3. The League of Shadows
Now that it's been put out that there the next movie in this set of flicks doesn't have to be about The Batman, why not go a step further. Does it even have to be about a hero? Does it even have to follow forward from the last movie? What if we got a movie that covered the history of the entire League of Shadows? There are many reasons to do this, but one stands out right off the bat, and his name is Liam Neeson. How cool would it be to see him on screen for the better part of two or three hours as Ras Al Ghul even if Batman is never mentioned once? Even more interesting is that a League of Shadows movie could set up some interesting ideas moving forward from Rises. Jonathan "The Scarecrow" Crane is still out there. So is the Joker (yes we know his role being recast would set of a nerdular storm of controversy, but it is inevitable it has to happen) who could be busted outta Arkham and offered a spot on the League. Something with a sprawling and epic tone that tells the whole story of the league and then pushes forward into new territory with a more complete view of the life and legacy of Ras Al Ghul and how the League continues without him would be unlike any other "super" movie that's come around. This could be not only a genre redefining project, it could in fact be a genre creating movie. Has there really been a "Super Villain" movie before... well maybe Oliver Stone's W... In an even bigger sense, the League could be used to extend a hand out into the rest of the DC trunk of magic tricks and start up villains in other cities that could be seen in movies like Man of Steel and The Flash. Sure, Nolan's said he doesn't think that his version of Batman works well with a large movie universe but that's not his call alone to make. Also, if it's the John Blake version of Batman fighting with the Justice League (who would have a great reason to use that name now) then it wouldn't be such a raw rub against Nolan's vision. Also, doesn't it kind of make sense that the League of Shadows is something that Lex Luthor would be interested in, even if he never joined? One of the best uses of the League of Shadows has been the way that they offer a link to most of the villains in the Batman world, especially by giving a broader connection for Bane to fit into. Speaking of Bane and the story that he's most famous for, remember where that one ended up at?...