It’s just a wild, wild guess at this point, but there seem to be some rumors out there that there could possibly be another Batman movie with Christian Bale and Chris Nolan. Just possibly. Splash Page polls comics pros on just who should be the villain if this HIGHLY, HIGHLY speculative movie gets made:

Brad Meltzer (“Identity Crisis”): “The reason the Joker worked is because he’s insane, and Batman is also crazy. You need someone who is more than evil. Anyone who saw Tommy Lee Jones as the cackling lunatic knows that.”

Grant Morrison (“Arkham Asylum”): “Ideally, you want another movie with Heath. Without him, Catwoman, but really think that one through. Give her a new take.”

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1 COMMENT

  1. Bane. He’s the only one left who isn’t sillyish. Also, you can have Catwoman, but she can’t be the main villain, after something like the Joker.

  2. How is a sequel speculative?

    Christopher Nolan could probably get $25 million for it, plus back-end, if Bale gripes about not doing it without him…

    not to mention Eckhart and whats-her-face have already signed for the third one…

  3. Andrew … she was joking, yo. It’s in the bag. $400 Mill later, they are making another movie. The Beat is being HIGH-larious.

    Unless Bale is in the Big House, of course.

    Anyway, I’m for anyone so long as
    a) he’s from the rogue’s gallery
    and
    b) they don’t follow the old comic book movie problem of ratcheting up the number of villains in the later movies.

    Penguin, Riddler, Cat Woman… they could all be good. Though Cat Woman is hard… I don’t really think Cat Woman stories are interesting so much as I think the ongoing relationship between them is interesting.

    Not the Falcone’s, though… that’s too simple.

    Man, Scarface could make for a fun one and Mr. Zsasz could make for a hella creepy one.

    Remember that little kid who was a military genious? The General or something. I liked him, too.

    Oh wait…
    it’s so obvious…

    Cluemaster. Duh. Sorry for the spoiler guys, but it’ll definitely be Cluemaster.

  6. How about … Grendel? Batman/Grendel Devil’s Riddle and Devil’s mask simply beg to be made into a film.

    I say from his current rogue’s gallery, the Riddler is the most promising. Who does not wish to see Batman toyed around with on an intellectual level?

    I suggest making the next Batman film less action-filled and bombastic and focus on psychological thrills. The Riddler would be perfect for this. And Jude Law would make a perfect Riddler.

  10. Riddler would be an interesting contrast to the Joker if he was very methodical to contrast the Joker’s chaos.

    Weave Catwoman through as a thorn in Batman’s side who ultimately helps to redeem Batman’s name (maybe by choosing to take on some of the public scorn for Batman on herself).

  12. Catwoman is in dire need of redemption as a film character after the Halle Berry/Sharon Stone fiasco and would fill the love interest role nicely now that Rachel went all asplodey. After her recent depictions, a more traditional “Selina as socialite who secretly steals as Catwoman” approach similar to the ’90s animated series may be the way to go here.

    As for the main villain, I would love to see the Riddler or the Mad Hatter, but I think Hush would make a formidable screen villain, especially if you play up the former childhood friends dynamic.

  14. Two-Face, of course. :) The best friend / worst enemy dynamic is, IMHO, what made Batman Begins the best in the series for me, and I can easily see it repeated with this compelling yet sympathetic character.

    Mr Freeze would be another. . . the kinds of villains you can also sympathize with seeing as how Batman is always just a little right of crossing the line himself most of the time.

  15. If Angelina Jolie is really chasing the role, Catwoman should be in it — straddling the line of right as a theif with a strict “no kill” policy. She can cross paths with the bat a few times and actually manages to get the upper hand on him every time. He’s still reeling from Rachel dying in DK, but that just makes him more reckless in his interest in this woman who can match him move for move. Whether she’s hired to kill Batman or rob Bruce Wayne or both, or Batman sacrifices the leather on leather romance to manipulate Catwoman into giving up her underworld bosses, there should be a focus in their “relationship” on Batman trying to get her to go good and turn her back on the life of crime. This can then be played against a different relationship central to the plot, where a baddy is romancing one of the good guys to the darkside:

    1. It could be Talia, back to avenge her father, seducing Bruceman, thus making it a Talia/Bat/Cat love triangle. Introduce the Lazarus Pit at the end and hint at a return of Ra’s, though, or don’t bother.

    OR

    2. I’m hoping for a recast Joker (with an actor willing follow Heath Ledger’s established template, or someone capable of taking it to the next level — Johnny Depp doesn’t have to be the Riddler if Joker is an option). Joker is locked up in Arkham, where he gets to meet his main squeeze to be, Harlene Quinzel. Joker can manipulate her into orchestrating a breakout –complete with cameos by Two Face (Dent can be “dead” on paper, but TF’s gotta live!), Scarecrow, and some other rogues new to the third film. It would be “Mad Love” and “Arkham Asylum” tossed into the Nolan blender. For the climax, Catwoman has the opportunity to walk away, but she chooses to stay and fight at Batman’s side, which also requires risking getting taken in by the GCPD afterward. This assist is something Batman desperately needs, as the numbers game is not at all in his favor in Arkham, and this notion that Batman needs help can then spill over into the plot to part 4, which, if it were to happen should, like it not, introduce Robin.

    If none of this works for you … maybe King Tut? :)

  16. Tommy Monaghan. Just imagine a movie where Batman stops the Hitman from a hit and then Tommy vomits all over his boots.

  19. Two villians:

    1) Talia – revenge, sexual tension and a link to his past. Less obvious than Catwoman or Poison Ivy, both of whom have been used in the past. The seductress who would lead him, alone, wanted and still mourning Rachel, to the brink of the dark side.

    2) Mr Zzazz – keeping up with the non-powered, psychotic villains. Less gimmicky and hokey than the Penguin or the Mad Hatter, and scarier. Forget the rigged trapeezes, make the Graysons one of his last victims and have a young Dick the sole survivor. The movie would end with Bruce adopting him and giving him a way out of the darkness as well as paving the way for the eventual appearance of Robin if there is ever a fourth film.

  20. Go for broke and do Frank Miller’s DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.
    Batman is older, comes out of retirement, and now Gordon’s daughter (silently slipped into the current film) has come of age as Batgirl, or the new ‘Robyn’ (but older to stay out of those child endangerment situations that irk Hollywood).

    With an aging cast on their side they can pull off recasting an older Joker.

  22. Batman and his allies are the only sane people in Gotham. Writing Batman as crazy is lazy (in the hands of anyone but Grant Morrison). I’m talking to you, Frank Miller.

  23. @Jmann

    As someone pointed out to be the last time this was a thread topic a few weeks ago, Mr Zzazz briefly appeared in the first movie, I think, in Arkham.

    Also, Nolan has said that he doesn’t like Robin, so I wouldn’t count on any references to him in any of the movies Nolan does.

  24. Nobody mentioned The Jokerz, from Batman Beyond! It would be a great way to bring back the Joker’s chaos without the Joker…

  25. I’d like to see the elaborate planning of a Riddler done well. I also like the duality of Batman and Hush, that would be cool.

    Knightfall would be epic (sans Jean Paul) but it requires too many secondary characters not currently in the film.

    Batzarro.

  26. The only way to top Dark Knight is to adapt “A Death in the Family”.

    While I feel Sir Anthony Hopkins would be excellent as a cerebral Riddler, forcing Batman to think instead of react, one would need to really twist and out-think the plot so that one situation leads to another. Perhaps add a serial killer motif to the plot, each crime killing greater numbers of people as Batman tries to solve the clues, following a psychotic yet logical villain.

    Dark Knight touched tangentially on Duty vs. Love. A Catwoman plot would explore that angle, possibly even touching on the typical romance novel trope of a secret which could end the romance. (See Julie Kenner’s “Aphrodite” novels for examples.) Batman/Catwoman, Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle, Duty/Love, Character/Desire… Catwoman is a female power fantasy. Selina is refined, gracious, respectable, intelligent (perhaps steal Carol Ferris’ biography as the head of a corporation dealing/competing with Wayne Industries) while Catwoman is the character many women wish to be. (I think this is part of the appeal of Catwoman costumes at Halloween… sexy, masked, spirited, independent…) If the movie is made well, then it could outperform Dark Knight, as both women and men would be drawn to the theaters.

    Thou Shalt Not Have More Than One Villain in a Superhero Movie. (Batm an and Robin, Spider-Man 3) The more villains, the less time available to showcase each villain.

    Angelina Jolie should not be cast. Find someone who can act well. Glamour can be created later. Kate Winslett perhaps? Catherine Zeta-Jones?

  27. I love that someone else remembers King Tut. Which other villain was ever foiled by a specific pitch of bat-humming? (Why that show isn’t yet on DVD still mystifies and saddens me … Yvonne Craig and Julie Newmar! Seriously, c’mon!)

    A bit more on topic: I’d *love* to see a reimagined Catwoman in the next movie. Not as a prostitute, thx.

  28. Katie the reason why Batman the TV series is not on DVD is because Fox made the show and Warner Bros owns the property.

    And no one from either company can compromise on how to grasp their mind around the concept of ‘profit sharing’

    I’m sure Fox and Sony will come to blows over the Green Hornet when marketing around that film rolls around.

    ~

    Coat

  31. I would love to see a continuation of the Joker’s wrath. I think a great way to do so is to have Harley Quinn into the movie. Nolan said he doesn’t want to being in the obvious Catwoman and Penguin so Harley Quinn could be a great way to go; and still “profit” on the Joker idea that was so successful. As for who to play Harley I think there COULD be a few people but my top pick would be Mia Sara (Because I liked to version in the TV show Birds of Prey). I do feel that it’s time for a female villian so I would love to see Catwoman, Harley Quinn, or Poison Ivy up there on the big screen.

  32. The Joker played by Joaquin Phoenix. Robin Williams as Mad Hatter. Harley Quinn should be in the third movie as Joker’s Psychologist at Arkham.

  33. The Joker played by Joaquin Phoenix. Robin Williams as Mad Hatter. Harley Quinn should be in the third movie as Joker’s Psychologist at Arkham.

  34. i think penguin should have his own movie and cast John Leguizamo as penguin. he is the perfect match for a new dark age penguin.