The The Dark Knight being the monstrous success that it has been, everyone has just kind of assumed that director Chris Nolan would definitely be back for a third go-around. There have been all sorts of reports from since before TDK even came out that if the story was right and fit the canon, then Nolan would be back. However, Batman-On-Film is reporting that a contact who “works in the business behind the camera” thinks that this may not be such a given:
The death of Heath Ledger in January of 2008 rocked Mr. Nolan hard. So hard that Chris was convinced that TDK was going to be it for him and Batman on film.
The Joker was going to return in BATMAN 3.
“You are correct in reporting that he is developing story ideas with [Jonathan Nolan] and [David Goyer] , but it will be until AT LEAST 2012 before we see the Caped Crusader back [in theaters]. And that is only an EARLY ESTIMATE at best right now. They are even saying it might not be until 2013.”
Basically, the BATMAN film franchise is back to square one. As far as a story or a BATMAN 3, “Right now, there is none,” says our guy.
I think everyone wants Nolan to return, but I doubt we will hear anything set in stone until after he has wrapped on his latest huge under-taking, Inception. So, if Nolan were to drag his feet committing to another Batman film, would everyone be willing to wait until supposedly 2013?! Or does WB take its chances with another director with the same writing team?
Or, of course, there is the possibility that this is just all a bunch of bullshit.