UPDATE 3: Possible Batman 3 Plot Details!

An insider source has contacted CBM editor Brent Sprecher with some tantalizing details about the plot for Batman 3!

Follow Brent:
By Brent Sprecher - 2/11/2010
Okay, okay, you guys know me. I don't normally post articles from sources that are not verifiable, but this news is just too juicy to pass up—and it's impossible for me to validate the news without blowing my source's cover—so here goes...

This news comes from a "plot outliner" (he couldn't or wouldn't tell me his actual title) at Warner Bros. Apparently, before a screenwriter is hired, one or more of these "plot outliners" figure out the basic building blocks of the story—characters, setting, theme, etc.—and then pass it on to the screenwriter to be hammered into the movie script format.






Here are the "facts," as relayed to me by "TT":

1. The plot should be outlined in time for the screenwriting to begin in February.

UPDATE 1:
YES


Deadline Hollywood (February 2010)

"Now FlashForward showrunner David Goyer has left with 5 episodes still to shoot. Of course, Goyer's feature career is really heating up, since he co-wrote Batman Begins, and penned the story for The Dark Knight, and is now writing the third Batman installment with Chris Nolan's brother Jonah."

UPDATE 3: YES (CONFIRMED)

Christopher Nolan
(March 2010)

"My brother is writing a script for me and we'll wait to see how it turns out.... He's struggling to put it together into the epic story that you want it to be.

"Without getting into specifics, the key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story. And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story.

"We have a great ensemble, that's one of the attractions of doing another film, since we've been having a great time for years."

2. The Riddler is the primary villain and he figures out Batman's identity.


3. Arkham Asylum will figure prominently in the story.


4. Several classic villains will cameo, including the Penguin and Mr. Freeze (though as Dr. Fries, not as the supervillain).

UPDATE 3:
NO (MAYBE)

Christopher Nolan
(March 2010)

"It won’t be Mr. Freeze."

EDITOR NOTE: The rumor said it would be Dr. Fries, not Mr. Freeze, so this is not necessarily debunked.


5. Barbara Gordon will have a featured role.


6. Commissioner Gordon will mention Metropolis and possibly Lex Luthor.


UPDATE 2: YES (LIKELY)


This news makes the likelihood of a Metropolis and/or Lex Luthor mention far more likely, if not certain:

Deadline Hollywood (February 2010)

"Warner Bros is trying to ready its DC Comics stalwart Superman to soar again on the Big Screen, and the studio has turned to Chris Nolan to mentor development of the movie. Our insiders say that the brains behind rebooted Batman has been asked to play a "godfather" role and ensure The Man Of Steel gets off the ground after a 3 1/2-year hiatus... now [Chris Nolan's] brother and frequent collaborator Jonathan "Jonah" Nolan, and David Goyer who co-wrote and penned the story for The Dark Knight, are off scripting it."

UPDATE 3: NO

Christopher Nolan
(March 2010)

"Each serves to the internal logic of the story. They have nothing to do with each other."


7. Dick Grayson may be in the movie (though probably not as Robin).


Before all of the "haters" start dropping bombs on me, again, I admit that I have not been able to verify this information with a secondary source.

For now, consider it "food for thought." That being said, let the debate commence...



Originally published January 26, 2010
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LEEE777 - 1/26/2010, 10:44 AM
Hmmmm, so RIDDLER is in it!!!

What @ DOGS @ Said, he does, its gotta have RIDDLER in it!



Great find @ Brent!

StephenStrange - 1/26/2010, 10:44 AM
woah!
Shaman - 1/26/2010, 10:44 AM
AWESOMENESS YET AGAIN!!! JOHNNY DEPP FOR THE RIDDLER!!! PAUL BETTANY FOR MR. FREEZE!!!

AND GET STEVE BUSCEMI FOR THE VENTRILOQUIST IN THE OPENING!!!
Mixbreed - 1/26/2010, 10:47 AM
not appealing. ill wait for more news but one thing i dont wanna see or hear about is Dick Grayson whatsoever.
frankster - 1/26/2010, 10:47 AM
Sounds like a great outline butI sum it up to uuummmmmmmmmmm........................BULL$#!+ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As much as I want to see a batman 3 by nolan I dont see anything leaking this time around!!!
BIGBMH - 1/26/2010, 10:47 AM
Hmm... Riidler and Dick. Looks like there's a chance some of my ideas could become a reality.
LEEE777 - 1/26/2010, 10:50 AM
Lmao @ TEA!!

No to DICK/ROBIN though in the BATMAN movies, ever!

Hell,, just give DICK that TV NIGHTWING show!!

invalensname - 1/26/2010, 10:51 AM
1. The plot should be outlined in time for the screenwriting to begin in February.... PLAUSABLE

2. The Riddler is the primary villain and he figures out Batman's identity.... PLAUSABLE

3. Arkham Asylum will figure prominently in the story.... GOOD SO FAR

4. Several classic villains will cameo, including the Penguin and Mr. Freeze (though as Dr. Fries, not as the supervillain).... HMMMM... OK...

5. Barbara Gordon will have a featured role... MAYBE....

5. Commissioner Gordon will mention Metropolis and possibly Lex Luthor. NO. I DONT SEE THE NOLAN-VERSE CONNECTING WITH SUPES

6. Dick Grayson may be in the movie (though probably not as Robin).... MAYBE. BUT I SOMEHOW DOUBT IT.

It's Lex Luthor that makes me think this is fake.
LEEE777 - 1/26/2010, 10:51 AM
Paul Bettany for ADAM STRANGE!! ; D


And FREEZE and PENGUIN, wayyy too soon!
RinjoClans - 1/26/2010, 10:52 AM
I'm sorry, all due respect, but until a source is verified, I don't believe a word of it. And if all of this IS confirmed...I dunno... seems kind of weak.
BillyBlack - 1/26/2010, 10:52 AM
So Barbara Gordon will have a prominent role?

Isn't that the name they gave Gordon's wife in the Nolanverse? And his daughter was what? Twelve?

1, 2, 3, and possibly 4 are OK

5, 6 and 7 are blah. (by the way Brent ya got 5 twice there)
ElBicho - 1/26/2010, 10:52 AM
Could be cool, but have several years passed in between films?

Barbara Gordon (Not Barbara the wife) was only a baby in Batman Begins.

No Joker?

They can't ignore him, because Ledger died.
bsprecher - 1/26/2010, 10:53 AM
I know guys, it's not much to go on. I've been sitting on this info. for two weeks now, desperately trying to find a second source. When I exhausted all of my resources, I decided to go with it. If it's bunk, then I'm an @$$, but until then...
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 10:55 AM
riddler would be sweet if played by sum1 like jonny depp...but thinking about it depp usually playes a kinda insane character...do u think that would reflect 2 much on ledgers joker?...i think the 2 villians should be worlds apart in character...so maybe not depp at all...idk yet.....
bane would be cool if done right...see him break the bat over his knees! that would be badass!!!
~X
thwhtGuardian - 1/26/2010, 10:55 AM
so an infant dick grayson and an infant Barbra Gordon? That's the only way it would work out as she and dick are about the same age...and she was just a baby in the last movie
StephenStrange - 1/26/2010, 10:56 AM
@ Brent: Thank you SO much for sharing with us!

Thus far there has been numerous doubts expressed on several levels that they were even going to do another movie at all. In fact Nolan himself expressed uncertaintly.

So this news might just be a HUGE scoop. The scoop being that there is even going to be a third film in the first place. That alone is BIG NEWS :)
bsprecher - 1/26/2010, 10:56 AM
My source did not mention Catwoman and said that the WB was struggling to figure out what to do about Joker.
thedon786 - 1/26/2010, 10:56 AM
PLEASE PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE.
thedon786 - 1/26/2010, 10:56 AM
PLEASE PLEASE LET THIS BE TRUE.
MrSuperheromoviefan - 1/26/2010, 10:58 AM
I like this news.I want to see Depp as Riddler.
GUNSMITH - 1/26/2010, 11:00 AM
REAL OR NOT?
peterparker420 - 1/26/2010, 11:01 AM
NOT BAD..Not bad at all..I could see the riddler in the next movie..But Dick Grayson?..I don't know..
I hope they DON'T fall into The Batman Forever TRAP!
bsprecher - 1/26/2010, 11:02 AM
My source (TT) has already read this article and he emailed me this message:

"I hope this will offer some real light to the new Dark Knight."
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:03 AM
brent@ ur source isnt that raja kid whos also designing caps outfit is it??? hahahahaha
~X
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:04 AM
tea@ yea but i bet they could still throw in the nipples lol
BillyBlack - 1/26/2010, 11:05 AM
Do a small Arkham scene with the Joker.

Use Cameron's motion capture CG to replicate his look and get a talented voice actor to get the sound right.

Grab on tea!

big rump Pictures, Images and Photos
LEEE777 - 1/26/2010, 11:08 AM
I'M BLIND!!!
bsprecher - 1/26/2010, 11:09 AM
@XmutantX: Who is that? I'm unaware of Raja.

@teabag: Nooooo, you're killing me with that! Please take it down!!!

@MPP: Yeah, thanks. I hope it's legit. TT said that WB has to have everything aligned--comics, toys, commercials, etc.--before they sign off on even the smallest script detail.
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:09 AM
tea@...well now i can see who could play clayface...thanx 4 that...:(
Shaman - 1/26/2010, 11:09 AM
PAUL BETTANY IS THE PERFECT MR. FREEZE!!! ...or Dr. Fries, however you want it.
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:10 AM
Brent@marvel freshmans article...had a source that turned out 2 be major poser!..his name was raja....we crucified the boy!...manly multi!
~X
Upupandaway - 1/26/2010, 11:10 AM
I think the Jason Todd origin (trying to yank tires off the Batmobile) would work well in the Nolanverse. I wonder how they'll get Batman into Arkham (if this pans out).
jjmeylar - 1/26/2010, 11:11 AM
I hope so.
GUNSMITH - 1/26/2010, 11:11 AM
IF I WERE NOLAN...
GET JOHNNY DEPP TO PLAY THE RIDDLER, A GENIUS, GETTING OFF ON TURNING THE PLACE SO CHAOTIC AND LOVING THE FACT NOBODY CAN TRUMP HIS PLANS EXCEPT BATMAN, SO...
HE FINDS OUT WHO HE IS..USING THAT AS A WEAPON AGAINST HIM HE THREATENS NOT ONLY ALFRED BUT INNOCENTS IN GOTHAM BLACKMAILING HIM TO STAY OUT OF HIS WAY.
OF COURSE BATMAN WILL NOT HAVE IT AND GOES AFTER HIM ANYWAY..
RIDDLER GETS THE UPPER HAND, KIDNAPS ALFRED, AND DECIDES TO PLAY A EVEN NASTIER GAME AND TRAPS BATMAN IN ARKUHM ASYLUM, AND SETS ALL THE PRISONERS FREE..WHO DOES HE HAVE TO CONTEND WITH, THE JOKER(LEVITT) AMONG OTHERS THAT BASICALLY WANT HIM TO SUFFER, NOT DIE. MEANWHILE, THE RIDDLER WREAKS HAVOC OVER ALL OF GOTHAM..BATMAN HAS TO GET OUT TO SAVE GOTHAM AND ALFRED, HOW?..
SEE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING.
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:14 AM
gunsmith...riddlers thing was alwayz running batman through a series of riddles 2 get 2 the next clue...where is that in ur idea?
~X
hescian - 1/26/2010, 11:17 AM
I think this is bogus. On BB and TDK, the "plot outliners" were primarily the Nolan brothers, and David Goyer somewhat. Even if Warner Bros is having plot outliners work on possibilities, it could be the complete opposite of what Nolan wants to do.
XmutantX - 1/26/2010, 11:18 AM
hescian@ who said nolan was onboard? maybe thats y they need the outliners....
BillyBlack - 1/26/2010, 11:19 AM
teabag

fkn terrifying!

I'm over the Johnny Depp for Riddler thing. I just don't see it happening. Paul Bettany or even Ryan Gosling I'd be down for. Whoever plays him, he should be ruthless. No compassion.
GUNSMITH - 1/26/2010, 11:22 AM
THING IS, JUST AS NOLAN CHANGED BATMAN , JOKER, HE SHOULD DO SOMETHING MORE EXTREME, SOMETHING FRESH, DIFFRENT, THAT THING THAT MAKES YOU SAY, "WOAH, THATS A DIFFRENT WAY OF SEEING THAT GUY" ..YOU KNOW?..OR WHAT IF THE RIDDLER WAS LIKE THE SAW GUY? MAYBE HE'S ON DRUGS, OR WHAT...JUST SAYING, THIS FRANCHISE HASN'T HAD A FOLLOWING AS STRONG AS B4 AND ITS BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE'VE SEEN IS NOT LIKE WHAT WERE USE TO....
bsprecher - 1/26/2010, 11:23 AM
@MPP: Thanks. Yeah, I remember that clown now.
StephenStrange - 1/26/2010, 11:28 AM
wow.. the Riddler huh? How bizarre. But just this once I can truly say that I do indeed trust Nolan. Whatever his interpretation of Riddler will be, it will probably be radical and excellent.
JoshWilding - 1/26/2010, 11:32 AM
Brent: Wow, awesome find man! :) If half of this is true then the movie might just be the best Batman movie yet!
NERO - 1/26/2010, 11:33 AM
Sorry, not buying it and don't feel it. For one thing Riddler is a gimmick villain(Yes so was TwoFace, but that character has spun into more interesting levels Riddler has not) and I don't see Nolan wanting a villain that employs a gimmick to be in his films. The progression of the themes don't seem to run in that direction; Fear, Escalation, Gimmick?

I still stand behind Black Mask as being the most in line villain with the Nolanverse, the descent of normalcy and the rise of the freaks. In Begins the mob uses freaks (Scarecrow), TDK Freaks (Joker) destroys mob, Batman 3 the freaks are the mob. The city or at least its corruption now mirror its hero. Escalation worked both ways Batman came to deal with the evil that was, and the freaks came to deal with Batman. Batman is Gotham/Gotham is Batman. It’s like the Arthurian link the Land is the King, the King is the Land one will die with the other.


Black Mask makes sense because he is the Mob, the charismatic, crazed, violent face of the freaks who will now fill the void. Joker was Chaos, the shedding of norms and mores, and immaterialist glee. Black Mask is focused aggression, willful sadism, and limitless greed.


It’s not that I hate Riddler, I just see him as an out of date passé character, I mean the first Hush story line showed that, no one thought he had it in him. He was the character the fans never thought would be the mastermind because, well, he was the Riddler. He's a 1950's one shot gimmick villain gone wrong. I just don't think compared to the characters Nolan has used up till now, Ra’s al Ghul, Scarecrow, Joker, TwoFace, the heavies of the Batman world he would, frankly, waste his time on Riddler.

As for Barbra Gordon and Dick appearing… Why? It doesn’t even make sense in the Noloanverse. Could there be a Metropolis mention or Lex Luthor mention? Sure. In fact they have made passing mention of Metropolis in both BB and TDK usually snipets in the background by new media, so why not acknowledge Lex in passing.

As for Penguine and Fries: Maybe/maybe not, I doubt thay’d play any bigger role than Zsasz did in Batman Begins.

In the end all I’m saying is Nolan thrives on upending our expectations. The fan expectation of the Riddler alone makes me think he’ll go another way just because he IS Nolan. He’ll drop a bomb on us in a few months I’m sure, he’ll say he’s making it. Then he’ll stonewall and not comment for six months. Then he’ll finally say who the villain is and we’ll be shocked, then he’ll film and stonewall and we’ll be getting set photos from rooftops. Then we’ll see the movie and it will be good. It’s Nolan. That’s just how he does things.
AngryRob - 1/26/2010, 11:35 AM
Stories tend to go through MAJOR changes from outline to script to screen. Even if this is true the finished product could be drastically different. I'm not sure I like the idea of Mr. Freeze, doesn't make sense in the already established realistic continuity. But maybe that's why he's just Dr. Fries
SpideyFan1982 - 1/26/2010, 11:37 AM
I'm really hoping Harley Quinn make her film, what do you guys think?
NERO - 1/26/2010, 11:41 AM
Poni any news on HAWK?
Dmon - 1/26/2010, 11:42 AM
Ok the daughter we saw in the Dark Knight looked about 8 or 10 she was not an infant and they never said her name. Also daughters have the same name as their mothers all the time. Also who is to say that Jim Gordan does not have a daughter in college. I can see it working.

And as far as Dick goes they need to go with a 14 or 15 year old thats the age Robin should start out as. I have no problem with it if its done right. If it has Robin then it should show Batman brutally training him so he does not get killed the first night.

But I would rather the focus be on Bruce's detective skills and how he became the world's greatest detective.
ecksmanfan - 1/26/2010, 11:44 AM
Some of this is believable, some not so much. I can't imagine them bringing anything to do with Superman into this universe. Good stuff though Brent.
ATOMbomb - 1/26/2010, 11:48 AM
I'm taking this with a grain of salt. Although, being a huge Batman fan I'm very excited to hear anything. I have said sense all the talk started if Depp played Riddler it could stand up to TDK. I don't see Superman being pulled in Nolans world, but the idea of having Arkham as a staple in the film is awesome. Can't wait to see this movie!!
Shaman - 1/26/2010, 11:52 AM
Here here, Dmon!!!
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