Christopher Nolan is no fun. Sure he and his crack team have created the best superhero movie of all-time, and a second that comes amazingly close to the other's brilliance (and I'll leave you to figure out which is which). And, sure, he did it all while revitalizing the Caped Crusader, making him important and exciting again after decades of irrelevance.
But would it kill him to expand his horizons a little bit?
We kid, of course, cause it's hard to imagine the Batman property in any better hands. But with "The Incredible Hulk" and "Iron Man," rival Marvel has proved that nothing is as cool as cross-pollinating supers. So if Nolan were to change his mind about opening up the DC library a little, who could make a cameo appearance in "Batman 3"? We took a look at the comic characters in other DC titles that would best fit in Nolan's expanding universe.
The Question: If there's even a hint of competition for Batman's sleuthing crown, it comes from The Question, aka Vic Savage, a complex reporter turned vigilante with a mind as sharp as a tack, and a face as dull as a whiteboard. His costume, simply a blank face, is realistic enough, and could easily fit, but we see him more as a subtle nod than a competing super -- a reporter who asks Bruce Wayne the hard questions, and quotes Ayn Rand in the process.
Why it could work: His role as a reporter is easy enough to fit in anywhere, and his post "Watchmen" comic identity as an "X-Files" esque conspiracy theorist is perfect for a Gotham besieged by corruption.
Why it won't: The post "Watchmen" thing. Yeah, this guy was based on The Question. Good luck separating the two in the minds of most audience members.
The Green Arrow: World's best archer Oliver Queen is another superhero, like Batman, without any of those pesky, reality destroying superpowers to get in the way of a cameo. His secret identity as an impossibly smart billionaire, meanwhile, means he could appear in either incarnation equally well -- with a mask or without it. Take note Nolan: Without the gimmicky arrows, he's basically about as real as you could get.
Why it could work: Because it has already, innumerable times, most notably, perhaps, in Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns," where he was envisioned as an anti-government terrorist. Bonus: We know "Batman Begins" co-scripter David Goyer loves the character -- he wrote a whole movie based around him called "Super Max."
Why it won't: "Super Max." This is despite the fact that a brief cameo as a terrorist like vigilante in "Batman 3" would be an awesome set-up for that film, where Queen has to escape from a high-security prison after being charged with a crime he didn't commit.
Black Canary: "The Blond Bombshell," as she's sometimes known, Dinah Drake Lance (or her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance if you’re not into the whole Golden Age thing), is a martial arts master whose one true power is a Canary Cry, which can shatter objects and incapacitate opponents.
Why it could work: Cause she's essentially Catwoman without all the Halle Berry baggage, a sexy foil simultaneously both friend and foe to Batman. In the comics, she even develops a relationship with Barbara Gordon.
Why it won't: Cause she doesn't really say anything about Batman himself, which is ideally what any character should do (the Joker, Two-Face, etc, all bringing out some aspect of Bruce Wayne). But she's too easy to include subtly to overlook completely for a cameo. Maybe we combine the last two and have Batman pass "Sherwood Florist" on his Batpod.
John Constantine: Forget everything you know about Keanu Reeves portrayal of this character in the eponymous 2005 film. It's true that a slavish recreation of this character, an occult detective who walks with every God imaginable, wouldn't work in Nolan's Gotham, but what about a British exorcist? A spiritual advisor? Just make sure he's played by Sting.
Why it could work: Cause he deserves another shot at big-screen glory, and an appearance in "Batman 3," could be a perfect set-up to do it right, so long as nothing is actually explicitly said about his otherworldly powers in Nolan's film, where it would detract from that film's realistic tone.
Why it won't: They don't allow movie characters to smoke anymore. Shame, really.
Zatanna: A sultry sorceress with magical powers so large, she's often called the most powerful member of the Justice League.
Why it could work: Because, once again, it already has so wonderfully. In "Batman: The Animated Series," Zatanna appeared as a simple illusionist and escape artist, an old flame of Bruce Wayne's who returns to Gotham only to be framed by a magic debunker. Not only do her skills translate to Nolan's world, she could even teach Wayne a thing or two about how to combine his ninja skills with a Houdini-esque flair for the dramatic. What's not to love?
Why it won't: We can't think of a reason, actually. Make it so, Nolan.
Others considered: Toyman, Nightwing (Yes, Nightwing. Deal with it.), Sgt. Rock, Sandman.
What do you think? Would you want to see Nolan cross-pollinate his universe with other DC characters, a la "Hulk" and "Iron Man," or are you pleased as punch he's not considering it. If the former, would any of these above characters make a worthy addition to his universe? Any others you could think of who might fit? Sound off below.
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