• Batman III • Rumors & Speculation Thread.


Per Nolan via Hero Complex:

• The title is “The Dark Knight Rises.”
• The main villian “won’t be the Riddler.”
• “We’ll use many of the same characters ... introducing some new ones.”
• The film will not be in 3-D.


I wonder what the ascension in the title suggests. Given that the name the Dark Knight suggests a type of archangel, I wonder if the rise is a metaphorical one from the shadows to heaven. If so, this leads me to believe that Bruce Wayne will die in the film or at least fake the death of Batman (a la The Dark Knight Returns).

I’m not sure that the title gives a full picture of the story. After all, the title “The Dark Knight,” didn’t suggest that the subtext of that movie’s plot would be the “war on terror."

Called it.

The title's interesting. I certainly didn't read a biblical meaning into it when I first heard it. My take is that it'll have more to do with the Batman's apparent villain turn at the end of TDK.

The title is pretty stupid, actually. Not that it'll matter. The film should be pretty solid.

I think it's a marketing thing. The only thing worse would be The Dark Knight II.

I agree with Joel. I think Nolan will go back to a Begins style movie with the main focus on Bats.

I'm expacting an arch enemy like catwoman and a story with focus on Bruce's own personal problems, he's more turned to himself since the death of Rachel, I think it's going to be more a struggle with himself than with any kind of arch-enemy.

Atfer all he's a dark hero, eventually acting out of revenge.

Per Deadline:
[hr]”Chris Nolan is lining up actresses he'll meet for two female lead roles in The Dark Knight Rises, the third installment of the Batfranchise which Warner Bros has dated release on July 20, 2012. I'm told one of the roles is a love interest for Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne, and the other is a villain. The actresses are: Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Keira Knightley. Nolan is keeping the roles under wraps, just the way that he did when he drafted his Inception star Tom Hardy to come aboard to likely play a villain. Deadline broke that story October 13. I'm still not sure what the role is and I believe Hardy took the job without knowing or reading a script that's still being tweaked.”[hr]
Here's a list of female villains in the Batman universe:

[spoil][align=left]• Catwoman
• Cyber Cat
• Fright
• Sofia Falcone Gignate
• Harley Quinn
• Jane Doe
• Lady Clay(face)
• Lady Vic
• Lark
• Lazara
• Lynx
• Madame Zodiac
• Mime
• Nocturna
• Orca
• The Phantasm
• Pix
• Poison Ivy
• Roxy Rocket
• Ruby Ryder
• Sylph
• Talia al Ghul
• Carla Viti[/spoil][/align]
Given the cat reference in TDK, the smart money is on Catwoman. However, who really knows what the Nolan’s have cooked up. Maybe it’s eco-terrorist Poison Ivy or Talia al Ghul (or both)?

I'm just going to put this out here right now-Zatanna. Now hear me out...

Given Nolan's penchant for pulling a rabbit out of his hat in his films, who better to close out his Batman saga with than a magician? I know, she's more a hero in the DC universe but she does have something of a mysterious background & has forged an uneasy alliance with Batman in earlier incarnations. That, and Nolan has been known to take liberties with canonical characters.

All the same, I think Batman is going to spend more time battling the cops than criminals in this next installment, especially considering he's now a fugitive & the rumor that Tom Hardy might portray Harvey Bullock. Is IMDB the most reliable source around? No. Am I grabbing at straws? Yeah, probably but Nolan is an out of the box thinker and I wouldn't put it past him to really surprise everyone with his choices.

Catwoman is, in my mind, just as obvious a choice as the Riddler and the Penguin yet Nolan clearly has no interest in the obvious. His last two Batman films have forced us to re-examine the Batman mythos and what his character means to us as a symbol of justice and heroism. Why would he stop pushing the limits now at the end, when he has nothing to lose?

I like Joe's breakdown of Nolan and what could be. Sure put her in the mix. Personally I miss the "Big Boss" kinda thing. In 'Begins' he fights an organization, mostly the same thing in 'Dark knight'. I'd like to see a "fight". Man against man, or man against men. Something like the 'Knightfall' comic series.

When Batman takes down, foe after foe. With Croc (who would be awesome on film I think). Then eventually end with Bane. Maybe even follow it with Batman being broken at the end. In 5 years give Nolan another big check and bring him back. Thats my 2 cents. A big Boss fight. Fight a couple times in the movie maybe. Get beat, then give the beat down.

Dark Horizons has an update on TDKR (might as well get used to typing out that initialism as early as possible). Here's some of the more important bits:

Portman, Weisz, Lively et. al. probably aren't the only ones in the running for a love interest and/or villain role (if at all). Other names are to be brought up in talks.

TDKR will probably shot in a similar vein to TDK, i.e. limited IMAX when appropriate rather than a full blown IMAX shoot.

TDK DP Wally Pfister states that the film most likely will not be shooting in the Big Easy (don't know about you, but I certainly breathed a sigh of relief when I read that).

The new trailer for Batman: Arkham City reveals Hugo Strange as the main villain. The video game, which also features Harley Quinn, may or may not be related to TDKR. Either way, it looks interesting.

[spoil][flash width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/c_WrAqJT4IM?fs=1&hl=en_US[/flash]

[/spoil]

That Arkham City clip is amazing!!!

This fanmade HarleyQuin stuff is actually pretty good.

Harley Quinn fanmade

Wow. The CG in that Arkham City trailer is pretty incredible. I thought portions of it were live-action.

Yes, the detail on the Bats model is amazing, and the wet mask/face makes it look even cooler

I never played the first game, but apparently it's the best comic book/superhero game ever made by far. I'd love to get my hands on it.

I like the idea of Strange as a movie villain. He might be the most practical character to put in the Nolan universe.

So Anne Hathaway is Catwoman. Tom Hardy is Bane.

Wonder if the end of the movie features Bane breaking Batmans back? Next movie can be Batman: Dark Roller Knight with the gravel voiced bastard in a wheelchair.

[align=center]Warner Bros Press Release:[/align]
[spoil]
[align=left]BURBANK, CA, January 19, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.” She will be starring alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Christopher Nolan stated, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story.”

In addition, Tom Hardy has been set to play Bane. Nolan said, “I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies.”

Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven.

“The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.[/align]
[/spoil]

After all the speculation, Bane and Catwoman seem like pedestrian choices. Oh well.

I have a feeling that Hathaway will be a bratty Selina. That seems inline with the character.



I doubt it given that the title contains "Rises." Will the last shot of the film be Wayne rising out of wheelchair and then shot of the title a la the TDK ending: Would Nolan be that obvious?

I'm excited. I was hoping for a Bane redemption from "Batman & Robin". Loved the comic. We know Nolan will take it in a different direction but it will be good. I have all confidence in him. Even with the announcement Anne Hathaway appears to be less annoying already.

I guess the old adage is true, "Nobody knows nothing."

I really didn't think Nolan would go with Catwoman but the introduction of Bane is the most surprising announcement yet. Good or bad, one thing's for sure: The Dark Knight Rises is going to be something.

I'm pretty happy with Bane. This will be the first villain that will be capable of giving this Batman a real beat down. I'm sure Tom Hardy will do a great job too. Keep in mind that the comic book Bane is intelligent and not just some Frankenstein's monster wannabe.

Catwoman surprises me. I just wonder how they're going to make her character interesting. After what we've seen a jewel thief seems kind of trite.

Don't know about Bane, he's to science-fiction to my taste, As this being a very realistic style batman Saga, Bane feels like not fitting among the badguys we had so far, how do they wanna make him realistic....Catwoman seems more okay I think .

I hope they don't get Mickey Rourke for Bane.

I believe that Tom Hardy has already been cast.

Check out Bronson. It's probably the film that got him cast as Bane.

What tha this guy is exactly Bane but making the character believable in this kind of environment, can it be done?

Of course. I doubt Nolan will go the Hulk route.

I keep having visions of Hyde from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Catwoman might be in a suit and will be teaming up with Bats to fight Talia al Ghul with her bodyguard Bane and the League of Shadows from the first film.

This sort-of jives with what Wally Pfister stated about a month ago. He said the film would establish "a perfect trilogy." So, going with the League of Shadows would take the series back to Begins and complete some kind of circle.

• Josh Pence as Young Ra's Al Ghul
• Batman Re-Begins after III

Recent updates: Pence cast as Young Ras Al Ghul in IIII. Warner Bros' Jeff Robinov interview above with potential ideas for it's DC properties after Begins III comes out. Of whihc includes a Nolan-produced Batman relaunch and a Justice League movie.

In other news: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in the film as somebody (?) and Marion Cotillard is “in talks.”

Also, the film will be shot in Pittsburgh. (Watch out for Roethlismolester, Anne.)

I’m very lukewarm about a DC team-up film. Personally, I’ve always thought that the Marvel characters were much more suited for buddy stories than DC heroes. While Marvel characters carve out a space for themselves in the larger Marvel universe, DC characters seem to inhabit places that are insulated and specifically tailor-made to their characteristics. Therefore, when DC characters get together, it seems forced.

I also dislike the idea of rebooting the franchise in a present day setting. It seems a bit redundant as Nolan has already been there and done it well. As I've said before, I would hope that the next step for movie-Batman would be into the Batman Beyond world. A near future / sci-fi setting would be a much more inventive approach and yield a lot of potential story lines. Hell, you could even re-cast the Joker with an older actor (like Mark Hamill).

For those keeping score:

- Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard have been cast in the film as “John Blake” and “Miranda Tate,” respectively.

- Nolan and Bale will be shooting in India on 05/06/11.

- Tom Hardy is currently bulked-up and ready to go:

a possible set spoiler has leaked. find it here:

[spoil]
[align=left]

it's a green screen pool in the middle of a desert which some are suggesting that it's the Lazarus Pit. A young version of Raz al Ghul DOES appear in the film played by Josh Pence. Bale has also been photographed recently with gray hair and a grisly beard. Let us now pray for a balls to the wall Dark Knight Returns movie!


[/align][/spoil]

Here's a possibly legit set report:

[spoil][align=left]Eyewitnesses and crew members told us of a particular scene being filmed," the site reports, "where a bald-headed child wearing ragged clothes emerges from the well and pulls his hood over his head. From the conversations, we reckon this is a young Bane, emerging from a vat of Venom, trained by Pence's Ra's al Ghul. The years of addiction to Venom builds him to be a massive monster with amped up senses, intelligence and physical prowess."[/align][/spoil]

New rumor:
[hr]"Reports started creeping onto the net late last night that Israeli actor Alon Aboutboul has been cast as a 'main villain' in The Dark Knight Rises. The news first broke on Israeli website XNet and was later 'confirmed' by Aboutboul’s wife Shir Bilya on Twitter. But who will Aboutboul be playing? Sources say that the actor’s role will be one of a 'particularly evil mad scientist'."[hr]

Bane revealed.

Nolan should cast Brock Lesnar as Bane.

teaser trailer to be in front of Harry Potter Deathly Hallows 2. wouldn't expect much though. Remember Dark Knights teaser was just Alfred talking and the title.

Also, a little info on Bane's character. Apparently the green hole scene I posted above wasn't the Lazarus pit, it's some kind of well that Ras Al Ghul tosses an entire town's population into and lights it on fire. as he is about to leave, a young boy crawls out of the pit in flames but not showing that he is in any pain. Ras takes him in and teaches him in the League of Shadows. This boy is Bane and he apparently doesn't feel pain for some reason, giving him a fighting advantage.

Cameo appearance of [spoil]Liam Neeson reported! Not sure if flash back or not though.[/spoil]

While I don't think Chris Nolan would deliver a sub-standard product, this production is kinda sorta reminding me of Spider-man 3 (assuming of course you subscribe to the notion that the first 2 Spider-mans were comic-book film excellence, which I don't).

[spoil]
[align=left]Aside: someone explain to me why Spider-man 2 is so beloved? Aside from the inspired "birth of Doc Ock" scene and MJ finally referring to Peter as "tiger," what the hell is so great about this movie? Even the final swing through the city is cartoony and junk[/align][/spoil]

We've got Bane, Rhas/Talia, Catwoman, rumours of Penguin, plus lots of character actors filling out the cast...I'm sure the studio is pushing Nolan to stuff this film with as many fan-favourites as possible. I trust that Nolan will stay the course and not oversaturate.

[spoil]
[align=left]It is the duality of being Peter Parker/Spider-man that SM2 does so well. Here is a guy who was pretty much in love with being a superhero in the first film so for the second they totally went the other direction saying "What if I don't want to be Spider-Man anymore? What if I want a normal life?". And they put Peter Parker through so much shit in that movie that to me it feels genuine. I felt myself saying "Hell, I don't want to be Spider-Man either if this is the shit I have to put up with". And everything really plays into that.

Mary Jane moving on with her life, Harry's quest for vengeance that slowly deteriorates his friendship with Peter, the inability to keep up with his school or work life, living in a shit hole of an apartment. They showed you the miserable side of putting your life on hold to be a superhero and I think it works out perfectly. Are the effects great? Hell no, but the story was so good IMO that I could live with that. Was Kirsten Dunst a good Mary Jane Watson? Not really. Was the "Rain drops" montage really needed? No. But outside of that I can't complain.[/align][/spoil]

There was a large cast in Dark Knight, too.

[flash width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/x_s-RmS6Q3I&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1[/flash]

New spy footage shows Bale as Wayne. He doesn’t look grizzled and gray to me:

They're filming bits of Dark Knight Rises in my hometown of Glasgow at the moment, as well as the upcoming World War Z later this year. This link below is regarding a fairly major spoiler-y sounding stunt, so I'll leave the link here and not post the text.

TEASER POSTER!



The teaser trailer will be in front of Harry Potter as well and is over a minute long!

bootleg of trailer can still be found at this site:

[spoil]
[align=left]not much is shown other than a shot of Gordon in a hospital bed busted up good while he's apparently talking to Wayne. Then a quick shot of Bane's face in the shadows and then Batman backing up as Bane comes lumbering at him. Then a nice tracking shot of going up through the city and the tops of the buildings forming the bat sign and summer 2012.
[/align][/spoil]

Here’s my thoughts:
[spoil]
[align=left]First off, I’m sure the employment of Ra’s voiceover is no coincidence.

Overall, the teaser poster and trailer have got my mind bubbling about Bane and the context of the story. Regarding Bane, I am now wondering if he is based less on his comic book namesake and more on the Mutant Leader from The Dark Knight Returns:



In Returns, the Leader heads a rabid gang which savagely menaces Gotham city. He is portrayed as a giant slab of muscle who preaches jingoistic nihilism. Batman has two run-in’s with him in the book. In the first, Batman is nearly beaten to death. In the second, Batman returns the favor and then some. The Leader’s defeat is seen a symbolic end by the Mutant gang. Some former members begin to emulate Batman as an idolizing tribute. (The Dark Knight touched on this idea with the fake Batmen.)

The reason I am making this connection is because of the poster’s concept of destruction, Gordon’s uses of the words “this Evil", and the rhythmic chanting. As I stated, the Mutants in The Dark Knights Returns overrun Gothman in chaotic and evil manner. So this idea, may jive with the poster and Gordon’s statement. Plus the chanting, could be a representation of a cult-like worship of Bane and his power by worshipers.

Since The Dark Knight Returns was a reference for the previous film, it makes sense that it would hold influence over this one as well. As the trailer indicates, Batman has gone away and must now make a comeback. As such, I’m beginning to wonder is Rises is just an approximation of Returns. Of courses, Rises also suggests a phoenix (which is born out of annihilation). Given that real world planet earth is experiencing a period of political and economic uncertainty, I’m wondering if the film will use the current state of uneasiness as a sociopolitical backdrop for the story. After all, The Dark Knight found a way to interact with the “War on Terror.”
[/align]
[/spoil]

For those who are interested, a couple of unrelated trailers are below.

The first is for the animated adaption of the Batman: Year One. It looks sharp and the use of Bryan Cranston as Jim Gordon is a great idea. However, I run into the same problem with this film as I do with Watchmen. I love the book and have a copy to read at any moment. So, why do I need to watch a near direct translation of the story?


[align=center]BATMAN YEAR ONE ANIMATED ADAPTATION[/align]
[spoil]
[flash width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/xdMtMU91u0U&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1[/flash]
[/spoil]
[spoil]
[flash width=640 height=385]http://www.youtube.com/v/NJMXFxug0DY&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&hd=1[/flash]
[/spoil]
[align=center]ARKHAM CITY TRAILER: THE RIDDER[/align]

The second trailer focuses on the Riddler’s role in Arkham City. Be glad he’s not in The Dark Knight Rises as his narcissistic shtick gets old quick.

When I got wind of all the casting news and characters that will appear in "Rises" I was really worried about the direction the series was headed. Reading this comment, coupled with the teaser poster and trailer, has really given me hope that this not just going to be Nolan's stab at a genuine "comic book movie." I feel like Nolan realizes what he's done with The Dark Knight and knows he just can't go back and make a rousing summer blockbuster. It has to mean something, be something, more and I think we're all going to be in store for something special come 2012.