Poll: How Many Batman Movies Should They Make?
Filed under: Action, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Polls
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Does this current Batman franchise have the legs to go the Harry Potter route and churn out, say, eight films all together? Or has Christopher Nolan and Co. crafted the sort of universe that should come to a close after a third film? We ask this now because during a recent Warner Brothers conference call, CEO Jeff Bewkes made mention that they're interested in spinning Batman, Superman and Sherlock Holmes into potential multi-film franchises a la Harry Potter. He says, "The obvious thing we're going to take from it is more Dark Knight. We look at Harry Potter ... It's fantastic to have franchises that last that long. We want to do that with Batman and Superman and perhaps Sherlock Holmes. The sequels are as good, with new characters added, as were the originals. That wasn't the case in the years ago."
But will turning a franchise like Batman into an eight-picture epic mean that, like the previous franchise, those latter sequels will churn out crap? There's no way Christopher Nolan (or Christian Bale, for that matter) will remain involved for eight Batman films (he'll probably stop at three or mayyybe four), and so we'll be right back to finding a new director and a new Batman ... and then fans begin to squirm a little in their seats. Obviously Warners wants to turn this sucker into a cash cow, but there's definitely something to be said for a lean, mean trilogy featuring all the same actors and filmmakers.
So, I ask you: How many Batman films should they craft out of this current franchise?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-06-2009 @ 5:20PM
kingsley ume said...
I think that it will be good as long as chris nolan and Mr. Bale are on board. There is a lot of material they can go from and make it great. So, as long as those two are on board I will watch them.
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2-06-2009 @ 5:51PM
Keith said...
I agree. I think as long as the major villains for the Batman books are covered then it'll be okay. So maybe two more. Catwoman. Penguin. Riddler. Ivy. Then they're done. Right...? 'Cause they can't do Harley anymore...So. Two more should cut it.
2-07-2009 @ 5:34PM
totencough said...
Just as Nolan said himself, where there is a great story, I'll be there. You can't put a number on it, it's all whether there is something to be made, rather than try to squeeze the last drops from a sponge far gone.
I trust Nolan's judgment, but he and Bale have to be involved.
2-06-2009 @ 6:06PM
Dan said...
I'd like to see one more; just to round out the storyline that TDK ended with, and I really wouldn't want to look much further than that yet. They've got the right ingredients to make another, and if it were great, if all the same folks came back, would I watch a fourth? Hell yes. To put it this way, I'll watch as long as they've got Bale and Nolan and they're doing it for the right reasons.
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2-06-2009 @ 6:08PM
Brice_J said...
as soon as i seen the dark knight, as epic & amazing as it was, i was hungry for more. a lot more. i am clearly in the minority here, wanting 10 films altogether, but i believe i justify my plea by being a huge fan of the animated series. batman has a huge, impressive vault of villainy that couldn't be touched in just 3 films. i realize a lot of fans would be just fine with that, what with nolan & bale probably not being able to return. but what would irk me more, personally, is that we would be left simply with "a" version of batman, as opposed to "the" version of batman on film. although the comics have clearly been the top medium to establish the gray area of who batman is & isn't over the years, batman is just too big of a character to contain in a mere trilogy on film, i think. kevin conroy's & bruce timm's animated version will always be the definitive batman in my book, but i would love for the films to change my mind. batman: mask of the phantasm is still the #1 batman film i've ever seen because it represents a great story in a huge, collective world of depth & continuity. in my opinion it would be awesome for the films to present a similar feel in a fresh, diverse way. but, this is just one man's opinion =)
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2-06-2009 @ 6:18PM
dlh said...
3 and done and come back to it anew in 20 years. As a long running franchise it is better suited to animation - see Brice's comment about the personal importance of the 90's animated series. It will get wayyy to schlocky if you run it into a 5 - 10 film franchise. WB will run it until they turn out a new George CLooney disaster, tho.
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2-06-2009 @ 6:41PM
Liinda said...
I worry about overstaying the welcome. As long as they can achieve the quality of the last two films it will be fine. The Dark Knight was already thinner than Batman Begins (story-wise). They've probably got one more sweet film, then bow out gracefully. But what do I know???? We'll see.
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2-06-2009 @ 8:06PM
Mr. R said...
3 and then do amazing, ground breaking animation. Years later they can make a comeback and reboot. Batman is forever!
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2-06-2009 @ 9:00PM
Meh said...
As many as they f@$#ing can! Wring out every/any sign of a dollar that could possibly exist in this franchise.
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2-06-2009 @ 9:19PM
mezzanine said...
I don't get the logic that sequels are automatically shitty so there's no use in making them. For some franchises, they should stop at number 3, but Batman is a strong character. He's been strong for around 70 years. And even if there are countless more sequels and they do suck, it's not like it will hurt anyone. No one forced you to see Batman and Robin, but at least it's there for us to make fun of. And it didn't kill the character or make us lose respect for him, and I think the success of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight can support me on that.
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2-09-2009 @ 1:22PM
ppk said...
I agree that these films, both BB and TDK, are spectacular examples of film making but they are not end all be all... Nolan and Bale have done surprising jobs with the character, far beyond all expectations. This article goes into detail about the what ifs of badness related to a new director and star; what if , as sacrilegious as some may think this to be, a new director and star turn out to be even better. I turn to the Bond franchise as an example over twenty movies strong... some are better than others but no one could argue that here haven't been improvements over the years, even after moving away from the Ian Fleming source material. New directors and new stars have brought much to the character and so too could be with Bats. I say as many as possible because even a bad Batman movie is better than another "my girl/boy friend died and I need to find meaning in my life" drama or tired police drama. Give me Batman 20, as long as there is truth to the character; most comic book directors make that mistake... there is no need to reinvent the wheel, comics by their very nature are cinematic, they are there own storyboards one does not need to stray too far from the source material to get it right for us fan boys and if the story arc chosen is one of significant strength the general public will enjoy it just as much.
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2-06-2009 @ 10:33PM
Riley Freeman said...
i dont know how anyone can say stop. they have been making movies of these things for over 20 years its going to keep going even if it has to restart each time.
as long as they take their time and make a good product ill keep watchin
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2-06-2009 @ 10:36PM
Batzarro said...
I vote other: How many movies can they make without recurring to Batman's slightly more sci fi enemies and friends. In it's current form, that's not enought for 4 more films. Frankly I don't think the the franchise in it's current state could hold "MR Freeze" "Killer Croc" or Bane. And yeah, they won't have Nolan forever, wich means director sitch, wich is not only actually risky, but will bring fan backlash, irregardless of who you bring, because everyone has the hots for Nolan and Bale now.
Let's cross that bridge when we reach it.
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2-07-2009 @ 12:11AM
Wiiman said...
God how I long for a "The Dark Knight Returns" film.
If they could travel 20-15 years back in time to get the younger Clint Eastwood to play the older Bruce Wayne, it would be the perfect film.
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2-07-2009 @ 1:49AM
Chet said...
There should be one more Nolan/Bale Batman, it should be "The Dark Knight Returns," and they shouldn't start shooting until 2018.
2-07-2009 @ 4:50AM
BloodwerK said...
two. with ledger gone the joker is gone, and what could top the joker? nothing, that's what...
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2-07-2009 @ 11:11AM
dukrous said...
How about as many as they feel like making?
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2-08-2009 @ 1:47AM
Batzarro said...
Hey, as long as they're bringing as much Batman as people can swallow, how's it about Justice League, eh? Comeo n, Warner, you know you want to...
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2-10-2009 @ 5:04PM
hjalmar said...
we did get 4 batman movies 2 of them are good and then the 2 last movies are bad they are all calld (Batman) (Batman Returns) and then the last (Batman Forever) and (Batman & Robin) and now we have 2 Nolan/Bale Batman movies so why not bring os 2 more of Nolan/Bale Batman so that we will have 4 good BATMAN movies of all time..... ps thanks 4 BB and TDK movies :)
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