CHAOS
    1. Dennis25
      May 3, 2011
      Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Fall & Rises
      then a (Reboot)? NO, No, No, "UPSET THE ESTABLISHED ORDER THAN EVERYTHING BECOMES CHAOS"
  2. Guest
    August 17, 2011
    I dont know who you want to write this petition for. If Nolan doesent want to do another film
Antrozous
March 30, 2011
Hmm I wonder if it ends up like the Michael Keaton saga...
And remember this: Tim Burton "supposedly" produced Batman Forever.
Thejokersmiles13
March 31, 2011
It's 50/50 Bale has always been loyal to Chris and after The Dark Knight Rises he isn't obligated to portray Batman anymore but he has said if Chris came up with a story for a 4th he would give it a go so who knows.
1. Thedudeandhisstorys
  December 10, 2011
  I hope there is a forth, am 20 when the first came out I was excited because I was like this is a young actor with a young new film crew with cgi making it possible to do anything now hope they can keep him on an get an actor to take over an be batman no remake in 8 yrs I want sum1 on the batman series like how superman had chris re.
Evan 1318
March 23, 2012
When Bale signed on for Batman Begins, he also signed on for two more movies. That means he doesn't plan on returning as Batman after The Dark Knight Rises. [^_^]
1. Djghost215
  June 10, 2012
  Not true. He can always sign another contract. His career seems to be go down hill, except for the Batman movies. He will do it for the money, and to keep his name relevant.
  1. Stukai4296
    July 10, 2012
    his career isnt going downhill he just got an oscar for the fighter dumnass!

Mbooch12

March 29, 2011

LAME! Just end it with the perfect trilogy with TDKR

Maria Roma Gatt
March 30, 2011
Agreed
Thejokersmiles13
March 31, 2011
Agreed!
Djghost215
June 10, 2012
As I stated in another comment. They said they are ending the DARK KNIGHT trilogy. Meaning the Batman story is not done. They just are ending the beginning story of Batman. I believe there will be more Batman's with Nolan. He just may not direct it. But, the story will continue. And as a business person, no way WB is stopping this ride.
1. Stukai4296
  July 10, 2012
  I feel like trying to incorporate the dark knight iconic character into a justice league-- where he will be surrounded by characters like 'superman aquaman etc...' will only destroy the whole theme of this batman trilogy.
No
July 21, 2012
Fuck u

One-eyed Willie

March 29, 2011

JLA flick?? Holy crap... well, sooner or later this sh*it will hapen... you know, put Batman in damn space and that kind of stuff.

RustyCage

March 29, 2011

Disappointed Justice League is happening, comforted that Nolan is producing the next Batman films, perplexed as to why it needs 'reinventing'.

razagul
March 29, 2011
Batman needs reinventing because Nolan made Bale-Batman too realistic. think of his dark character mixing around with superman and green lantern, honestly i dont see Bale-Batman fitting well with superheroes with actual superpowers and flying around in space and such.
1. OlavVikingson
  July 30, 2011
  Thats wats great with Nolans bat...I like it best when it is realistic.
  Couldnt care less about the former bat-films.
2. Stukai4296
  July 10, 2012
  Well in actuallity the Chris Nolan Batman is probably the most true to the comic books, in the sense that it was indeed a very dark story full of tragedy and redemption, although I agree that Bale's 'I'm Batman' growl would seem very out of place surrounded by spandex smiling heroes... Also why Batman is really a true hero compared to others... He has actual struggle and the story has great realism, whereas superman just has to stay from some fuckin kryptonite

Julian

March 29, 2011

Well if Nolan and crew stay on to produce and write the story and Darren Aronofsky directs the film, I think it would be pretty good. There have been rumors of Aronofsky directing Batman after Nolan leaves, I think that if that happened it could still be just as good.

I'm sure Nolan loves being a part of these movies, but since he only wants to work on one film at a time, he doesn't want to be stuck with Batman forever (not the crappy movie), so this could be a good way to keep him involved with the project. But, I think a lot of the ensemble cast would have to stay on too, they are all just too good to move one, but considering how much money they probably make from the films, I don't think that would be a problem.

I just hope Snyder doesn't get involved. That would just be bad.

Thejokersmiles13
March 29, 2011
I think Man of Steel will be Snyder's last chance to prove to WB that he can still make not only bankable movies but critically acclaimed movies cuz well he's been on a bit of cold streak since 300 hit it big. WB has alot riding on this Superman reboot and if it fails it could spell doom for mr. Snyder.
1. jingleheimerschmit
  March 29, 2011
  Unlike critics, I'm kind of a big fan of Snyder. Dawn of the Dead was a little weak for me, but since then, he's had some very distinctly stylized films. I'm actually really excited to see what he and Nolan do with Superman, who isn't exactly high on my superhero list in the first place.
  1. Julian
    March 29, 2011
    I really want to like Snyder because he really does have a great visual style for all of his movies. Watching the previews for SuckerPunch really get me excited about Superman. I haven't seen SuckerPunch yet so I can't really comment first hand about the acting or the script, but I've heard bad things. I'm inclined to believe these bad things because Watchman had horrible acting in it, the cast just seemed to have their souls removed. I really couldn't care less about any of the characters because the actors were so bland and boring.
    But visually all his movies are amazing and I'm sure Superman will look great, and hopefully the actors will be able to convey emotion.
    1. jingleheimerschmit
      March 29, 2011
      But with Superman, you have Goyer and Jonathan Nolan writing together again (which automatically means great script), and Chris Nolan producing (which automatically means great movie), and a director who has the perfect visual style for a comic book movie. Especially a gritty one, like how they're rebooting Superman.
      So yeah, he's had some weaker films (to be honest, there were some characters in Watchmen that really stood out to me, so I can't completely agree with you there), but with the team lining up behind this film (including the actors, who are all [so far] phenomenal), I don't think Snyder can do wrong. And this will be an awesome experience for him to take his films to another level.
  2. Thejokersmiles13
    March 31, 2011
    I like Snyder as well and I'm hoping that this recent string of bad luck is just that, it happens. Snyder is a very exciting director and I had no plans to see Man of Steel but with Nolan and his wife producing, his brother and goyer writing the script, and Snyder helming it, given his style combining that with the above mentioned, this could be very special. Also he's assembling a very very nice cast so far.
    1. jingleheimerschmit
      March 31, 2011
      Agree with you 100% there. The entire team behind this film is making me very excited to see it.
    2. Csosa35
      December 24, 2012
      The must continue The Dark Knight series. They left many doors open to continue this great series. The Dark Knight Rises was awesome! As a superhero fan I would be greatly be disappointed if the didn't. Please don't reboot Batman when you have developed this masterpiece of a film!
    3. Ben
      January 19, 2013
      nice
2. Dennis25
  May 3, 2011
  what people fell to realize is that while on set filming "300", Snyder had The "300" Graphic Novel Illustrator himself , Frank Miller, on board to accompany and help direct the movie (Oh and F.Y.I Frank Miller Created "The Dark Knight Returns" and Batman :Year One with his wife at the time)
  1. Dennis25
    May 3, 2011
    Frank Miller created Batman year one and The Dark Knight Returns with his wife at the time while they where still married to correct my last post
Stukai4296
July 10, 2012
I doubt that any of the cast-- Michael Caine, Bale, Hardy, Levitt, Cotillard-- are pretty loyal with Nolan. Anyways Bale already said that he donned the cowl for the last time. I feel like continuing this story would no longer be about the story, but rather about making money.
1. Stukai4296
  July 10, 2012
  typo meant to say that the cast wont return since they are loyal to Nolan

Guest

March 29, 2011

When Nolan quits , i think he should pass the Bat baton on to Duncan Jones (Moon , Source Code ) Great news if Nolan is a producer ! as for a Justice League movie its still early days , all depends on the sucess of Green Lantern and Superman Reboot !

FanOfNolan

March 29, 2011

Is this really legit cause I have a hard time believing it? First of all, it conflicts with what Nolan himself has said, which is that after TDKR he's done with Batman. Second, Nolan seems to want to do other projects between his Batman films. After BB, he did The Prestige. After TDK, he did Inception. Now he's working on TDKR and producing Superman. Do you really think he'd want to work on three superhero movies in a row? I doubt it. And even if he did, it's doubtful he'd be able to have a Justice League movie ready by 2013, even with someone else directing. I also think that after hitting it big with Batman and Inception, Nolan is anxious to move onto other projects and show the industry that he's capable of more than just superhero movies. This almost sounds like wishful thinking on the part of Robinov. If Nolan were really involved, then why has there been no official announcement?

BatmanNewsChris
March 29, 2011
Yeah it's legit. It's straight from the President of Warner Bros. Nolan is done *directing* Batman after The Dark Knight Rises, but he'll stay on as producer. Just like how he's producing the new Superman movie.
1. Guest
  March 29, 2011
  Yeah , i think Nolan knows if he keeps Warner Bros sweet , they will give him an open check book and creative freedom to make any film he wants ,eg Inception , great news for everybody Nolan , Warner Bros and the fans .
2. Simplebay
  March 29, 2011
  Nolan is not going to be that hands on with superman. He has stated as much. Its zach synders baby. You're thinking nolan is going to be more involved than he is
  1. BatmanNewsChris
    March 29, 2011
    No, what I mean is he'll probably stay on to produce Batman much like he's producing Superman. He'll get a good director and then let them do their thing.
    1. Cilogy
      March 29, 2011
      No, after TDKR, Nolan needs to bale.
      ;)
    2. BatmanNewsChris
      March 29, 2011
      Haha! I see what you did there ;)

Derek F.

March 29, 2011

Im unsure about this. On one hand I like that Nolan is staying on board as a producer but look at the director his picked for the other superhero movie he is producing.... not very good. I kinda wish Nolan would either direct the fourth film or just walk away and let his series speak for itself. Plus from everything that has come out story wise for TDKR it seems like Nolan is looking to bring the whole story full circle and rap everything up. If thats true it seems as though a fourth film may be forced. Guess we will have to wait and see.

jingleheimerschmit
March 29, 2011
Agree with the forced fourth film. It could definitely be a problem. But I think people need to give Snyder a chance to work his magic.
1. Guest
  March 29, 2011
  I agree ! I may take alot of heat for this but i ENJOYED SUCKER PUNCH ! Snyder , with Nolan and Goyers script will deliver a great Superman film !
  1. jingleheimerschmit
    March 29, 2011
    Totally with you there. Snyder is still a developing film maker, and has a lot of room for improvement. But he's extremely stylized, and I love what he does. Superman looks to be great. =)
    1. jingleheimerschmit
      March 30, 2011
      And btw, I really enjoyed SUCKER PUNCH too. =)

Thejokersmiles13

March 29, 2011

There goes my wishful thinking. If The Dark Knight Rises tops The Dark Knight, WB would have the first great comic book trilogy ever. I mean wouldn't it be better to let these 3 films stand the test of time before rebooting or reinventing, I know at some point Nolan's Batman would get rebooted, but if The Dark Knight Rises completes the trilogy and surpasses The Dark Knight then why not wait 15-20 years before you reboot and focus on the other DC heroes like Green Lantern, Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc. and turning them into heavy weight franchises the same way Nolan and his team did with Batman. We should be able to appreciate Nolan's films for a long time before there is a new interpretation. My fear is that the other DC films are go down the path the same marvel is in that they will designed as teasers for the Justice League movie instead of being great stand-a-lone films or franchises focusing on what attracts us to these individual heroes in the first place. I could be wrong and I'm hope I am I just think WB should wait and focus on the other films before rushing them together to the big screen in 2013.

the bat
March 29, 2011
uh im 47 i cant wait 15-20 years for another batman as long as nobody goes rambo-schumacher again and there careful it can be great not nolan great but still very good im glad wb is thinking ahead i want the other heros brought to life too but batman remains tops to me they just dont need to rush and be too quick and also leave out batgirl and robin this could be good lets hope
1. Thejokersmiles13
  March 29, 2011
  well maybe not 15-20 years but let it stand for at least several years so it can stick in people's mind I mean to reboot it right after The Dark Knight Rises is rushing it. I love Batman, but rebooting it right after what could potentially be the first great comic book trilogy doesn't make sense.
360bird
March 30, 2011
I am totally with you, but the truth regardless of how the TDKR performs WB sees this franchise as the ultimate cash cow. Why let the franchise meander around for 15-20 years when you can just continue to milk it for more and more money?
The obvious response is that there is a total quality vs quantity aspect to this, but unfortunately movie execs don't follow this rule.
1. Thejokersmiles13
  March 30, 2011
  If they want franchises to milk on, they should focus on Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Superman, etc. instead of trying to milk the Batman franchise into the ground. In all honesty, I know people will think I'm crazy but if WB dedicated its time, focus and care to lets say Jonah Hex, that movie could of been a sleeper even though it's a 2nd-3rd tier comic instead of the disappointment that it was.

Jamesq

March 29, 2011

The worst thing they can do is over work the batman movie market.. if they wait 5 years then make it then maybe. I think re-doing the style of the batman movies of the 90s could be interesting.

Antrozous
April 1, 2011
Well let´s face it, after all this reality grounded trilogy the franchise must take another road if a reboot is indeed lined up. For example The Dark Knight Returns style doesn´t fit with Nolan´s philosophy so a new fresh approach on that story would be more than welcome.
Eitherway I would rather see an old Batman in a decrepit Gotham City filled with mutants than to see an origins story all over again....

Jack Jensen011

March 29, 2011

Everyone CHILL as AAnold would say! Nolan is simply negotiating with WB to gain leverage... he wants the $$$$$. Be will direct Batman 4,5,6 and then after that we''ll see! If you had control over WB's most precious property wouldn't you tell them no a few times before they caved in and gave you a much bigger paycheck... I would.

Guest
March 29, 2011
Good point ! if TDKR does a Billion like TDK , Nolan can name his price !
1. Thejokersmiles13
  March 30, 2011
  I don't believe Nolan is all about the money, call me naive if you may but he really seems to be genuine in regards to his filmmaking. I read he wants to do a howard hughes biopic and release it by 2014 to coincide with the 10 year anniversary of the Aviator. I'm not so sure Nolan would come back for an insane amount of money, he's had success outside of the batman franchise both critically and financially.

Brendangeary88

March 29, 2011

People here are beyond retarded... They Batman we see now will CLEARLY not be in the Justice League movie. It will be a reinvented Batman you morons. The one who is the most stubborn of the group, the one without the superpowers but the one who always saves the day in the end. Whether it be he rescues Superman or use his gadgetry to put him on top. People here who dont even know the first thing about JLA needs to get the f*** out of this discussion, you know nothing.

BlakeD

March 29, 2011

Possible return of The Joker as well? I Hope not!

the bat
March 29, 2011
your right heath ledgers joker to me is the all time great movie villain there are just so many others to tap in to like black mask or deadshot as far as justice league with the right director why not as long as they dont make it silly or rushed

bradley

March 29, 2011

Maybe it will be loosely continued from Nolan's trilogy.

the bat
March 29, 2011
which would be great if nolan is involved in any way it raises the stakes as something to look forward to i just dont think he will sign off on anything unless its seriously his batman

jingleheimerschmit

March 29, 2011

I think a Justice League film could be interesting. And re-inventing of Batman for THAT film would be perfectly okay. In fact, I would probably encourage it, to further separate it from Nolan's franchise. However, they really should wait a few years for a full reboot of the Batman franchise. That way fans can enjoy the trilogy, knowing Nolan's universe has been completed, THEN get into a new world. Making it too soon could tarnish Nolan's Batman too early.

Guest
March 29, 2011
The problem i have with a Justice League movie is , weather Graphic novel (Kingdom come ) or animated film ( New Frontier ) Batman is always portrayed as a crazy nutcase , and Batman and space dont mix !
1. the bat
  March 29, 2011
  well we dont want crazy nutcase batman and no the bat dont belong in space so maybe we keep it earthbound for him but we can have some fun figuring out villains like ras al ghul teaming with lex luthor or scarecrow teaming with darkseid

Tomas

March 29, 2011

So let's just stop with the good movies and get back to the pieces of crap?

george

March 30, 2011

I can't see Bale doing the JLA movie unless they give him mega bucks. They'll probably just bring in someone new for the role. It won't be a Nolan bat movie but I'll check it out if they reboot it.

Antrozous

March 30, 2011

To me is simple: after TDKR in 2012 Warner should give an aproximately 8 year gap and then do The Dark Knight Returns set in the future as it should be: who knows, maybe by then Nolan can find the motivation to return to the director´s chair...

About Justice League - The Movie: Couldn´t care less of it.

FanOfNolan

March 30, 2011

I still have a hard time believing this is true. TDKR comes out in 2012 as does Superman: Man of Steel, both of which will eat up a lot of Nolan's time. Second, there's a Wonder Woman series coming out in the Fall (assuming it gets picked up) and Green Lantern this summer. So for WB to have a Justice League movie in theaters for 2013, they have to get a lot done. First, they need a script. Will Nolan be helping to write it? Cause he sounds like he'll be pretty busy with TDKR and Superman. Then you have to find a director. Look how long it took him to find a director for Superman. Then there's the issue of casting. I seriously doubt Christian Bale will want to be a part of this. So they have to find a new Batman. What about Superman? Will Henry Cavill be involved or will they have to get another actor? Same with Wonder Woman. Will the actress they cast in this new show also be playing WW in the movie? What about Green Lantern? Is Ryan Reynolds up for being part of this? So there are quite a lot of questions they need to resolve before they can really move forward with this project. And wasn't the reason for having WW on TV because they couldn't figure out how to make a movie with her? Well this Justice League movie seems to contradict that. Lastly, people are pointing out that Nolan agreed to this in order for WB to fund his other projects. But seriously, do you think after the success of TDK and Inception, Nolan would have a hard time getting funding from some other studio? So this whole thing sounds a little fishy, almost wishful thinking on the part of Robinov. I seriously hope this isn't for real. Nolan's Batman series deserves time to stand on its own, not be immediately overshadowed by a Justice League movie with a brand new Batman.

M6000

March 30, 2011

Wholly crap a Justice leauge movie out in time to compete with the Avengers movie would be awesome now lets hope nobody screws up. About the Batman news I don't like the fact they'll be rebooting Batman after Darknight rises it feels like we just got the origin story and now they want to do another one.

360bird
March 30, 2011
I'm just going to put this out there since people keep referencing the Joel S. movies of the 90s. Those movies weren't reboots they were a continuity of Burton's movies. So, if there was just another director trying to work off of Nolan's existing template we'd be following the same pattern of the 90s.
Now, that being said, I would prefer 2-3 years before the next movie (which is what it will be when you consider how long it will take to develop). As awesome as the "realistic" approach has been (and clearly it was the best thing for the franchise) it'd be nice to see a batman world where more fantastical villains are possible and DONE CORRECTLY.

360bird

March 30, 2011

A way that they could "reinvent" batman while also keeping the original trilogy in play would be a "batman beyond" type of franchise for a few years. Anyone who has seen the animated series knows that this type of series is compelling and can open the door for some great creativity.

Unfortunately, WB and other movie studios are too chicken to give something like this a shot.

Guest
March 30, 2011
Good call ! but i think when smallville finishes on T,V the next WB Live action T.V show should be Batman Beyond .
1. 360bird
  March 31, 2011
  Being a TV series could definitely work, but if you could imagine having a solid budget for 3 movies of a batman beyond series the visuals could be stunning. It could also directly involve Bruce Wayne as he existed in this current trilogy and give us another 7-8 years of movies before having to do a true "reboot."
  I just feel at this point reworking batman's origin story is pointless, since Nolan did such an amazing job in Begins. As I think someone mentioned earlier, if TDKR is good we'd be looking at a trilogy that could stand the test of time with the best of them. It would need time to stand on its own.

AquaBro

March 30, 2011

I''m was kind of hoping the trilogy would stand on its own, and then put on the back burner while some other DC properties get the green light, ie Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Spectre, JSA etc etc.
I was hoping any future Batman films would be one-shots perhaps, taking direct story lines and adapting those (ie The Dark Knight Returns) but then again, I'm always open to see more Batman films, I think WB know by now not to have another Schumacher situation.

lethargicj

March 30, 2011

I will never understand how Batman/comic/superhero fans piss and moan about news like this. Oh nooooo, we can't handle a new version of Batman so soon! Why? The amount of movie reboots/different versions of the character PALE in comparison to the number of reboots/different versions of the character we've seen in the comics. (And the cartoon universe.) Jeez, there are TWO Batmen in the comic books right now. Yet, we can't handle seeing a new one in theaters in a few years? Batman changes with every new writer that writes him. Grant Morrison's Batman is light years different from Paul Dini's Batman which is light years different from Frank Miller's Batman. The character is CONSTANTLY changing and evolving on the page, yet when it comes to movies all people want is the exact same thing over and over or nothing else.

For me, nobody will ever top what Nolan has done and nobody will ever be a better Batman than Christian Bale. That doesn't mean I don't want to see somebody try. That doesn't mean that something different can't also be amazingly entertaining. As good a job as Nolan/Bale has done, they don't own the character. The character is timeless will continue on in some form as long as this world exists. I'm a Batman fan. Plain and simple. More Batman = More Gooder.

the bat
March 30, 2011
Yes more gooder glad this is said after Batman and Robin Ididnt think there would ever be another bat-film especially hard seeing other super-hero films doing well and no batman im glad for any super-hero film to do well but i especially look forward to anything batman im really grateful for Nolan for turning it around but as long as they dont go the way of B and R yes why wait I love all these discussions and love all the passion The Batman fans exude but i for one applaud WB for looking forward i was worried they wouldnt Nolans films will live forever with us no way to be topped i agree but that doesnt mean we have to live without other batman films as long as they find the right director what difference does the time frame make because theres no guarantee if they wait that would make a difference anyway
1. lethargicj
  March 30, 2011
  And people should quit complaining about Batman and Robin. Batman and Robin was the single most important Batman movie ever made. Batman and Robin is what turned the franchise around. WB learned from their mistakes and didn't repeat them. They took their time and made sure they found the right people to bring Batman back to the screen so they would NOT have another Batman and Robin. People saying all this crap about how they don't want to see another Batman and Robin should realize that there will NEVER be another Batman and Robin and the reason why IS Batman and Robin.
  As far as how long to wait.....it's STILL going to be years. It's not like TDKR is going to come out and then the reboot is going to come out 6 months later. Taking into consideration how long it will take to get a script, pick a director, pick a new cast, pre-production, filming, post-production, etc.....it WILL be years. It'll be at least 3 years minimum. Look at Spiderman. By time the new movie comes out it will have been 5 years since the last Spiderman movie. But people act like it came out last week. These puzzle pieces don't come together over night. And considering that Batman is WB's only bankable franchise, they're not going to just throw something rushed out there. They're going to take whatever times it needs to be done right.
FanOfNolan
March 30, 2011
The issue isn't that they're trying to create a new version. It's that they're doing it so soon. How bout giving the Nolan series some breathing room, time for it to cement its legacy and let the fans reflect on how great it was? Going to the well so many times is what killed the Star Trek franchise. They kept churning out movie after movie, show after show until finally there was no big appetite for it. Do you want the same thing to happen to Batman, where people start asking for him to go away? A big reason why this Nolan series was so successful is because there a fanbase crying out for a definitive take on the character. After Batman Begins, people were anxious to see the next chapter. And after TDK, they're anxious to see a resolution. But I don't hear people begging for a reboot. They might if the character had been handled badly, like it was with Joel Schumacher. It took nearly a decade before someone took another stab at Batman. That time off helped build anticipation. The reaction I'm seeing all over the internet to this story is groans. "Another Batman already? Sigh."
1. lethargicj
  March 30, 2011
  "It's that they're doing it so soon. How bout giving the Nolan series some breathing room, time for it to cement its legacy and let the fans reflect on how great it was?"
  Because that is mind boggling stupid. Why didn't they stop publishing the comic books when Dark Knight Returns came out? Come on, we needed time to reflect on how great it was!
  It's a business. Batman is a cash cow. It always has been and always will be. Even the dreaded Batman and Robin has generated tons of cash. They're not going to throw that money away because a few weirdos on the internet want to sit around, rub their chins and reflect on a 10 year old movie.
  Another thing that kills me is how internet people think they know everything. There's no script, no director, no cast, NOTHING..... yet they know it's going to suck and know what it is. Even Robinov has no idea what the next step is. We know Nolan and Thomas will produce. So how do we know that this "reboot" will be nothing more than a new director and some cast changes? With Nolan and Thomas on board, Nolan's brother and Goyer could very well stay on board to write it and maybe one direct it and the universe remains intact with just a few juggled around pieces. None of us have any idea what this will be, yet people are jumping up and down to denounce it. It's dumb. And even more hilarious, the story gives NO DATE as to when this reboot will happen. The only thing this story does is confirm that Nolan will leave the director's chair after the third and then after that they have to figure out what to do next. THAT'S IT. It could very end up being another 8 years.
  1. SuperherooftheMonth
    March 31, 2011
    Jason makes some *very* good points. I love the Nolan Bat-films as much as anyone, but I'm okay with a "reinventing" (whatever that means) or a reboot if WB thinks that's what is best for the character.
    I think a lot of this "Internet reaction" mentioned ("Another Batman already? Sigh.") amounts to not much more than fanboy whining. Jason said, "Another thing that kills me is how internet people think they know everything. There's no script, no director, no cast, NOTHING..... yet they know it's going to suck and know what it is." Really, that's not much different than much of what we've seen on this very site regarding TDKR. To paraphrase:
    "Anne Hathaway is Catwoman? This is gonna suck!"
    "The League of Shadows? Again? This is gonna suck!"
    "Tom Hardy is too short to play Bane! This is gonna suck!"
    All we've had is a (very) brief synopsis. No one's read a script, no one's seen a shred of film, yet it's going to totally suck, regardless of the fact that it's being brought to us by the guy who saved the franchise, and turned a BATMAN FILM into a billion dollar hit?
    This JLA/"reboot" outcry amounts to nothing more than fanboy whining, really. Give it time. It will be -- at least -- two years before a new Batman solo film hits theaters after TDKR, and I'd bet we see it in three or four. I mean, it will have been four years since the last one, and it's being done by the same creative team.
  2. FanOfNolan
    March 31, 2011
    No, I'll tell you what's mind-boggling stupid. It's making a movie that few people want to see. Yes, Batman is a cash cow for WB. But notice how reluctant they were to make another Batman movie after Batman & Robin. They knew it was best to let it lie low for a while. And it turned out to be the right decision. Batman Begins was a success because enough time had passed where people wanted to see Batman on the big screen again. Plus, a lot of the fans felt like the Burton/Schumacher series didn't do the character justice. But that's not the case here. People have been pretty happy with Nolan's treatment of Batman. With each of his movies, they wanted a sequel. What they didn't want was a reboot.
    The real reason we're getting a reboot is because of costs. Spiderman didn't need a reboot. The last movie was awful, but they could've just fixed the series instead of starting over. The reason they went with the reboot is because Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi were getting too expensive. And now that Christian Bale has an Oscar, maybe WB is worried about his asking price. As for the Justice League idea, again I don't see people begging for this. The last time the idea was brought up, people scoffed at it, which is probably why WB called it off. But it's obvious why they're doing it now. It's so they can compete with Marvel and their Avengers movie. So basically we're getting too bad ideas for reasons that having nothing to do with the fans, but because of some studio wanting to milk their cash cow dry and wanting to match a competitor. I recall Paramount doing that back in 1979. They wanted something to match Star Wars. So they dusted off Star Trek and made it into a movie. And look what the fans got. A really bad movie.
    1. Amin Shelton
      April 21, 2011
      People loved the Burton movies. Batman 89 is widely concidered one of the greatest comic book hero films ever made which set the standard for all modern superhero films. It's the Shumacher films that people generally didn't like.
  3. FanOfNolan
    March 31, 2011
    Oh and BTW, the story does give a date. It says they want the movie in theaters for 2013, only 1 year after TDKR.
    1. george
      March 31, 2011
      No, thats the JLA movie.

Rocky

March 31, 2011

They should adapt Tower of Babel.

Guano Man

March 31, 2011

Well guys, you know what this means.
http://www.justiceleague-news.com
Coming your way very soon!

SuperherooftheMonth
March 31, 2011
LOL.
In all seriousness, though, I assume there would be some crossover with JL and TDKR with their (planned) release being a year apart. Is JL something you'd be covering concurrently on Batman-News.com, with TDKR?
BatmanNewsChris
March 31, 2011
Haha! I think I'll have to cover the Justice League movie right here. I'm definitely not as excited for it as I am for The Dark Knight Rises (not even close, actually)... but it IS Batman news, so I should give it the same attention.
After The Dark Knight Rises I'm going to think about what topics Batman-News.com should cover. I purposely left "Film" out of the name to give myself room to expand. From 2010-2012 the goal is to make Batman-News.com the BEST place online for The Dark Knight Rises news.
1. Guest
  March 31, 2011
  A Graphic Novel section would be awsome ! Top 5 Bat Graphic novels 1. Killing joke 2. The Dark Knight Returns 3. The long Halloween 4. Joker 5. The Bat and the Beast .
  1. BatmanNewsChris
    March 31, 2011
    That's a great suggestion. I'll ask for more in Fall of 2012 when I'll get serious about expanding the site's content.
  2. harley quinn
    December 22, 2011
    how do you get a profile pic?

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Warner Bros. to 'reinvent' Batman after 'The Dark Knight Rises', Justice League movie coming in 2013

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