"Batman 3" and "Superman" both in 2012 -- and in IMAX?

[JacksonArcher]

Today IMAX announced their new slate of movies to premiere in the IMAX format over the next couple of years. Amongst those films mentioned in the line-up were Batman 3 and Superman, which neither as-of-yet have official release dates.

However... that doesn't stop the Internet from finding out anyway. According to IESB.Net, Christopher Nolan's third Batman film is tentatively scheduled for summer 2012, most likely July 2012. It will be Nolan's next project after Inception. Apparently this is the worst kept secret in Burbank.

Additionally, the Christopher Nolan-produced, David Goyer-scripted Superman reboot that's been bandied about will be scheduled for Christmas 2012. Warner Bros. is molding this after the November release of Avatar, and the December release of Sherlock Holmes, which was very successful for the studio. Also, Green Lantern was tentatively scheduled for December of this year until it was pushed back to summer 2011 to allow more time for the production.

There are also talks of doing the third Batman movie entirely in IMAX. Portions of The Dark Knight were filmed with IMAX cameras, and the difficulty of doing an entire movie in IMAX is that the cameras are very cumbersome and very noisy, so if Nolan and his cinematographer Wally Pfister do end up shooting the entire film with IMAX cameras, I'm sure some type of rejiggering or refinement will occur with the cameras to allow for a better and more fluid working experience.

The article lastly mentions that WB IS trying to build to that heavily rumored Justice League movie, which like Marvel is building towards The Avengers. The current idea is that Batman Begins is "Action Comics #1" -- so the first issue, and the first time a superhero has come onto the scene. The next issue would be The Dark Knight. Issue #3?

Apparently that will be Martin Campbell's Green Lantern. There are rumors that the movie will mention Gotham City and might even acknowledge Batman himself. Of course after Issue #3 the next in the series will be Batman 3 and then of course Superman. WB is trying to build a universe of superheroes, but in a believable manner, which would mean that Christian Bale's Batman shares a universe with Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern and whomever they cast as the next Superman.

Thoughts?

 

[Admiral_Young]

Fascinating. I'm still betting on Batman 3's official announcement coming at Comic Con in July...maybe even the Justice League movie too if we can rely on Geoff Johns cryptic response to a fan question at Wonder Con. Batman 3 in the summer of 2012 and Superman in Christmas 2012...oh that's almost too much to hope for!! So I'll continue to wait for DC ENT and WB's to make official announcements...unless they keep wanting to have the internet do it for them through leaks and what not.

 

[Small White Car]

Ugh. Stupid IMAX.

I was stunned when they actually switched back and forth between the different screen ratios on the Dark Knight DVD. I really thought they'd just crop the IMAX shots, but nope!

So now we'll get an entire "not quite so widescreen" movie this time? I understand it fills those nice big IMAX screens better but it's at the expense of the regular theaters and the DVDs.

It doesn't have to be that way, mind you. James Cameron goes to a LOT of trouble to make sure his films look right everywhere. But apparently he's the only one who cares. If the Dark Knight is a clue, we won't be getting the Cameron-level of care on Batman 3.

Stupid IMAX.

 

[Jax]

I see that lineup and I worry bigtime for STAR TREK especially if Batman comes out July. I hope Paramount kicks off the opening week of May with Star Trek.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ That was my first thought too when I saw the summer 2012 date for Batman 3...as much as I'm excited for Nolan's third film in the series I hope it doesn't cut in too much to Star Trek II's box office. Then again Nolan and the studio seem to like July for their releases.

 

[Jetfire]

Fascinating. I'm still betting on Batman 3's official announcement coming at Comic Con in July...maybe even the Justice League movie too if we can rely on Geoff Johns cryptic response to a fan question at Wonder Con. Batman 3 in the summer of 2012 and Superman in Christmas 2012...oh that's almost too much to hope for!! So I'll continue to wait for DC ENT and WB's to make official announcements...unless they keep wanting to have the internet do it for them through leaks and what not.

That would be great for a New Superman movie. Don't stop hoping.

I think SR suffered because of it's release date...the following week Pirates Of The Caribbean came out...which I believe hurt it from gaining momentum.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Apparently that will be Martin Campbell's Green Lantern. There are rumors that the movie will mention Gotham City and might even acknowledge Batman himself. Of course after Issue #3 the next in the series will be Batman 3 and then of course Superman. WB is trying to build a universe of superheroes, but in a believable manner, which would mean that Christian Bale's Batman shares a universe with Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern and whomever they cast as the next Superman.

Thoughts?

Nolan said the exact opposite in his interviews about Superman; his and Goyer's plan was for Superman to be in his own world. Which is entirely consistent with everything he's said about his Batman movies in the past.

 

[Broccoli]

^ Yeah, especially since Nolan has said again and again that the world that he created in Batman Begins wouldn't allow for the fantastical superheros such as Superman and Green Lantern.

Of course, everything can change.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Which means that we still don't know anything until the frakking announce something for legit.

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

Yeah, I find it difficult to imagine something as fantastical as Superman fitting into the relatively realistic world of Nolan's Batman films.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Ugh. Stupid IMAX.

I was stunned when they actually switched back and forth between the different screen ratios on the Dark Knight DVD. I really thought they'd just crop the IMAX shots, but nope!

So now we'll get an entire "not quite so widescreen" movie this time? I understand it fills those nice big IMAX screens better but it's at the expense of the regular theaters and the DVDs.

It doesn't have to be that way, mind you. James Cameron goes to a LOT of trouble to make sure his films look right everywhere. But apparently he's the only one who cares. If the Dark Knight is a clue, we won't be getting the Cameron-level of care on Batman 3.

Stupid IMAX.

Thank god there was no mention doing it in 3D.

Yeah, I find it difficult to imagine something as fantastical as Superman fitting into the relatively realistic world of Nolan's Batman films.

I think a lot of people exagerate the realism of Nolan's Batman. It's more grounded than previous versions, but it still takes place in a hightened reality. DC's super-powered heroes can be worked in just fine if done right.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Thank god there was no mention doing it in 3D.

They probably figured it was a foregone conclusion.

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

Yeah, I find it difficult to imagine something as fantastical as Superman fitting into the relatively realistic world of Nolan's Batman films.

I think a lot of people exagerate the realism of Nolan's Batman. It's more grounded than previous versions, but it still takes place in a hightened reality. DC's super-powered heroes can be worked in just fine if done right.

Well, I won't argue since part of me really WOULD like to see Nolan's Batman crossover with Superman, but how that could turn out decent is something I would probably have to see to understand.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Apparently that will be Martin Campbell's Green Lantern. There are rumors that the movie will mention Gotham City and might even acknowledge Batman himself. Of course after Issue #3 the next in the series will be Batman 3 and then of course Superman. WB is trying to build a universe of superheroes, but in a believable manner, which would mean that Christian Bale's Batman shares a universe with Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern and whomever they cast as the next Superman.

Thoughts?

Nolan said the exact opposite in his interviews about Superman; his and Goyer's plan was for Superman to be in his own world. Which is entirely consistent with everything he's said about his Batman movies in the past.

The article mentions that, but apparently WB is trying to find ways of still making it work so that Nolan's Batman would fit in the same universe as Green Lantern and/or Superman.

Also, on the topic of 3D, Nolan's cinematographer Wally Pfister who has worked on all of Nolan's films commented that neither he or Nolan plan to do Batman 3 in 3D and Pfister called 3D a "fad".

 

[drychlick]

i would a superman batman team up movie love dr

 

[Aragorn]

It doesn't seem like the two worlds would work well together, especially since Superman could've foiled the Joker's ferry bombs in a second. But who knows? Maybe it'll work.

I guess Paramount will have to respond to the Justice League and Avengers, and announce that Jack Ryan, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, The Godfather, Beverly Hills Cop and G.I. Joe all take place in the same universe and will be meeting in a big movie.

 

[Argus Skyhawk]

I guess Paramount will have to respond to the Justice League and Avengers, and announce that Jack Ryan, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, The Godfather, Beverly Hills Cop and G.I. Joe all take place in the same universe and will be meeting in a big movie.

If Jack Ryan and Indy Jones are both played by Harrison Ford... cool.

 

[Broccoli]

I guess Paramount will have to respond to the Justice League and Avengers, and announce that Jack Ryan, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, The Godfather, Beverly Hills Cop and G.I. Joe all take place in the same universe and will be meeting in a big movie.

If Jack Ryan and Indy Jones are both played by Harrison Ford... cool.

What if Jack Ryan and Kirk are both played by Chris Pine?

 

[Aragorn]

What if Jack Ryan is played by Harrison Ford, Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin AND Ben Affleck?!?!?!

 

[JacksonArcher]

It doesn't seem like the two worlds would work well together, especially since Superman could've foiled the Joker's ferry bombs in a second. But who knows? Maybe it'll work.

The idea is that Superman would appear in this movie-universe continuity after the events of Batman 3, so technically after the Nolan-verse has finished. Still, I don't see Christian Bale reprising the role in a Justice League movie unless Christopher Nolan was involved.