Next year Chris Nolan will present us the final chapter of his Batman Trilogy. While I am very excited for The Dark Knight Rises, and believe that it will do well, I am also saddened. TDKR is going to mark the end of an era. In the aftermath of Nolan, Warner brothers will have to decide how to move forward with Batman series. They have a steep task ahead of them. Here are my ideas.
A. My first idea still revolves around Batman, but uses him in a different way. Over the past few years, the Batman books I have read the most of are Batman and Batman: Detective Comics. Batman always seesm to focus on Brice wayne and handles the character development in the Franchise. Detective Comics on the other hand is more focused on playing up the dective crime solving aspects of the franchise. To me Chris Nolan's movies fall more in line with Batman( the main series)in that they focus on heavy character development. I would like to see the next director take a more Dective Comics inspired appoach. I understand that in any movie, Character development is important and I'm not saying that the next film should stop developing Batman as a character, but I think the fous should be more on Batman and less on Bruce Wayne. Why? Because both Batman Begins and The Dark Kight( and presumably TDKR) have been immensely devoted to understanding why Bruce Wayne trained to be Batman and puts on the suit every night. We know his motivations very well now. The next film and the ones that follow should acknowledge the character development established in Nolan's trilogy but feel free to let loose and fous on Batman being a detective and defeating villain. The films can still thought prevoking and relate to our world, but i want to see more Batman in this one.
B. My second idea is to pull the focus back on Batman altogether and focus on other characters living in Gotham who affected by Batman. The ideal main character to move the series forward and see a different perspective with is in my mind Catwoman. She definately comes from a different school of thought than Batman, and has a different way of dealing with the crininals and police of Gotham. Whereas Batman tends to try and co-operate with the police, Catwoman, fully embraces her status as an outlaw. Depending on where her needs and desires lie, she can do things that are heroic and then do something simply to advance her own motives. The characters in her life would be interesting as a supporting cast. I'm talking about Holly Robinson and her girfriend Karon. Plus if the Black mask is a villain, his war with Catwoman would be epic to see unfold. I also would not mind the G.C.P.D. getting more attention. I would love to see characters like Renee Montoya, Crispus Allen, and Harvey Bullock all come into play. And if private investigator Slam Bradley is featured, that would be fantastic. And of course, Batman would stillbe involed to some extent.
C. Finally my third idea would be a separate series that could come before, aftter, or even run along side my ideas for continuing Nolan's world. I know many fans want very badly to see The Dark Kight Return and I am one of those fans. How ever I dont want to tie it to the current Batman universe because it would end eliminate the possibility of other great stories being told. It would have to be a separate story in it's own little world. after that story is tackleda sequel could be made in the form The Dark Knight Strikes Back, and would eventaully lead into Batman Beyond. This series would have to have it's own unique look. I am suggesting a motion capture perforamnce with the charactr models being rendered to look like how Frank Miller drew them.
Ultimately, I want to see all of thses ideas play out. I think the first 2 would pay homage to and offer the oppurtunity to try new thing with characters he would not have used with out disrespecting his trilogy. The third idea would be a dream come true for so many fans. Either way, Batman must live on.