10. The Scar Story
It might seem like an abominable idea to some to suggest that the Joker needs an origin story, considering how Heath Ledger's take on the character presented him as a curiously supernatural and timeless creation - something chaotic created out of nothing as a response to Batman - and the playful lies of his scar story, but there is certainly some merit in telling that story. That story was one of the only consciously unresolved parts of Nolan's trilogy, and though there was some magic to those sequences, their lack of resolution opens up some irresistible possibilities. If the next script-writer was to channel The Killing Joke to tell an origin story of the Joker as he returns to Gotham to enact his bloodiest crimes yet, they could easily craft a compelling and entertaining story to rival Nolan's progression of the Bat. Another actor could be found to take on the role in the present - though he wouldn't necessarily have to be seen until the final resolution of the story - with a younger casting for the origin sequences, and it would certainly be one way to make a Batman film without Bruce Wayne, as John Blake could be the protagonist tracking the Joker's murders in the present, with a narrator - or even the Joker himself - as the narrator. And if we are going to be forced to see yet another Batman origin story, I would much prefer it to focus on the Joker, and not the Caped Crusader himself, whose origins are well-versed and lack the necessary dimensions to allow for a profound re-telling without betraying the foundation of the character. That story is untouchable - as it should always be considered - but the idea that a reboot would inherently have to retell it is far from exciting, and switching focus to the Joker's origin would solve both that problem and the issue of continuity for those who aren't ready for a total reboot. What do you think, Batman fans? Would you like to see the Joker return with the next Batman film? Share your thoughts below.