THE THIRD ACT: What a third in the Batman Begins, Dark Knight series might be...

[Entropy]

As for their Comic Counterparts, The Scarecrow was a stooge....that really isn't how he is played...The Joker was a terrorist and a killer for hire.....The Joker in the books is much more of a clown and less of a lunatic...not that I'm complaining.

I agree that Scarecrow was a bit of a change up, esp the drug dealer stuff in TDK, but his methods and personality were the same as the comic.

Joker was never a killer for hire in TDK, just part of his web of lies and over all plan of chaos, which is the force he serves and embodies in the comics as well.

 

[The Mike]

The Joker was a killer for hire....he was constantly changing throughout TDK. With each step his intentions changed. He went from wanting to kill Batman to wanting to get Batman to kill him.....That's why he said "What do I do? Go back to robbing Mob Sharks? Oh No no no..." He found his way to power when he realized the power of fear. Remember "If you're good at something never do it for free". He saw the weakness of the Mob and it was his insanity and chaos that saw the plan to make Gotham eat itself using its hero Harvey Dent. His goal was to show Gotham it was unredeemable via Harvey, the terrorist acts were just his own fun to set up and distract.... It was an extension of Ras's plan in BB. That is why this act was entitled "Escalation..."

 

[Entropy]

The Joker was a killer for hire....he was constantly changing throughout TDK. With each step his intentions changed. He went from wanting to kill Batman to wanting to get Batman to kill him.....That's why he said "What do I do? Go back to robbing Mob Sharks? Oh No no no..." He found his way to power when he realized the power of fear. It was an extension of Ras's plan in BB. That is why this act was entitled "Escalation..."

Joker NEVER wanted to kill Batman and NEVER wanted to unmask him. It was all part of his plan to manipulate. His plans never changed. He was the ultimate schemer and liar. He lied to his goons, to the mob, to the cops, and to Harvey. The only time he ever tells the truth to anyone in the movie is when he's talking to Bats about their nature, although he does lie about which address Harvey and Rachel are at.

 

[The Mike]

That's the fun thing about Ledger's portrayal and the movie in general....so many ways to read it. Whether you see The Joker as a man who in his own insanity finds a way to continue to transsend or if you see him as a manipulator....its all good.

 

[Joker]

The third movie is about Gotham rebuilding. After everything that happened in TDK, the people begin to believe in their city once more and in the end Batman retires... Then they could do The Dark Knight Returns based stuff with a different cast later on.

 

[KrisSolo]

I too think it's building throughout TDK. I just wish they'd do 4 films and really run with what has become a fantastic imagining of the Batman universe. I hate everything being tied up all neat by the third movies end...

 

[THE JOKER]

So was two-face dead or alive at the end thats the only bit buging me, they cant kill him of yet he was allways such a stronger character.

 

[Darth Rage]

Joker NEVER wanted to kill Batman and NEVER wanted to unmask him. It was all part of his plan to manipulate. His plans never changed. He was the ultimate schemer and liar. He lied to his goons, to the mob, to the cops, and to Harvey. The only time he ever tells the truth to anyone in the movie is when he's talking to Bats about their nature, although he does lie about which address Harvey and Rachel are at.

I don't necessarily agree with that. I think he really wanted to kill Batman because Joker initially thought Batman would be in the way of his fun. I think he then realized Batman was the most fun he was having.

I think he was being truthful to an extent with Two-face in the hospital scene. "Do I look like a man with a plan?" Yes Joker is deviously smart, but I really think a lot of this was made up along the way, simply to amuse himself.

 

[Shropt]

Please no more Joker. He can not be replaced.

I think a Harley Quinn / Female Joker impersonator could make for an interesting role.

I'd like to see Scarecrow come back if done correctly. It would make the cameo in Dark Knight stronger.

Really, I'd love to see them end the series here. If they don't we'll get another "superhero loses his superpowers/will to fight film".

 

[Darth Rage]

Really, I'd love to see them end the series here. If they don't we'll get another "superhero loses his superpowers/will to fight film".

I don't think we'll see that. It was part of the second film. remember his conversation with Alfred - "Batman can't endure this." He questions his duty and effectiveness as Batman in parts of DK.

 

[Kabukiman]

There's no need for a third one. End it on this perfect note.

 

[Les Walker]

There's no need for a third one. End it on this perfect note.

I can't agree. Sorry.
NOW that they have Commissioner Gordon in place, and Batman on the lam with cops, I just can't give up on more. Plus, after this movie's take at the box office, YOU CAN BET there will be more! Warner Brothers stops making movies that would make money for them, because a few select fans think they should stop? Nah!

Sorry, Batman fan here. Bring them on! Must. Have. More!

Besides, anyone, ANYONE, that tells me that another one in this series can't be good, or might be a letdown after DK, let me say these words,
BATMAN & ROBIN.
End of argument. There always will be worse.
Nolan or whoever could make Batman Teatime, and it would be better than the previous series.

Bring it! I will be there!

 

[Agent0028]

The worst Nolan Batman will be better than the others, but it's going to be hard to live up to expectations. I think that's killed some other good movies. Either A it isn't as good as it was expected to be (Such as Indy KOTCS), or it will try too hard to be extremely good (like S-M 3). Finding the sweet spot in the middle will be difficult. I do have faith it can be done though.

 

[Les Walker]

The worst Nolan Batman will be better than the others, but it's going to be hard to live up to expectations. I think that's killed some other good movies. Either A it isn't as good as it was expected to be (Such as Indy KOTCS), or it will try too hard to be extremely good (like S-M 3). Finding the sweet spot in the middle will be difficult. I do have faith it can be done though.

I think it can. However, I will admit to being worried if Nolan is off the case for sure for a movie 3. If so....uh...not so sure. Will still go see it. But, I know it will be a drop if so.
Only other filmaker I would hand the reins over to is probably Alex Proyas. I loved Dark City, and feel he might could do a good Batman movie. Other than him...not sure. Needs to be Nolan if at all possible.

 

[The Mike]

Nolan has swore up and down that he wouldn't do another Batman movie after the contract is fufilled with a third film but so did Sam Raimi and now he is backpeddling saying that if they want him for Spider-Man 4 he'd do it, he just doesn't want to have to write it. So Nolan past 3 is still a possibility.....all I'm saying.

Not only contractually will the line continue but storywise it has to continue. Everyone is calling it The Empire Strikes Back of this saga which indicates that there needs to be a conclusion of some sort and WB will hold everyone to their contracts after the Box Office Champion that this film has been. Nolan has just now brought us to the point where most Batfans started with Gordon as Commissioner, the city fearing and not understanding Batman except for Gordon, Batman realizing that he needs Batman as much as Gotham needs Batman.....Time to see where he takes it.

 

[minivader]

i got no problem with them recast someone else to play joker. Sure, heath did a good job, but that's all that is, a job. He is not joker in real life, so if the script calls for a joker, then a joker there should be.

 

[Kabukiman]

Nolan or whoever could make Batman Teatime...

You heard it here first, Les wants the next villian to be the Mad Hatter!

I guess what I'm getting at with the whole "don't do a third one" thing is that the third movie will inevitably be the "falling action" portion of the larger story. A movie dedicated to that, while possibly interesting to you and I, won't fair to well at the BO.

If I could pick my own dream bat-project, I'd take an animated Knightfall trilogy.

 

[The Mike]

i got no problem with them recast someone else to play joker. Sure, heath did a good job, but that's all that is, a job. He is not joker in real life, so if the script calls for a joker, then a joker there should be.

Nolan seems very firm on dedicating the entire Dark Knight film to Heath. So, in reality since Goyer has a story in mind but Nolan and his brother hash out the story and cut things out of Goyer's script (The Black Mask was planned for TDK but was cut in the last minute because it was felt that it was too much for one film) I wouldn't count on a Joker recasting. I would think more that they'd move aside but give some sort of nod....

 

[Entropy]

The third movie is about Gotham rebuilding. After everything that happened in TDK, the people begin to believe in their city once more and in the end Batman retires... Then they could do The Dark Knight Returns based stuff with a different cast later on.

Batman retiring? Never going to happen. Is that really the movie you, or anyone else, wants to see??

I don't necessarily agree with that. I think he really wanted to kill Batman because Joker initially thought Batman would be in the way of his fun. I think he then realized Batman was the most fun he was having.

I think he was being truthful to an extent with Two-face in the hospital scene. "Do I look like a man with a plan?" Yes Joker is deviously smart, but I really think a lot of this was made up along the way, simply to amuse himself.

Couldn't disagree more. Believing anything The Joker says is a huge mistake. They never come out and directly say what the Joker's overall plan is, which is one of the reasons the script is so well written, it leaves up to the audience to piece together, or not, what really was going on, how the Joker was manipulating everyone in Gotham, the mob, the cops, the goons, Harvey, and Batman himself, to jump through the hoops he set up. Batman was never in Joker's way at any time. He was telling the mob what they needed and wanted to hear, just as he does with everyone.

The Joker very much is a man with a plan, despite what he says. Poor broken Harvey bought into his lies. The Joker told him what he wanted to hear. The Joker desires to corrupt, to prove his point that people are inherently selfish and will "eat each other", once the thin vinear of civilization is taken away, "all it takes is a little push" and he is that force to push them. He is proven wrong when neither Batman nor the people on the ferry are corrupted, but he proves his point when he very deliberately, within his overall plan, drives Harvey, "the best of us", to a life of madness and crime. Sure he didn't count on Harvey becoming Two Face, that was just a wonderful, random bonus for him, but he did count on Rachel's death testing the supposed uncorruptibility of both Batman and Harvey. And in the end, he wins to some extent. Harvey is lost and broken and Batman becomes the murderer, at least in the minds of the people, that he swore he would never become.

 

[Joker]

There's no need for a third one. End it on this perfect note.

There is no need for any other hero movie after this triumph. It doesn't mean there won't be any.