A Third Batman Film has Been Officially Announced.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

No one's suggesting we have a bunch of villain with their own individual plots that happen to meet vaguely, like in Spider Man 3.  The first two movies already had a bunch of villains, and it worked because each one fit into a vital role in the overall plot.  In other words, several villains work when you have a story that demands them, and only then.  In the first two, we had on bit villain whose plans involved the others.  In the first movie we also had two included to establish the background, Joe Chill and Zsasz.  Each of them, however, led right into one of the others and served to feed the main plot.  That's how the first movie managed to have 5 Batman villains, and that's how the third could use several as well.

[bredon7777]

The only poster that was ok with me was the Riddler one.

While I liked the costume, the jawline made Catwoman look too manly to be convincing.  And the Harley one looked like she escaped from a zombie movie.

[BlueBard]

No one's suggesting we have a bunch of villain with their own individual plots that happen to meet vaguely, like in Spider Man 3.  The first two movies already had a bunch of villains, and it worked because each one fit into a vital role in the overall plot.  In other words, several villains work when you have a story that demands them, and only then.  In the first two, we had on bit villain whose plans involved the others.  In the first movie we also had two included to establish the background, Joe Chill and Zsasz.  Each of them, however, led right into one of the others and served to feed the main plot.  That's how the first movie managed to have 5 Batman villains, and that's how the third could use several as well.

IF it worked out that way, I'd be fine with it.

I like how they didn't feel the need to retell Joker's origin in TDK.  It wasn't necessary to the story.  Based on the one movie, we simply do not know how Joker got to be what he was... and it's okay.  The story about Batman still got told.

I'm not sure that the movie industry as a whole really gets that.  I'm pretty sure Nolan does, and that's great.  As long as he doesn't get overruled by meddling movie executives, the third Batman has a promising future.

What worries me is that the industry seems to have this view of "superhero" movies that says every movie needs to introduce a new character whose origins and background needs to be established before you can get on with the rest of the story.  You can do that with one new character.  Not so much with two or more.

[marhawkman]

I can deal with 5 minute recaps of who someone is.  Actually SHOWing the origins is overkill IMO.

[yell0w_lantern]

I've been thinking that Clayface would be a good villain for a darker toned film because he can look like anybody -  it easily leads to paranoia.

[bredon7777]

No one with powers is going to appear in a Nolan film. Not "realistic".

[BlueBard]

No one with powers is going to appear in a Nolan film. Not "realistic".

You don't necessarily have to have "powers" to assume other identities.  And the original Clayface didn't have powers when he was introduced.  He'd fit right in with the fear theme that has run through both BB and TDK.

--From Wikipedia:
Created by Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, was a B movie actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain he portrayed in a horror film.

But I would doubt that particular character is ever used by Nolan.  He's still got plenty of others to choose from.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

No one with powers is going to appear in a Nolan film. Not "realistic".

Not necessarily true. As long as you can explain it in a sufficiently pseudoscientific manner (welcome to comic books!), it's possible. And when you consider the ridiculous planning and orchestration that went into all of Joker's plans, that's hardly "realistic". It's not about being truly realistic, it's about feeling realistic.

I mean, come on--finding a magical flower in the mountains that amplifies fears? Amongst a band of ninjas in said mountains? Or the entire concept of a vigilante running around in a bat costume...

[JeyNyce]

The Clayface thing could work if you make him out like he steals identities and commits crimes.  Look up the movie Taking Lives.  Clayface could be something like
that.

a serial killer who takes on the identity of each new victim.

[JeyNyce]

Wifey just shot me an email saying that they are filming the Batman movie by her job (NYC).  She said that sh saw the Batmoblie outside.  Anybody heard any updates on the movie?

[RTTingle]

Nope, its for the new remake of Arthur.  More info here.  The filming for Nolan's Batflick doesn't start 'till April.

Wifey just shot me an email saying that they are filming the Batman movie by her job (NYC).  She said that sh saw the Batmoblie outside.  Anybody heard any updates on the movie?

[Mr. Hamrick]

I suspect that there will be the reveal of the first villain between this Friday and the end of July.  (Inception opens this Friday.)

From there, the word is that the the film starts shooting early 2011. 

[Failed_Hero]

I just wanted to through a Mr. Freeze concept  out there.

Dr. Victor Fries, is acclaimed M.D. who also works with his cryogenist wife Nora attempting to develop a method to help treat lethal wounds quickly.  Victor is absolutely devoted to his with but does have a gambling problem, the mob begins to leverage Victor's gambling issues against him forcing him to do off the books operations on lieutenants, to eliminate his debt.  During one of these operations Batman crashes the proceedings, Victor and Nora are using one of their advanced techniques Batman's appearance and the ensuing gun fight causes a malfunction in cryogenic continment, resulting in the death of Nora, and Victor developing an increased pain tolerance complete loss of hair and his frigid pale complexion.  When he agrees to testify against his former tormentors but is able to set a trap in the court house resulting in several of the defendants dying in the same fashion as Nora.  Getting away from the authorities he then sets his sites on Batman.

This idea does involve some suspension of disbelief but a lot less than a guy in containment suit with a freeze ray.  Although I do see a pressurized liquid nitrogen weapon coming into play.

[BentonGrey]

Bah, I love TAS style Freeze, he's the only version I have any interest in.

[Mr. Hamrick]

Bah, I love TAS style Freeze, he's the only version I have any interest in.

We all know you only care about the TAS version of EVERYTHING, Benton.   Why even bother being a fan of anything live-action?

[BentonGrey]

Bah, I love TAS style Freeze, he's the only version I have any interest in.

We all know you only care about the TAS version of EVERYTHING, Benton.   Why even bother being a fan of anything live-action?

TAS is the best of all possible Batmen, but that doesn't mean that live-action can't ALSO be awesome.  Batman Begins did this admirably.  However, Mr. Freeze is my favorite villain from the series (after all, it was pretty much their handling that rescued him from obscurity).  That, coupled with the fact that I don't buy into the whole "all characters must be stripped of anything interesting to be believable" line that seems to permeate many movie discussions, leads me to think that I'd like to see a non-campy (read: non-Ahhhnooold) Mr. Freeze show up in a movie and actually resemble himself.

[Failed_Hero]

Benton,

I totally agreed with you on Mr. Freeze from TAS. But Nolan has set his rules and I'd really like to see what could be done given Nolan's rules. 

[BWPS]

While I decided to refuse to speculate on Nolan's future villains, I agree about TAS Mr. Freeze. He was really the best of Timm's take on Batman's villains, which is saying a lot. That's why Sub-Zero was such a great movie. I don't think there'd be anything wrong with Nolan doing him the same way, but I have complete faith in Christopher Nolan and I think he is absolutely the greatest director since Spielberg.

[Mr. Hamrick]

I wholeheartedly DISAGREE with regards to Timm's Batman being the best.  The best as far as animated versions, yes, but NOT THE BEST OVERALL.  To say that Timm's Batman is better than Bob Kane's Batman is ludicrous at best.   I appreciate your unyielding love for the man but he is not the "end all be all" of writing Batman.  I don't think Timm could do a decent live action Batman film just the same as I don't think Nolan could do a decent Batman cartoon.  IT IS TWO DIFFERENT MEDIUMS.  Three if you count the comics.

As for Mr. Freeze, Timm was given the leeway to develop the character by DC and Warner Brothers.  The character didn't previously have that extensive of a back story.  Which is fine.  However, a lot of the work that Timm did doesn't translate to live action very well.  It especially doesn't translate very well given the boundaries and rules set in place by Christopher Nolan with the Bat films.  

As for directors to take the reins of The Batman films after Nolan... I would be curious to see what Niels Arden Oplev would do with Batman.  I wouldn't mind seeing David Fincher either.  

[JeyNyce]

I wholeheartedly DISAGREE with regards to Timm's Batman being the best.  The best as far as animated versions, yes, but NOT THE BEST OVERALL.  To say that Timm's Batman is better than Bob Kane's Batman is ludicrous at best.   I appreciate your unyielding love for the man but he is not the "end all be all" of writing Batman.  I don't think Timm could do a decent live action Batman film just the same as I don't think Nolan could do a decent Batman cartoon.  IT IS TWO DIFFERENT MEDIUMS.  Three if you count the comics.

As for Mr. Freeze, Timm was given the leeway to develop the character by DC and Warner Brothers.  The character didn't previously have that extensive of a back story.  Which is fine.  However, a lot of the work that Timm did doesn't translate to live action very well.  It especially doesn't translate very well given the boundaries and rules set in place by Christopher Nolan with the Bat films.  

As for directors to take the reins of The Batman films after Nolan... I would be curious to see what Niels Arden Oplev would do with Batman.  I wouldn't mind seeing David Fincher either.  

Hamrick I think you jumped the gun there a bit.  Re-read what BWPS said

[yell0w_lantern]

Benton,

I totally agreed with you on Mr. Freeze from TAS. But Nolan has set his rules and I'd really like to see what could be done given Nolan's rules. 

And what are those rules? I did a quick search and found nothing pertaining to Batman except that the man has "ruled out" the return of the Joker, the Penguin and a Superman crossover.

[TheMarvell]

his rules are "no super powers" or something like that, which rules out Mr. Freeze, Clayface, Poison Ivy, etc. Basically nothing supernatural.

[BlueBard]

You know, I don't know how ANY writer, director, or what-have-you can say "I'm going to do Batman, but Superman is not allowed and as far as MY Batman is concerned he doesn't exist."

Fine.  Do Batman.  It's not necessary that Superman is written into his Batman scripts, although a nod here or there to acknowledge the larger DCU would be nice.

Why Nolan feels he has to compartmentalize the two characters, I will probably never understand.  But if that's what works for his creative process, I can play along.  I just hope that eventually a movie gets made outside of those rules.

A Batman/Superman movie something along the lines of "Superman/Batman: Enemies & Allies" by Kevin Anderson would be awesome.

[yell0w_lantern]

his rules are "no super powers" or something like that, which rules out Mr. Freeze, Clayface, Poison Ivy, etc. Basically nothing supernatural.

Kind of a weird rule for a superhero franchise. That would leave Killer Moth and Firefly, though! 

Btw, in the first bunch of comic appearances by Bats he did fight a vampire at least once - looooong before he ever fought the joker.

[JeyNyce]

I say they should bring Wraith.  They already had Batman doppelgangers in the second, one guy went that extra step and became Bats equal.

[steamteck]

As for Mr. Freeze, Timm was given the leeway to develop the character by DC and Warner Brothers.  The character didn't previously have that extensive of a back story.  Which is fine.  However, a lot of the work that Timm did doesn't translate to live action very well.  

Not to pick on you but I really can't understand that , to my perception narrow minded feeling. seems to me It could work just fine in live action. One could equally argue the Hulk , Ironman. Superman.Dr Octopus, Hellboy  etc etc etc wouldn't translate well.

Might not  gel with the Nolanverse but that's a different animal

[kkhohoho]

I say they should bring Wraith.  They already had Batman doppelgangers in the second, one guy went that extra step and became Bats equal.

Come again?

[Mr. Hamrick]

As for Mr. Freeze, Timm was given the leeway to develop the character by DC and Warner Brothers.  The character didn't previously have that extensive of a back story.  Which is fine.  However, a lot of the work that Timm did doesn't translate to live action very well.  

Not to pick on you but I really can't understand that , to my perception narrow minded feeling. seems to me It could work just fine in live action. One could equally argue the Hulk , Ironman. Superman.Dr Octopus, Hellboy  etc etc etc wouldn't translate well.

Might not  gel with the Nolanverse but that's a different animal

Not being narrow minded at all.  I am merely looking at Timm's credits and what he actually received credits for with Batman: TAS and most of that were as producer and as artist.  His writing credits were for overall story and not for the script.  Coming up with a story is much different than the script that successfully tells that story.  I know this from firsthand experience.

My bigger issue is this notion that somehow because Bruce Timm's name is on it that Batman: TAS is somehow superior to the original work of Bob Kane when Bob Kane is THE CREATOR OF THE CHARACTER.  I don't have an issue with Timm's artwork nor do I have a major issue with him as a storyteller.  However, the script that created the Post-Crisis origin of Mr. Freeze was created by Paul Dini not by Bruce Timm.  Bruce Timm directed the episode but did not write it.  I am taking issue with Benton giving Timm credit for Dini's writing perhaps moreso than even the idea that Timm did the character than the guy who created the character..  

However, Timm has never directed live action material so I reserve to right to say that he is not proven as a live action director.  It's no different than saying that I would not be someone to ask to direct a big budget animation project.  (IE: You would not want me directing Toy Story 4 or The Incredibles 2 or anything like that.)   I will remain skeptical of his ability with live action work until proven otherwise.  It's the same deal with Frank Miller trying to direct something.  The Spirit is one of the WORST comic book movies I have seen and is proof that even as a competent artist and writer that he shouldn't be allowed near a live action film.  And I don't have a huge issue with Frank Miller's work on comic books.

[yell0w_lantern]

Wraith was a character in a 1980s story and he paralleled Bruce Wayne/Batman except he was a criminal. I thnik the story was something like, "the player on the opposite team," or something like that.

[JKCarrier]

My bigger issue is this notion that somehow because Bruce Timm's name is on it that Batman: TAS is somehow superior to the original work of Bob Kane when Bob Kane is THE CREATOR OF THE CHARACTER.

I am a big fan of the early Batman stories, but I don't see anything wrong with someone thinking other versions are better. Alan Moore's Swamp Thing is better than Len Wein's. Denny O'Neil's Green Arrow is better than Mort Weisinger's. And of course, the TAS people had the advantage of being able to draw on all the previous versions of Batman, picking and choosing the best bits to incorporate into the show.

Also keep in mind that the stories signed by Bob Kane were mostly done by other people anyway. For instance, he had zilch to do with Mr. Freeze, who was created by Dave Wood and Sheldon Moldoff.