Cillian Murphy returned for "The Dark Knight" after helping relaunch the Batman movie franchise as The Scarecrow in "Batman Begins." Murphy re-teams with director Christopher Nolan for his new film "Inception," so there is little doubt that Nolan would want him back if there's a Jonathan Crane role to be filled in "Batman 3"—and Murphy remains hopeful that a third installment is in the works.
"I hope they make a third one," he told MTV News. "I think 'The Dark Knight' was one of the greatest films."
Just because he's hopeful, however, doesn't mean that Nolan has shared his intentions on the "Inception" set. Read more...
Whether Christopher Nolan's follow-up to "The Dark Knight" begins filming next year as Gary Oldman anticipates it will (or not), the next big-screen Batman chapter might be bigger than anyone expected—literally.
Nolan gave moviegoers a taste of what specially shot IMAX footage could do for superhero films when he used the format for a few key scenes of "The Dark Knight." The format even inspired Jon Favreau to ponder IMAX for "Iron Man 2." Now, a breaking rumor indicates that Nolan may be considering a total IMAX approach as he head into his third Batman installment.
According to the usually reliable crew at Ain't It Cool News, the next film in Nolan's "Batman" franchise, which has yet to receive an official title, could be completely shot in IMAX. If the report turns out to be true, every scene would be getting formatted from the first day of shooting to be spread across super-wide screens everywhere. Read more...
So far in Christopher Nolan's new "Batman" film franchise, we've seen Joker and Two-Face reinterpreted as darker, more sinister re-imaginings of their previous big-screen incarnations. But which villain will be next?
While there's been significant chatter about characters like Catwoman, Riddler and The Penguin finding their way into the next Batman movie, we thought it would be interesting to get some thoughts on the situation from Danny DeVito, the actor who brought Oswald "The Penguin" Cobblepot to life in Tim Burton's 1992 film "Batman Returns."
"I think they should do what they do best: take other people's ideas and make movies out of them," DeVito told MTV News when asked how he feels the studio should proceed with the next installment. "I wouldn't want to stand in the way of regress of progress." Read more...
It's been 20 years since Tim Burton's "Batman" introduced a moody Michael Keaton to movie audiences, effectively re-establishing the caped crusader as an obsessive loner after extended periods of live-action and animated campiness. While the more whimsical elements of 1992's "Batman Returns" sometimes overshadow Burton's legacy of gothic motifs, his two films' darker take on Batman and the Joker are echoed in Christopher Nolan's Bat-blockbusters.
MTV spoke with the "9" producer ahead of his appearance at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego about his time with the franchise and his take on cinematic superheroes -- namely, Nolan's acclaimed "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight."
"These [movies] are great. When I got involved with [the Batman franchise] many years ago things were ripe for a different interpretation," Burton told MTV News. "When you look at character novels and [regenerated characters], they're such strong things that they can take reinvention." Read more...
If not for the offer of "whipping lessons" from Michelle Pfeiffer, the Catwoman of 1992's "Batman Returns," last week would have been a complete downer for Batman movie fans. On Wednesday, a rumor hit the 'Net that director Christopher Nolan might not return for a third film after "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," and we've seen little reason to disqualify it thus far.
Heck, when we spoke to Batman actor Christian Bale on the set of his upcoming film "Public Enemies," even he sounded uncertain about the Dark Knight's big-screen future.
"I truly don't know that we're ever going to see another Batman movie," Bale told MTV News. Read more...
Not even a full year has passed since the worldwide release of "The Dark Knight," but that doesn't stop the rumor mill from churning like mad. Some of these reports are fun to read -- if only because of how surprising they are -- but others? Not so much.
Case in point is the latest rumor on the "Batman 3" front, which says that Christopher Nolan might not return for another installment. Batman-On-Film has heard from a trusted source that Nolan's attachment to a third outing is far from a sealed deal, and may in fact be a long shot. Read more...
Ask Christian Bale about the next “Batman” movie, and these days he offers a standard eight-word reply -- and occasionally, two extra vowels to show his sincerity.
“Believe me, I have nothing to tell you,” Bale told MTV News when we spoke over the weekend. “Truly.”
Such words won’t thrill the millions of moviegoers who’ve powered the Dark Knight to the top of our recent Superhero Power Rankings list -- but dig a bit deeper and there might be some good news for those who fear that director Christopher Nolan could be finished with the franchise. Read more...
FROM MOVIES BLOG: Christopher Nolan has recruited another familiar face from Gotham City. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Batman Begins" actor Ken Watanabe will reunite with Christopher Nolan (and fellow "Begins" actor Cillian Murphy) for "Inception," Nolan's mysterious follow-up to "The Dark Knight."
He's not the only new castmember. Tom Hardy ("RocknRolla") has also signed on, joining Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page and Marion Cotillard. Not surprisingly, the plot still remains under wraps, but THR reveals that Watanabe will be playing the film's villain, a man who is attempting to blackmail DiCaprio. Hardy will be playing a member of DiCaprio's "team," which should put him together with grad student Page and Gordon-Levitt. Murphy's role is still unspecified.
For more on the growing, comics-friendly cast of Christopher Nolan's "Inception," head over to MoviesBlog.MTV.com.
With all eyes on Hugh Jackman's upcoming "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" debut this week, it's easy to forget about one comic book icon that has already proved his weight in box office gold. Christian Bale, Jackman's co-star in "The Prestige," kicked clown-faced butt and accepted loads of moviegoers' hard-earned cash in last summer's "The Dark Knight" -- but does the on-screen Bruce Wayne have a third "Batman" left in him?
"It's got to be the right story," Bale told TotalFilm. "You can't make something like 'The Dark Knight' and then come out with something disappointing." Read more...
FROM MOVIES BLOG: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is already a successful young actor by any measure, but he's quickly on his way to becoming a household name. A role in a Christopher Nolan film can only help, and that's what the "G.I. Joe" star has landed. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gordon-Levitt has signed onto Nolan's top secret thriller, "Inception." The young up-and-comer has replaced James Franco, who dropped out of the running due to schedule conflicts.
The cast now includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, and Gordon-Levitt. The plot still remains under lock and key, but it's been previously reported that DiCaprio plays "a CEO-type" and that Gordon-Levitt will play his associate. Page plays a grad student who is somehow the CEO's sidekick, and Cotillard plays DiCaprio's wife.
For more on Nolan, Gordon-Levitt and "Inception," head over to MoviesBlog.MTV.com.
