Chris Nolan Talks 'Justice League' and More 'Batman 3'
Filed under: Action, RumorMonger, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
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A few days ago, we posted some quotes from Christopher Nolan featured in a three-part interview with the LA Times. Well, since that was only the first part, we're now back with a few more -- this time the writer-director talks about that potential Justice League movie, whether his Batman could fit into that universe and whether Warner Bros. is pressuring him to get moving, like, yesterday on the next Batman movie.
On Justice League: "I don't think our Batman, our Gotham, lends itself to that kind of cross-fertilization. It goes back to one of the first things we wrangled with when we first started putting the story together: Is this a world in which comic books already exist? Is this a world in which superheroes already exist? If you think of "Batman Begins" and you think of the philosophy of this character trying to reinvent himself as a symbol, we took the position -- we didn't address it directly in the film, but we did take the position philosophically -- that superheroes simply don't exist. If they did, if Bruce knew of Superman or even of comic books, then that's a completely different decision that he's making when he puts on a costume in an attempt to become a symbol. It's a paradox and a conundrum, but what we did is go back to the very original concept and idea of the character. In his first appearances, he invents himself as a totally original creation."
On the studio's pressure to make another Batman: "They're being extremely gracious. I have a very good relationship with the studio. They know that I really needed to go on holiday and take some time to figure what I want to do next. They've been very respectful of that, which is terrific and one of the reasons I enjoy working with Warner Bros."
What do you think? Do you agree with Nolan and feel his Batman doesn't belong in any sort of Justice League universe? Check out the rest over at the LA Times blog.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-30-2008 @ 2:17PM
Victor said...
I agree whole-heartedly with his theory about comic books not existing in that world... with one caveat.
I think it is completely workable that Batman has to be the FIRST superhero in this world. Where there's one, it's bound to inspire others. And then, you can even have Batman wrestling with what it's like to have his idea of being a symbol co-opted by other heroes. Where he inspires fear, Superman would inspire hope. That would make Batman look doubly negative.
As long as Batman is acknowledged as the first, and the one that inspired all the others, then I have no problem with Justice League taking place in this same movie universe.
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10-30-2008 @ 2:19PM
joits said...
definitely agree with nolan's vision and his opinion of other super heroes in his world of batman. and hopefully warner bros realizes what they have on their hands in terms of the nolan/bale duo and don't mess up by trying to force them to make a justice league movie.
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10-30-2008 @ 2:36PM
John R said...
The man knows what he's doing. WB should treat Nolan like Kubrick. Just let him do what he wants when he wants.
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10-30-2008 @ 2:45PM
mcafee_matthew said...
I always felt that the Justice League or DC universe just doesn't hold up as well as the Marvel/Avengers universe. Thats not to say one is bette than the other...not at all. I just believe that in a universe where there is being as powerful as superman or the the martian man hunter, a character like Batman falls to the wayside...he is much much cooler as an original incarnation within his own story in his own universe.
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10-30-2008 @ 3:20PM
Riley Freeman said...
i think it could work. but only if he did justice league. which would probably break the director salary record
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10-30-2008 @ 5:00PM
Paul Nicholson said...
They pulled this off in Ironman. He invented himself on his own, [SPOILER] then was contacted at the end by S.H.I.E.L.D. to join the Avenger program, which he apparently knew nothing about. He was deep inside the military machine and didn't know about it, so clearly it is a well kept secret.
Why couldn't that be the case in the DC/Batman Begins universe as well?
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10-30-2008 @ 5:45PM
B said...
Incorporating Marvel would be the end to Nolan's Batman career. First, it is too predictable and the Justice League characters would take away from the viewer being able to relate with Nolan's characters. Nolan has done a great job at making even the most avid Batman fans suprised in his films. The way he has transformed the characters to be more relatable and dark is exactly what the best movies have today.
As mcafee stated above, Justice League is a fantastic creation, but needs its own movie, and the dark theme that is used in Batman would not suite the Justice League well. Nolan needs to keep suprising us, as I am sure he will again.
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10-31-2008 @ 12:24AM
Batzarro said...
Hey, maybe now that Nolan has stated the obvious, a lot more people will believe it!
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11-02-2008 @ 9:56PM
bmcclure said...
If Frank Miller can pull off Alfred commenting to Bruce that he hopes he "doesn't start flying around in a cape like that man in Metropolis", and Miller is the source material here, I think it's very easy for Nolan to incorporate that city and the JLA in to the Batman franchise. It's an inevitable part of the story line of Batman, much like Robin.
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11-03-2008 @ 9:42AM
Bill said...
I also think it would be easy to connect Nolan's Batman with a Justice League version. But I would not mind if a different actor played him or if events in a Justice League movie were not acknowledged in further Batman films either. The fact is taking Batman out of Gotham and fighting Superman caliber villians is something different than the character was created to do...but it is so cool to see in a team-up situation. They ought to do a Justice League movie regardless. I don't really care about Avengers outside of the cool version of Iron Man we just saw participating in it. And if they're going to do an Avengers movie they just HAVE to do Justice League simply for the fact that a big film Superman Batman team-up is an awesome idea.
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11-05-2008 @ 5:51AM
Angel said...
I don't know if it would be easy but it can definitely be done, it's just going to take a really great script to make it happen. The Dark Knight has set a high standard for what a super hero film should be. And Christopher Nolan's Batman in The Dark Knight is so dark & serious It will be very difficult to put him & the squeaky clean Superman in the same film let alone with Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash. Can you close your eyes & imagine all of them sitting around a room talking. It's going to take a lot to make it from becoming some silly Fantastic Four thing.
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12-04-2008 @ 10:46PM
Kenny G said...
I mean reall this would be the best thing for Batman & Superman and it would be beyound easy. Look its very simple, we have the Batman we have always wanted and hes doing great. Now while Bateman and Superman are not the same person they were both made with the same ideas.
1 No matter how dark Batman is and no matter how pwerfull Superman is the one thing they both will never do is take a life
2 they both lost there family so they relate
3 they both fight with there iner self to want to be normal but cant because there desire to do good outways that.
This is the back ground to your movie You make it a Batman film first and while Batman is fighting crimein Gotham he and alfred are watching the news and there is talk of this Superman that poped up in Metropolis(Superman had to start some where) Batman alwyas being the older one he sees this as a opertunity to to get help and he is amazed and concerned at the same time and he now reaches out to superman and being that Batman is now established he can mentor young Clark on how to be a super hero as they begain to fight crime together Clark can open up to a man he can trust and Batman no longer feels alone and starts to understand just how much good he is doing. I think this would be great and it could be done right and with class. You gusy are correct Batman would need to be the first but the catch is he already is.
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11-14-2008 @ 9:25AM
jewel said...
i think, first of all a good story is required for a good JLA movie. secondly, for those who are not involved with comics much or does not buy comics frequently or at least download them to get a glimpse, the entire JLA concept seems vague without presence of batman. Nolan or DC Universe or whoever is making these films should keep batman in mind because this may result in a great story (remember "JLA: Tower of Babel"?). but hey, i am not saying that we must see batman in upcoming JLA movie necessarily, we can wait. may be in next JLA movie. but sooner or later batman's involvement IS must in JLA without which the entire JLA seems incomplete.
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11-18-2008 @ 7:19PM
JLAR said...
Before Justice league they should defenetly do a Batman-Superman tie in movie. Batman finds out about this new superhero in metropolis and belives he could be too powerful and dangerous so set out to stop him. Superman believes Batman to be some sort of criminal and also goes out to stop him, in the end a new villain pops up and they must join forces to stop him.
Sure Superman is way stronger than batman and has a great advantage at fighting, but Batman is way smarter and has almost unlimited resources.
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12-28-2008 @ 11:51PM
LA 3.0 said...
Make a Justice League movie or bust! It will out sale Batman Dark Knight.
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