Obviously it goes without saying there will be spoilers in this article;
The ending to Christopher Nolan’s last Batman film The Dark Knight Rises didn’t pass without controversy, but whether you love or hate what he did with, there’s no denying that its ambiguity made for a rather smart finale. There’s so many logical ways of reading the ending…
If you want to believe that Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne was killed in the nuclear explosion then there are several valid points that can back-up your theory and I wouldn’t say you were wrong. If you want to believe that Bruce Wayne lived and has now retired to settle down with Selina Kyle in Florence, leaving Robin John Blake with the keys to the Batcave as Gotham’s new protector, then that I can also believe.
But the question I am asking you today is a little different. I am interested to hear your thoughts on how you interrupt the ending of The Dark Knight Rises and how Warner Bros will take the series from here, for no other reason than because I am interested to hear what you made of it and to settle a discussion I am having with a What Culture reader. Now one rule to bare in mind with this poll, you should not allow the judgement of what you have heard last year regarding what WB were planning to do with the Batman saga after this month’s release. We are talking purely about the ending of The Dark Knight Rises and whether or not you believe it teases a Joseph Gordon-Levitt led sequel…
And now that you’ve voted, you can read the debate I’m having with a What Culture reader in the article after the “next” button…
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33 Comments
I really do hope that its a re boot that Christian Bale,Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon Levitt return to take on unexplored characters such as the riddler, Mister Freeze the list goes on and the possibilities endless! What I like about the writers of this alleged trilogy is that they can take up to 3 different batman comics from any era take bits and pieces and put it all together to tell the story of Batman and the villains, however I did always question what happened to Robbin? Now we know!
As much as I respect what Nolan did with the new Batman set up for potential sequels I just don’t think a non Bruce Wayne Batman would work in sequels and in turn the Justice League movie. I call re-boot but not a total reboot. Just a reboot back to an established Bruce Wayne Batman.
HAHA WOW congrats on twisting the words around to make a poll that proves your point about as much as it proves pigs fly, douchebag!
You make it sound like youve been debating with someone who’s being saying “that ending doesnt set up more stuff happening in a sequel at all WAH WAH WAH” Of course it does, thats not being debated for a second!
XD Not what I said in the slightest and you know it
FYI everyone, the point i’ve been pointlessly driving forward much like everyone else on the article has to one very stubborn, ignorant person in particular was that there WON’T be a sequel set in Nolan’s universe as the whole point was to end Bruce Wayne’s story happily (since the whole trilogy is his story, not batman’s) and let the audience know that gotham will still have a protector. It’s a THEME directors and writers use to tell a story, just like the sopranos, blackadder, inception, the wrestler, the grey and about a million other movies and series have ended leading into more stuff or things still unresolved, it doesnt mean theyre going to do it or even people want them to, its a PLOT DEVICE.
this articles top comment and all its replies speaks for itself
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/07/25/a-dozen-sci-fi-sequels-we-want
Hey, genius. let me know when you posted the “WILL THEY make a Joseph Gordon-Levitt batman-less sequel next?” poll and if that gets more Yes votes (assuming you dont fix it that is) then you can go get your gold star from the principal and feel super smart, until then youre a pathetic child whos been wrong on every ridiculous point youve made and will be proven wrong whenever they decide to announce the reboot.
until then, have a nice day ; )
Sorry Dan, looks like you were wrong thinking you were in the majority.
I still don’t see all those other people arguing the same point as you Dan?
………HUH???????????? did you not JUST read the post above where I ONE HUNDRED PERCENT proved you wrong and put you in your place???? do you honestly not realize how pathetic this poll is??????
lets try again shall we…….
Still waiting on ACTUAL poll that makes sense instead of this garbage Juice.
“Does it set up reboot or sequel” ……..WHAT!?!?!?!!?
tell me how does one “set up a reboot” exactly????? you gave people a question with only one logical answer and, once again, NOT the question you were poorly attempting to prove to everyone else who actually understood the movie.
So ONCE AGAIN, be a man for once in your life and post the poll with the point you ACTUALLY think is right which is “Will they make a JGL sequel set in the Nolan Batman universe or Completely Reboot”
or dont and prove me right, automatically. Post THAT POLL verbatim and then you can go on about how right you were in cuckoo fantasy land.
Dan,
Calm down and stop losing your mind. I am completely losing what your argument is. You told me in a previous comment that 99% of those who saw the movie in the theatre would see it as the end of the trilogy and wouldn’t think it was setting up a sequel with John Blake as the lead character.
I said you were wrong.
I decided to run a poll to see what our readers thought and the votes are in my favour. Most of those who watched the film in the cinema do not see it as the end… but as the beginning ahead of a sequel that would continue the story with JGL.
So can you please, without losing your mind, ask me what problems you have with that? Write them clearly and succinctly as your argument appears to be all over the place.
Also… tell me what poll you want putting up on the site. Detail to me what question and what answers you want and I will publish it.
Wow Dan you sure are a sore loser. Why don’t you just shut up and leave it alone. You aren’t under Warner Brothers employ. They can do whatever the hell they want with the franchise with or without Nolan and Bale. Warner Bros hold the movie rights not Nolan. Maybe you’re right maybe Matt is maybe neither of you are. The only for sure thing I see in all of this is that you are the douchebag who resorts to name calling and whining when people don’t agree with you. Now you could argue that my calling you a douchebag makes me the same and it may, but I just call it how I see it and I see before me a douchebag.
A. I am right, just like the MAJORITY of everyone rightfully telling you how cuckoo you are on the actual article
B. This doesnt prove the actual point in question and ya know it X )
C. Still waiting on the ACTUAL poll which actually makes sense “Will they make a JGL sequel set in the Nolan Batman universe or Completely Reboot” so any time now, tick tock…….
Dan,
I can run that poll later in the week, it is a little too similar to the one we have up at the moment though. If you read my article and my comments… I’m not certain they will make a JGL sequel. I didn’t realise that was what you had beef with me about? I think they will do a JGL sequel, I think it would be a big mistake not to, but I’m not certain they will. I don’t believe I ever said the majority of those would agree with me that they will. What I said was the majority of those who saw the movie are expecting to see a sequel in the same universe… this is not the internet crowd I’m talking about who are only expecting a reboot because of what they read in Variety last year.
What the poll is referring to is your comment about what 99% of people thought at the end of the movie that it didn’t tease a sequel… when it clearly it does.
nobody cares.
You can only be right if your name is not Dan.
Dan take your egotistic opinions and get a life you sad sad man. Ah people like you need a thump in the face you idiot. Maybe its just some people(like you dan) have nothing better to do with your life. your a pussy and an idiot Dan really are so PATHETIC
I feel that this film is perfectly set up for a sequel. I feel that Chris Nolan should stay on board with the franchise. Just coming back with a Robin and no Batman is a huge mistake. Also, the problem I found with the original Batman sequels was having a new actor play Batman in each film- i thought they were a bit cheesy and trying to hard to resemble the comics. Nolan adds the true vision for the films and it should continue with the vision as the story continues. Bale and Nolan are the key players in this movie franchise and should stay on board. Like the Twilight sequels I did not like the difference between the vision of the different directors, where Batman would have the same problem and it’s not worth the risk. This franchise can be the next Harry Potter type films, where every time you release one it grosses BILLIONS. we need it for the economy and we need it for our entertainment get away for reality purposes. Dont let this story die and or get cheese ball… Thanks for listening, AlienFly
Hi Matt
Can you start a poll on the comment I mentioned last- if you think they should just continue the franchise as is, Bale, Nolan, and the rest. Like the new Spiderman, yes, it’s making money, but it didn’t hit like the first one did with Toby, its not the same at all. they have somethng special going with Nolans Batman and its not going to be the same moving forward. Nolan’s creative vision is was too important for this franchise. Thoughts??? AF
Dan is an ass.
NOPE. you’re thinking of the losers trolls with no common sense who post brainless articles on this hole of a site like this one with the poll which make exactly zero sense and the other article where just about every person who posted agreed with me in the MAJORITY ; ) and even funnier they agreed that other pathetic excuse for an article was so pointless that it shouldnt have even existed! LOL
I forgive ya for getting confused though, kiddo. now give my mommy back the computer and get that basement clean, shes counting on you : )
Umm all I have to say in the movies the comics and the TV series, who DOES ROBIN HELP, AND WHAT IS ROBIN’S WHOLE POINT ANYWAY??
Nolan said that it is the final batman movie he is directing. Somewhere else it was mentioned that they will reboot batman entirely for The Avengers movie in 2013/2014
…because batman was totally an Avenger…right?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
I think you’re thinking of the Justice League buddy… Batman is from DC comics, and The Avengers is Marvel… The Justice League, however, is practically DC’s take on The Avengers (or vice versa.. idk which one came first.)
Nolan doesn’t intend on doing a sequel. His trilogy revolves around Bruce Wayne and his story of being batman. Robin was only used to answer questions regarding the future of Gotham after Wayne is done. It is assumed Robin takes over as Gotham’s protector to tie any loose ends with no intent of a sequel. Besides if DC plans on doing JLA movie, they’ll need a Bruce Wayne Batman.
Again that was:
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/122/1225557p1.html
22:30 – 23:10
the moment I proved EVERYTHING you inept tools have said 150% wrong (even though it was already painfully obvious to everyone in the other article except for your equally dumb loser bed buddy) and PROVED it the moment you removed my last comment where the ACTUAL professionals who actually work in the industry and um know how a movie works put you in your place! oh and try to keep this comment up this time girls, so anyone who comes through can see how dumb you’ve sounded through every fail of an attempt to argue a moot point X )
So once again, and for the last time now, get a clue before speaking and EMBARRASSING yourself next time and just listen to the big boys with the much better, higher qualified jobs K
BUH BYE ; )
Just because Nolan says he is done doesn’t mean Goyer or Warner Bros is done. Nolan clearly left the story open for more, and WB would very stupid to not enter the door Nolan left open. Nolan in the producer role would be highly lucrative for the brilliant filmmaker. Give Nolan a few months to rest from this. He’s already been quoted to hint at being intrigued by the Anne Hathaway character. The joke’s on us. Batman Beyond is coming. My theory: someone has to fix Gotham City. Read the comics. Lex Luthor is coming to town. This will lead to a Superman/Batman movie. Goyer clearly has a plan here. I also suspect John Blake character to turn bad someday, hence the reason they are not using the iconic Dick Grayson to be this would be evil character. I know I’m dreaming, but Nolan is too calculating a moviemaker to really end it all here. I believe in my heart there’s a big plan set up and it’s just the beginning…
All of you who fight over this pointless crap are showing your stupidity and how childish you all are such a shame.
“FYI everyone, the point i’ve been pointlessly driving forward much like everyone else on the article has to one very stubborn, ignorant person in particular was that there WON’T be a sequel set in Nolan’s universe as the whole point was to end Bruce Wayne’s story happily (since the whole trilogy is his story, not batman’s) and let the audience know that gotham will still have a protector. It’s a THEME directors and writers use to tell a story, just like the sopranos, blackadder, inception, the wrestler, the grey and about a million other movies and series have ended leading into more stuff or things still unresolved, it doesnt mean theyre going to do it or even people want them to, its a PLOT DEVICE”
When a director or writer decides to use “THEME” as a tool to portray their own ‘story’, they must strictly adhere to the conditions of their chosen theme. By Nolen choosing The Batman, Bane, etc. to play the parts in his more personal and emotional story, he must also commit to the “Theme” conditions; namely allowing The Batman, Bane, etc. to always act “normal”. The Batman talks, looks and acts a certain way, as well as the entire Batman Universe. The Sopranos, as you mentioned, must always maintain the “Italian Mafia” theme conditionals regardless of the director’s own ‘story’.
What I am understanding from this is that since it is “Nolan’s Batman”, he is free to break the conditionals of the theme and “nudge” the storyline to his likings. That’s a “logical inconsistency” (I’m sure you know all about those though, reading this…) that will be noticed by the audience and ultimately ruin the movie.
Now because we know the theme is Batman, these “PLOT DEVICES” you mention make strong inferences when given the known theme; Batman. This is not Inception; though Nolan did use a similar approach to both endings, the aim of Inception’s ending (keeping in mind the theme was a creation of his own) was to allow the audience to never have a 100% accurate conclusion and allow them to have whatever ending finishes the movie off the best for them personally.
The theme for this movie was Batman, so “whatever ending finishes best for you” will NOT work here. It is very possible that Nolan will make another Batman, and the argument then becomes which of the multiple possible “ending routes” will he take to introduce the next?
I’m with Dan, anyone who thinks that there will be a direct sequel to these films is a tool. There is no way the John Blake character can sustain his own Batman film, never mind carry on into a JL film, it needs the Bruce Wayne character to work as he is such a marketable name.
The Justice League also needs the tactical genius side of the character so for this reason alone they need to reboot as one things Nolan’s films didn’t necessarily get across is Batman’s intellect & detective skills. Plus we could get more fantastical villains like Freeze or Croc.
You have all got to much time on your hands. Get a Job, especially you dan.
I have a conspiracy theory that I am going to throw out there, how did he live? Superman is the only fasted man that could have got him out before the explosion or the Green Lantern could have protected him during the blast.
This will inevitably lead to the coming of the Justice League, either way; the studio will always think of something and just hope it will be nothing stupid. There, can someone please pass this idea to them and bring Batman back!!!!!!!!!!!!
People, real name of Robin is Dick Grayson, not John Blake!
Dick Grayson needed an alter ego name,John Blake.
I think they’ll do a sequel with JGL, though I’m not happy with that. I’ve been a Batman fan since I was a kid, and I think the trilogy is absolutely perfect as it is. But, the though of more money always leads to the ruin of fantastic series such as this. I just hope they don’t totally throw Nolan’s rules out the window and send Batman’s character spiraling down in an irreversible plummet.
i say robin a new and darker version of robin. robin can be on screen by himself and leave bruce and selina on there vacation.