3. There Are Still Plenty Of Villains Left To Explore
Looking back on the Rogues' Gallery of Batmans long and winding history, there are so many villains both iconic (The Riddler) and slightly more obscure (Clayface) that could be used who haven't appeared in the Nolan arc. The obvious stumbling block of course is how to use these characters without resorting to campy theatrics or half-hearted attempts at being serious as has happened in the past with Batman properties. One would suggest though that this very obstacle is what gave the new franchise its lifeblood - by anchoring Gotham in a more realistic, gritty, hard scrabble world devoid of neon and flamboyance, Christopher Nolan made Batman relevant in a world that had changed between Batman and Robin and Batman Begins. It made the Superhero film relevant once more, and in a way that didnt force audiences to write it off as a mere empty-headed entertainment. Even looking back to the early rumours surrounding who would be selected to be top villain for The Dark Knight Rises, one rumour stood out as a perfect example of converting a rather fantastical baddie into a legitimate one: The Penguin. Reinvented as an arms dealer, and rumoured to be played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Penguin rumour showed that applying the Nolan Technique to more supernatural characters needn't be so difficult. Imagine Clayface, still the aging actor addicted to beauty treatments, but using Botox, facial reconstruction, and an addiction to pain killers to mold his appearance into someone elses. Instead of resetting, and undoubtedly using The Joker and Catwoman once more, why not resurrect some lesser known villains to shake things up? Bane was a gamble himself, so bring on Clayface, I say.