The Dark Knight Rises Anticipation Station

[Christopher]

The Wormhole wrote:

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^^YES!!

Now I want Steampunk Batman!

Have you read Gotham by Gaslight and Master of the Future?

[The Wormhole]

You mean they actually do comics featuring different variations of Batman? That's kind of cool. I always thought all the different Batmans were just an attempt to milk action figures.

[Christopher]

The Wormhole wrote:

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You mean they actually do comics featuring different variations of Batman? That's kind of cool. I always thought all the different Batmans were just an attempt to milk action figures.

You mean you've never heard of Elseworlds? Gotham by Gaslight was the one that started it all, a one-shot graphic novel putting Batman in a 19th-century setting. It was so successful that DC decided to do a whole line of graphic novels called Elseworlds which put various DC heroes in various alternate-history settings or "What If?" premises.

I believe the "steampunk Batman" action figure depicted above is a rendering of the Gotham by Gaslight/Master of the Future version of Batman.

[Agent Richard07]

Do a Google image search for batman steampunk. There's lots of interesting stuff out there. Here's a picture of a steampunk Justice League.

As for Elseworlds and different versions of Batman, my favorite is Speeding Bullets. In that story, Kal-El's ship lands just outside of Gotham City and he's found and raised by the Waynes. They name him Bruce and he grows up to be a super-powered Batman.

[Owain Taggart]

That's really cool. Some of them look more Steampunk-ish than others though. For example, Batman still looks rather modern compared to his counterparts. Instead of a cape, I'd probably giving him wooden wings he could glide with. As for Medieval Batman, it needs to go more in a direction using clothing and armour used at the time, like metal helmet and chainmail. Then he'd look more like a crusader.

[Skywalker]

Christopher wrote:

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I believe the "steampunk Batman" action figure depicted above is a rendering of the Gotham by Gaslight/Master of the Future version of Batman.

Yep, it's the Gotham by Gaslight version. I was going to post the cover of Gotham by Gaslight, but I figured since Samurai posted an action figure, I might as well follow his lead.

[The Wormhole]

GoldenPumpkin wrote:

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Here's a picture of a steampunk Justice League.

Steampunk Aquaman is awesome.

[Jack Bauer]

^^^ WOW!!!!!!!!!!

[Captaindemotion]

The Wormhole wrote:

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Is there a Batman they haven't done an action figure of? Pimp Batman? Firefighter Batman? Doctor Batman? Drag Queen Batman? S&M Batman? Astronaut Batman? Wal-Mart Employee Batman? Has Batman ever been depicted as a black guy?

I could go on for hours like this.

EDIT TO ADD: The most obvious one of them all - Luke Skywalker as Batman!

^ Well, he's played the Joker ...

[The Wormhole]

Which ocurred to me right after I wrote that.

[JacksonArcher]

There have been a whirlwind of rumors circulating over The Dark Knight Rises over the past few days, from the outrageous to the downright peculiar. For one, there's the outrageous rumor that Jon Hamm will replace Christian Bale. There's also the rumor that WB is concerned over the script because it is "unique" and there is no name villain for the studio to sell to an audience (not that you need a name villain to sell to an audience with the sequel to The Dark Knight, but okay). Also, apparently, the title was a compromise between WB and Nolan.

Other rumors include that we will see two female leads in the film, in the form of Sarah Essen and Julie Madison (rumor has it, Essen would be a main character and Madison would be supporting). Charlize Theron has been rumored for Essen and Vera Farminga has been rumored for Madison. Clayface by extension has been rumored as a possible villain and a story synopsis has apparently "leaked" that includes Black Mask and Selina Kyle with Harvey Bullock running a Batman Task Force to capture the Batman (according to the synopsis, Gordon hires Bullock because he doesn't think he's equipped to handle the job). Gordon's mission is to prove Batman's innocence, and Selina Kyle is an underling of Black Mask's who is tasked to infiltrate Wayne Enterprises. Deadshot also features in this synopsis, with a role the size of Harvey Dent's from The Dark Knight. Naturally, take all of these rumors with a huge shaker of salt.

I would provide links, but there are so many links and probably more than half if not all of these rumors are probably false, so I thought I would not bother (however I'll provide some for everyone's viewing pleasure).

However, one thing: I hope the "unique" script rumor is true if anything because I hope after Ledger's Joker and the overwhelming success of The Dark Knight that Nolan doesn't so much focus on finding a villain to topple The Joker (which would be nearly impossible) but instead focuses on telling a good story. That's what really matters and who cares if the villain is some obscure Batman character. In fact, I would much rather see someone along the lines of Hugo Strange or Deadshot over The Riddler or Catwoman, but that's just me. So long as the characters tie into the story and don't feel tacked on (which destroyed the last franchise), then I'm all in.

Also, an alleged "insider" from the SuperHeroHype message forums further elaborated on what he has heard for The Dark Knight Rises:

So basically he has just heard some vague things about production of this movie. The most interesting thing I thought was about the title. Apparently 'Dark Knight Rises' was not the original choice, but rather a compromise between Nolan and WB, because of Nolans reluctance to use 3D. So they asked that he used 'Dark Knight' in the title again. Again not a big scoop but interesting.

The other info is just little tidbits. Apparently from what these people hear, the script is finished and although no one will tell them details, it is apparently very very "unique" I wish I knew what that meant. Supposedly it made some of the higher-ups a little nervous. Don't know if that's good or bad. The last thing is the rumors about WB insisting on using Joker. Apparently its bs. Supposedly they'd like the Joker to return but after TDK and Inception they're not going to do anything to upset Nolan.

Take it for what you will.

Links:

Alleged plot synopsis: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1345836/...&p=1#173074912

Clayface/actor rumors: http://spinoff.comicbookresources.co...s-the-villain/

Charlize Theron rumors: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Charl...n-3-21511.html

Sarah Essen and Julie Madison rumors: http://batman-news.com/2010/11/01/wi...-knight-rises/

It is not really a rumor but could we possibly see Monk in this film?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_(comics)

[edit] After reading the alleged plot...it sounds pretty interesting and Nolan-like...to me anyway.

And it said Nolan wanted to call this movie "The Batman" I agree.

Jetfire wrote:

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I was hoping for..."The Batman"

[Christopher]

JacksonArcher wrote:

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There have been a whirlwind of rumors circulating over The Dark Knight Rises over the past few days, from the outrageous to the downright peculiar. For one, there's the outrageous rumor that Jon Hamm will replace Christian Bale.

Sounds like someone heard the chatter about Hamm being touted as a Superman candidate and confused Superman with Batman.

Other rumors include that we will see two female leads in the film, in the form of Sarah Essen and Julie Madison (rumor has it, Essen would be a main character and Madison would be supporting).

Now, having Essen as a female lead would be intriguing, because that would imply that Jim Gordon would be more central to the story than ever. I can definitely get behind that.

But Julie Madison? Bruce's girlfriend from 1939? Why not Vicki Vale or Silver St. Cloud?

Clayface by extension has been rumored as a possible villain...

Okay, I read that there some sort of connection in the comics between Julie Madison and some incarnation of Clayface, but it's bizarre that anyone would think Nolan would use such a fanciful character as Clayface.

...with Harvey Bullock running a Batman Task Force to capture the Batman (according to the synopsis, Gordon hires Bullock because he doesn't think he's equipped to handle the job). Gordon's mission is to prove Batman's innocence...

Now that sounds cool. Basically Gordon picks someone he expects to fail. And maybe Harvey surprises him by turning out to be more competent than he looks.

They could have a hell of a movie here without any "name" villains at all. Just focus on the dangerous game between Batman, Gordon, Bullock, and the city. Batman accepts the role of bad guy and Gordon goes through the motions of chasing him even as they're really allies, but they find they have to make difficult compromises and things start to get out of hand, and this tenuous structure of lies they've built up begins to unravel and threatens to collapse destructively. There could be all sorts of neat psychological stuff going on, Gordon starting out trusting Batman but then starting to resent him for drawing him into this deception that threatens to ruin his life and career, so their feigned enmity becomes closer to reality, and so on. So it's not Batman vs. Riddler or Batman vs. Black Mask or whoever -- it's ultimately Batman vs. Jim Gordon and both men versus the impossible situation they've trapped themselves in. And that could be a hell of a movie if they went that way.

[Set Harth]

Apparently 'Dark Knight Rises' was not the original choice, but rather a compromise between Nolan and WB, because of Nolans reluctance to use 3D. So they asked that he used 'Dark Knight' in the title again.

God, movie studios suck.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I think Hugo Strange would be the most logical villain for this Batman on the lam plot they've set up.