Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

So the next Batman movie was at the very least confirmed for July 2012, which is around the time The Avengers is going to hit theaters, too.

Question is - who's going to be the bad guy?

Too soon to go back to The Joker and probably not a good idea to fill Ledger's shoes this early anyway. I'm sure there's someone out there up to the task, but the Joker returning doesn't exactly fit where the movie left off anyway.

So Batman is on the run from the police, having taken the blame for Harvey Two-Face's murders upon himself. So when Batman is on the run, who's a good match for the Caped Crusader?

Well, I think the mob needs to be rebuilt and there are some good cadidates there to take leadership of the mob.

Black Mask would fit in pretty well, I'd say, he's actually the current top dog leading the current crime wave in the comics, having found a way to bring all the kooks in Arkham under his control He's clever, well-connected and you could have any number of A or B list baddies working for him.

The Penguin would actually be the perfect foil for a Batman being hunted as a criminal. The Penguin loves to control the criminal underworld while playing a charitable socialite to the public. You could get some B-LIsters to work under him most of the time. Scarecrow, Zsasz and such could work for him in the money was good.

Bane would be pretty threatening. He's been a mercenary, he has a cunning mind on par with Batman and a rather interesting history. So long as they didn't take him too over-the-top the whole venom angle would work for him too. He could even be a drug lord peddling venom to the Gotham underground.

After those, well, who says Ra's Al Ghul ever really died? What if Neeson's character was just another decoy or, better, what if Talia Al Ghul took over the League of Shadows? Ra's did mention his wife's death, but never talked about his daughter. Talia can play the love interest or the villain, or both.

Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc and some of the more fantastical villains I don't see working out. This is more of a real-world Batman and they're a bit too zany for this version of Gotham. Catwoman would have to be a love interest of sorts and I don't see her playing into the next plot that well.

The Riddler really only works as a villain when Batman is the good guy, because the Riddler is there to frustrate him with clues to emphasis a detective angle to the story.

[Empedocles]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

Spidey-sense is telling me that the current trend is to stay away from even unintentionally imitating the previous (was it Tim Burton? I'm horrible with names) series of batman movies.

First had Jack's Joker vs Scarecrow (somewhat) and Ra's , and even though Heath's Joker was primary villan in the second movie vs Penguin & Catwoman, his performance and personality was so different as to almost be another character entirely.

So although I'd like to see The Penguin in the third movie (because as you say, it fits quite well), I don't think he'd be primary as it'd be too close to the same order.

[Durahansolo]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

Couple of days ago WB announced 20 movies that would be shown on IMAX between now to 2013 which included both the Batman movie and the new Superman Reboot.

Upcoming:

Iron Man/Jonah Hex this year

Thor/Captain America/Green Lantern 2011 (I don't see the Deadpool movie listed anymore. Maybe it got cancelled? YAY!)

Avengers/Spider-Man Reboot/Batman 2012 2012 might be too epic to contain the epicness!

Anyways I don't even know who I'd want to see in the next movie, but I have a feeling it is going to be good.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

First had Jack's Joker vs Scarecrow (somewhat) and Ra's , and even though Heath's Joker was primary villan in the second movie vs Penguin & Catwoman, his performance and personality was so different as to almost be another character entirely.

Ledger's Joker was based on Batman: The Killing Joke's Joker, not so much the "theme crime" Joker" that comes and goes. Nicholson's Joker was really just his own thing mixed with 70's Joker. The movie and Ledger added their own ideas - like making the look just facepaint and scars and his origin a total mystery.

Something I'd like to see would be Barbara Gordon as Oracle. She can't be the daughter of Commissioner Gordon, though as she wasn't there in the last two movies. They could go another route, though, maybe as Gordon's younger sister or something.. So far its been Lucius Fox and Alfred watching out for Bruce in the background. I think he needs another ally. They're clearly never going for the Robin angle, so why not Oracle?

[Empedocles]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

Oracle could be both fitting and timely.

Lucius has been filling in the Technical side of Batman's support section and Alfred has been filling in the Moral/Personal/Emotional, the remaining two which would be the Intellegence and Physical sides that are currently empty.

As it would be premature to have Robin -for the physical- enter the picture (poor guy) the remaining side which is intelligence would slot in because information Batman would have received without these charges on him (through people) could be routed through Oracle as a replacement, and thus be her gateway into the movie and any successive ones regardless of Batman's status at the end of this one.

-Ha. I'm speed-reading relevant articles of the Batman wikia, I really should go to the library and start actually reading the comics <.<" -

[Malacite]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

For as bad as that movie was, Jim Carey actually played the best damn Riddler ever.

With a proper freaking script this time, it could be epic. Christian Bale needs to ditch that retarded Batman voice first though. Until he does that he'll never surpass Michael Keaton.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

He just needs to do the voice he did for John Conner, really, which is just taking his Batman down an couple notches.

I'm not really worried about Bale, though, because these Batman movies don't have to keep Batman central to the plot to work. The Dark Knight proved that, too. Dark Knight's writing was pitch-perfect, really. Everyone mattered to the story. In the next movie, Gordon is going to have to carry a lot of weight because he's the one shouldering the great big lie that he and Batman created about the murders.

And to keep the tension, Bruce's personal life may need to come under attack. They played up that element in Dark Knight and came up with a clever solution, but the stakes can be placed high. Just don't hurt Alfred or Lucius, that would be taking it a bit too far.

I like the original version of Bane, really, when he was written by Chuck Dixon, he had an interesting mind and code of ethics. He was evil and he was a killer, but he didn't kill anyone close to him until they became some kind of liability. He also has some sense of justice within him, it comes and goes, but it doesn't really stop him from being a villain. I like how he'll not wish harm on those he considers innocents. He's not the sort of bad guy that would put a gun to a kid's head.

[DakAttack]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

For as bad as that movie was, Jim Carey actually played the best damn Riddler ever.

With a proper freaking script this time, it could be epic. Christian Bale needs to ditch that retarded Batman voice first though. Until he does that he'll never surpass Michael Keaton.

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXDQrnoqSXo"]YouTube- The Dark Knight Kills Christmas[/nomedia]

[Pwnagraphic]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

I was overly excited to hear this.

I was wondering who would play the next villain when Dark Knight came out for the 3rd one.
Penguin, and the Riddler sound the best..

If I have to pick anyone for the route they went with Batman, I would definitely pick the Riddler. You can make him just as psycho as The Joker and it be good. The rest of the villains I have a hard time trying to fit them in to work well in these Batman movies.

[Losrase]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

If I have to pick anyone for the route they went with Batman, I would definitely pick the Riddler. You can make him just as psycho as The Joker and it be good. The rest of the villains I have a hard time trying to fit them in to work well in these Batman movies.

I dont know about that. Bane (as mentioned above), Ra's al Ghul(as mentioned above), Ventrioloquist/Scarface, Stange Hugo, Scarecrow or (lesser known villian) Wrath.

I think Wrath would be awesome because in the last Batman movie, Gordon just was promoted.

[Neverslip]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

So Batman is on the run from the police, having taken the blame for Harvey Two-Face's murders upon himself. So when Batman is on the run, who's a good match for the Caped Crusader?

Ez... Superman. And Supes won't stand a chance as usual... =P

Villain-wise... I lean toward the classics. Bane is to new for me in the Batman mythos. Putting him in could result in the new Batman's going the way of Spidey3 (ewe, ick, puke, plux eyes out). Tbqh, I wouldn't mind another Joker. As an actor myself I reserve no reverence for a character's counterpart in RL. The character is eternal and we actor's are not. Maybe it's too soon anyway... gotta give the Joker some time in clink. I'm hoping for the Riddler... cuz I just love him. I agree Penguin is a good choice. Pressure from the criminal circuit plus intrigue in Wayne's social network would be a decent call. I'd go with a ladies knight too... Poison Ivy + Catwoman w/o Halle Berry (god I never thought I'd ever say "w/o Halle Berry"). Could also get all brutal with bringing in The Croc. Batman has one of the greatest villain's galleries of all time. I do not envy the person making the choice because they will be making the wrong one depending on whomever you ask.

For as bad as that movie was, Jim Carey actually played the best damn Riddler ever.

With a proper freaking script this time, it could be epic. Christian Bale needs to ditch that retarded Batman voice first though. Until he does that he'll never surpass Michael Keaton.

Very true... Carey was awesome and actually so was Two Face. Too bad the caped crusader and his dumbass sidekick had to be there... wasn't Batgirl in that one too? I totally agree about Bale's voice. The voice is as bad as T4 ended up; but, the voice is surrounded by alot of win. Still ... it really sounds stupid.

[hexx]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

My vote is on the Riddler as well, and I wouldnt mind Jim Carrey reprising that role as well.

@ Neverslip: Batgirl was in "Batman & Robin" with Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy as the villains.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

Villain-wise... I lean toward the classics. Bane is to new for me in the Batman mythos. Putting him in could result in the new Batman's going the way of Spidey3 (ewe, ick, puke, plux eyes out)

Spidy 3 suffered from the same things the older batman movies did - too many villains hogging screentime. That and they added characters that didn't need to be in story because they didn't fit in that version of the Spiderman universe. Pete and MJ were all set to be married, so Gwen Stacy doesn't really need to be put in there.

Another Green Goblin was a given from the first movie, but throwing in a B-Villain like Sandman only usurped any screen time Venom and Green Goblin could have. It made Venom pointless.

At least with the Batman movies guys like Scarecrow and Zsasz are part of the world. The mob is an ever-present issue and you knock one kingpin out and another takes his place. There's a perfect opportunity for someone like Penguin, Bane or Black Mask to take over now.

Something else they could do is set the story in Arkham. Not in respect to the video game, but more to the end that there have been a few good stories there, such as "The Last Arkham."

As for Bane, he's been part of the scene since the early 90's now. He's not as new as the likes of Hush, but Hush could be a fucking awesome villain, too.

Hell, if they want to reboot Superman, they could at least introduce Luthor through Batman to get the ball rolling, in the past there have been stories where Luthor has tried to expand into Gotham's criminal underground, funded the criminal underground and been faced down by Batman on the criminal front and Wayne in corporate wars. It was actually a big angle they played in the late 90s run of JLA, especially in Rock of Ages, but more recently in Batman Confidential.

-----------------

And really, fuck Jim Carey and his version of the Riddler. That's the 1960's Batman, that's Joel Shumaker's bullshit. That's not today's Batman and certainly not Nolan's version.

Cast Johnny Depp as the Riddler and now you're talking. He can temper the zany aspects of such a character with a dark side.

But even so, the Riddler is a caper-style character. He works best when Gordon and Batman are on the same side. Batman isn't going to have time to figure out riddles with cops and criminals after his ass, especially not if he's not going to have some Oracle-style backup. Lucius and Alfred can only do so much.

But here's the problem - movies affecting comic cannon as they tend to do - I like the Riddler as he is now. The Riddler has been cured of his dementia and works as a detective. He's a good guy now, not a baddie. Make him a baddie and they'll find some way to switch him back in the comic. That would suck ass. It would be like making Barbara Gordon able to walk again.

Best of all, Harley has gone straight, too, and works as his sidekick.

You can bring Jason Todd back from the dead and save Batman from permanent paralysis, but some things need to stick.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

But here's the problem - movies affecting comic cannon as they tend to do - I like the Riddler as he is now. The Riddler has been cured of his dementia and works as a detective. He's a good guy now, not a baddie. Make him a baddie and they'll find some way to switch him back in the comic. That would suck ass. It would be like making Barbara Gordon able to walk again.

They could always have someone entirely different take on the title of "Riddler." That could be interesting if they have Batman work with the old Riddler against him, as well. Even if it doesn't emerge in the next film, I'm not entirely convinced that the entire "Riddler" story would remain buried forever - it very well could, but I don't see it as incredibly likely.

But then again, I don't really follow these comic book lines at all, so . . .

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Next Batman movie in pre-production, slated for July 2012

It would easy to make The Riddler crazy again if they hadn't maintained him being sane for almost five years now. They did try it with Dent once and he went crazy again within months.

There have been other "Riddlers" too.

The Conundrum - a woman insipred by the Riddler

The Cluemaster (Arthur Brown) - like the Riddler, but a petty thief that has always been sane and his riddles are dumb, which just get him caught fast. He's also the father of the current Batgirl (Stephanie Brown, formerly The Spoiler).

There was a story where The Riddler had Cluemaster as a hostage of sorts. More or less Riddler had it in for Cluemaster for being a two-bit hack and he wanted to heist some baseball memorabilia worth millions. He strapped Cluemater with explosives, which he could detonate via telephone and Batman and Robin had to haul him around place to place solving baseball-themed riddles or he'd blow Brown up