Director Unsure About a Third Batman Movie

by Jonathan Crow | October 28, 2008

Is Christopher Nolan going to direct the next Batman movie? Since his record-breaking blockbuster "The Dark Knight" opened this summer, there has been rampant speculation over the next film in the franchise. Internet gossip has spread like wildfire over who might star in the third, with possibilities including Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and even Cher. To put these rumors to rest, the notoriously tight-lipped director opened up in rare interview with the Los Angeles Times, where he hinted that he might not return for a third film.

"Well... let me think how to put this. There are two things to be said. One is the emphasis on story. What's the story? Is there a story that's going to keep me emotionally invested for the couple of years that it will take to make another one? That's the overriding question. On a more superficial level, I have to ask the question: How many good third movies in a franchise can people name? [Laughs.] At the same time, in taking on the second one, we had the challenge of trying to make a great second movie, and there haven't been too many of those either. It's all about the story really. If the story is there, everything is possible." Read the full interview >>

Earlier this month, David S. Goyer, the co-writer of both of Nolan's Batman films, said that all the rumors that have been floating around regarding a third film are untrue. "Chris and I haven't even talked about it," Goyer told MTV, adding, "We have mused here and there... [but] there really isn't anything to tell." And Nolan himself seems to confirm that he has not thought much about a possible third film.

"Really and in truth, I only deal with one film at a time. I find myself sort of protesting this issue a lot. We've never attempted to save anything for a sequel or set up anything for a sequel."

When asked about what he might do next -- either another giant-sized blockbuster or something on a smaller scale -- Nolan seemed to have mixed feelings.

"After "Batman Begins," I certainly felt like taking on something smaller, but one of the things I got such a thrill from on "The Dark Knight" was shooting on IMAX and creating that massive scale and achieving that larger-than-life quality. So that's a lot of fun. I'm drawn in both directions now. So maybe what I need to do next is a very intimate, small story that happens to be photographed on a ridiculously large scale. Or vice versa."

"The Dark Knight" will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 8th. Warner Bros. Pictures has also indicated they might re-release the film into IMAX theaters in January to capitalize on it's Oscar potential. To date, the film has earned $527.8 million in the U.S. and almost $1 billion worldwide.