Let’s wind the clocks back a couple of years... I’m very sure most of us (if not all of us) Remember back in the 2008 Comic Con where Zack Snyder commented...
“There are a lot of other graphic novels out there, but I would love to see Frank Miller’s Dark Knight made into a movie, but that’s just me.”
Which showed his interest to direct it, and even more so when Writer/Artist Frank Miller passed his blessing onto Zack Snyder for the film.
Now pick up the pace we move back to now, the same Zack Snyder is now the confirmed Director for the Superman reboot which is coincidentally being co-Produced and God-fathered by Batman Begins, Dark Knight, and Dark Knight Rises Director Christopher Nolan.
Now one would often ask, is this coincidence, or a sign of something bigger? We all know that Nolan has been making Warner Bros. very, very happy with his work on the recent Bat-Films. We all know that the idea of a Reboot would soon come up after Nolan exits. I’m sure some fans are excited at the idea of a reboot as it would allow for a more comic book oriented style. Personally to reboot a Trilogy after the Director has made a company literally a billion dollars on a project just to toss all that hard work aside seems rather disrespectful, whether you want a reboot or not, to toss out hard work like that is a dick move.
So for Christopher Nolan, what would be a way of keeping them from completely rebooting it, while still making Bat-Films without him? Well the answer seems quite simple now, hire a director that fans love, who wants to adapt a Graphic Novel, that with some creative re-writes, could establish a connection between the series, yet be something all on its own. But hiring the right guy is a lot harder then it seems. So test the guy, give him something that has a large cultural significance, give him a decent script (if not fantastic one) and see how he works and how well it does.
This is how genius Christopher Nolan could be/is. Think, you really can cater to a good amount of audiences through this. You don’t do the origin again, and establish a connection between the two, not even a very strong one (Think, Bruce watching Mephistopheles instead of Zorro, or for the Harvey replace him with another character close to Bruce such as Hush, or Scarecrow, or do a storyline similar to “The Batman” with Ethan Bennet.)
This would also allow them to open the door for a Justice League film, noting that DKR in Superman appears, as well as Catwoman being dressed in a Wonder Woman outfit, thus hinting to the idea in subtle form that Bruce was part of a bigger Universe that was focused more on Batman in Gotham then other Heroes. With that in mind it would allow for a director to come with a Justice League trilogy, while allowing other characters to be established. The idea of doing this also would allow Snyder to adapt “The Dark Knight Strikes Again” for a fifth Batman Film, and venturing a new Idea (or just as cool, a Batman Beyond adaptation, thus allowing for a possible 3rd trilogy with a brand new batman. Could be done by replacing Carry Kelly with Terry McGuiness, or quite possible replace Strikes Again with 2 Batman Beyond Films.)
The idea sticks, it seems very plausible that Christopher Nolan is keeping his Batman films from being unnecessarily rebooted. As with the hiring of Zack Snyder there seems to be a grain of evidence towards this claim. Could it simple be a coincidence that Snyder was hired for Superman even though he expressed interest to possibly adapt The Dark Knight Returns into a film? Possible, but to me it just seems rather odd.
To examine the facts:
-Nolan has said that Rises will be his final time directing a Batman Film.
-Snyder has some interest in seeing DKR adapted, or adapting it himself.
-Frank Miller has given Snyder blessing for the possible DKR Adaptation/possible translation.
-Warner Bros. wants 7 Batman Films and 7 other Super Hero Films.
-After the 3rd Batman Film by Nolan, a reboot or continuation is a possibility.
And
-Snyder is directing a new Superman Film and possible Trilogy.
To view the facts and to consider the ideas presented it’s very possible it could be a sign, and equally possible that it’s actually just a coincidence that will not in a serious manner affect the future of the Batman film franchise.
In a very serious way, I hope I’m right, just so that the Christopher Nolan films have some security to them, and to know that Superman has a future really helps this idea stick. While very little word is out on either project all I can say is either I’m right or I’m wrong, but I have faith in both Directors to make very great comic book films, and I eagerly await both The Dark Knight Rises and Superman (The Man of Steel/Unleashed)
I would like to thank the site known as Slashfilm for the quote from Zack Snyder, and information researched.
P.S. Now for everyone wondering why included the Unleashed part to Superman is because it’s not officially titled to my knowledge, and the last time it was officially titles that was the title given to it, I personally don’t feel that will be the title just adding it in there as a just in case scenario.