David Goyer Teases the Next Batman Film!

[Frontier]

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/21/exclusive-david-goyer-says-he-knows-the-theme-for-batman-3/

Whether you agree or not, judging from both fan reaction and near universal critical acclaim, “The Dark Knight” will almost certainly go down as the greatest comic book movie of all-time, with a performance from Heath Ledger that is being hailed as one of the greatest on-screen villains ever. Now all Christopher Nolan, his brother Jonathan, David Goyer, and an as yet unnamed villain have to do is top it.

“I think that’s the scariest thing – to think, could we come up with a third movie that was as good as the first two? Can we top ourselves?” screenwriter David Goyer asked aloud, almost rhetorically, in a recent conversation with MTV News. “Doing it a third time would be a big proposition.”


Make no mistake about it, though, a third film HAS been discussed, Goyer confessed, revealing that, while nothing is concrete, both a villain and a theme have been bandied about.

“We’ve only talked loosely about it, though, Chris and I,” Goyer said.
Interestingly, it’s the theme, and not the villain, that most interests me, especially given how the latter seems inexorably tied to the former in this new modern Batman universe. (Fear the predominant issue in “Begins” precipitating the introduction of Scarecrow, escalation in “Knight” similarly calling for The Joker.

The fact that Goyer has a theme he wants to keep in mind for a possible “Batman 3” means he also has a direction, a crisis, and, yes, a villain.
So what is it?

“I have one,” Goyer said laughing. “But I’m not going to tell you. Chris is very particular about that.

“I do think, though, that if there’s not a third film – these two movies stand on their own,” he added. “I think it could go either way.”

So what could the theme be?

Begins: Fear
Knight: Escalation
Next: Redemption?

 

[JacksonArcher]

Hmm. I also find it interesting that he says he has found "one".

 

[crouteru]

Interesting article here:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/wenn/20080731/ten-depp-to-play-the-riddler-c60bd6d.html

Would seem to contradict what Nolan said about using The Penguin.

 

[JacksonArcher]

The Philip Seymour Hoffman as Penguin rumour has been going around since after Batman Begins in 2005. I guess it's the Bat rumor that just won't die.

And I wouldn't expect to hear anything even somewhat legitimate in terms of what direction the film will be going in terms of villain and star for at least the next year. If not much longer.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Hmm. I also find it interesting that he says he has found "one".

(Fan over examination ON!) That doesn't necessarily mean anything. The previous films had multiple villains connected to the theme, but Goyer only refers to one of them each when discussing the themes. It's possible there's one primary villain as before with one supporting villain in another form.

But you're absolutely right that we won't know anything concrete for a long time.

 

[Frontier]

I'm just glad they've discussed it.

 

[Mr Light]

Redemption... Mister Freeze? Or is he too fantastical to appear in this gritty realistic interpretation. Actually if you think about it, most of the remaining villains are all science-fiction-y and probably wouldn't be used in the story. Killer Croc? Poison Ivy? Mr. Freeze? Bane?

Who's left in the real world? Penguin? Ventriloquist? Black Mask?

I've never read a comic with Hush in it... does he have any super powers?

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

I think it's a given that any of the remaining villains will be re-imagined in a more realistic way, so a villain being too 'out there' means nothing.

Boy do I hope that article's rumors are true. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp? Sold.

 

[Samurai8472]

maybe a reworked version of HUSH? Harvey masquerading as HUSH with catwoman and Riddler

 

[TheBrew]

If this is to be the last Batman with this crew, I would say "Legacy" would be a good theme. Move the timeline up a decade. Introduce Robin. Gotham needs a symbol and I would like to see Bruce find a way to have an enduring symbol and find a family again after he has lost so much in that department.

 

[Agent Richard07]

I think it's a given that any of the remaining villains will be re-imagined in a more realistic way, so a villain being too 'out there' means nothing.

Exactly. Look what they did with Ra's Al Ghul.

"And what better Penguin is there than Philip Seymour Hoffman."

Paul Giamatti?

 

[label]

If this is to be the last Batman with this crew, I would say "Legacy" would be a good theme. Move the timeline up a decade. Introduce Robin.

Christian Bale has already said on several occasions he would quit before he'd make a movie with a Robin character in it. Besides, I don't see how you introduce a side-kick in this version of Batman without it coming off cheesy.....

 

[Agent Richard07]

I think Robin could be in the action in some capacity without being the same kind of sidekick Burt Ward's Robin was to Adam West's Batman.

 

[label]

I think Robin could be in the action in some capacity without being the same kind of sidekick Burt Ward's Robin was to Adam West's Batman.

Maybe, but the introduction of Robin in the last series certainly didn't work either so I really question, why go there? In the last series of movies, the first two without Robin were very good, the last two with Robin sucked. Granted, Tim Burton left after the first 2 but still, the addition of Robin certainly didn't help either.

It's odd, because I was always a fan of Robin/Nightwing in the comics. Robin just doesn't seem to translate very well onto big screen, especially in the dark, realistic world Nolan's films are set in.

 

[JacksonArcher]

Hmm. I also find it interesting that he says he has found "one".

(Fan over examination ON!) That doesn't necessarily mean anything. The previous films had multiple villains connected to the theme, but Goyer only refers to one of them each when discussing the themes. It's possible there's one primary villain as before with one supporting villain in another form.

But you're absolutely right that we won't know anything concrete for a long time.

Oh, I'm aware. However it seems at this stage it might appear as if the focus could be on one villain. At least, that's as far as they've developed.

 

[Samurai8472]

Even if some say that a third film isn't necessary because "The Dark Knight" tied up everything there is alot to explore. You can't just leave batman on the run.

-Cops will still hunt batman(roof chase maybe?)

-dealing with mounting odds

-a lost love

then we have the superficial stuff like a new cave and new car.

 

[MPH]

The introduction of Robin was nothing to do with the downturn of quality in the first set of films, I think that had to do with the film studio asking J Schumacher to aim the films at a more younger audience.

 

[Agent Richard07]

...the introduction of Robin in the last series certainly didn't work either so I really question, why go there?

Because this is still Batman and I'd like to see as much of the mythos as possible included. Even if some things are never included, I like to stick to the idea that they can be.

In the last series of movies, the first two without Robin were very good, the last two with Robin sucked. Granted, Tim Burton left after the first 2 but still, the addition of Robin certainly didn't help either.

Robin was never a problem for me, it was the inclusion of too much camp.

It's odd, because I was always a fan of Robin/Nightwing in the comics. Robin just doesn't seem to translate very well onto big screen, especially in the dark, realistic world Nolan's films are set in.

Since we already have a man dressed up as a bat, a clown with henchmen, a secret society that wants to destroy the world, a man with a scarecrow mask and halucinogenic weapons, and a D.A. with half his face burned off, I'm sure Dick Grayson in some gear can be made to work.

 

[bigdaddy]

If this is to be the last Batman with this crew, I would say "Legacy" would be a good theme. Move the timeline up a decade. Introduce Robin.

Christian Bale has already said on several occasions he would quit before he'd make a movie with a Robin character in it. Besides, I don't see how you introduce a side-kick in this version of Batman without it coming off cheesy.....

Also the producer or someone said the same thing and that Robin is lame.

And of course they will make a third movie, that is a given.

 

[Dark Gilligan]

Redemption... Mister Freeze? Or is he too fantastical to appear in this gritty realistic interpretation. Actually if you think about it, most of the remaining villains are all science-fiction-y and probably wouldn't be used in the story. Killer Croc? Poison Ivy? Mr. Freeze? Bane?

Who's left in the real world? Penguin? Ventriloquist? Black Mask?

The most obvious... Catwoman. She's the most universally well known.

Redemption has a strong potential and it can work on two levels: the redemption of the Batman symbol now tarnished by the events in TDK, and the redemption of Bruce Wayne as a human being. Rachel said it best: Batman has become Bruce's true face. He needs someone to touch his heart in a way that Rachel couldn't.

Catwoman is the one "villain" who can approach the redemption issue on both levels. The story could well focus on her own redemption in the bargain.