The Dark Knight Rises Fear. Chaos. Pain. Vote for your favorite Nolan Batfilm!

[Anno_Domini]

Agreed. It will be nice if TDKR gets a reference whenever we see some threequels.

 

[BatLobster]

IMO, it'd be very silly to ignore it. The best threequel/trilogy closer ever made as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Brain Damage]

IMO, it'd be very silly to ignore it. The best threequel/trilogy closer ever made as far as I'm concerned.

It's certainly one of them. But I'm still waiting for the trilogy in which each sequel is universally hailed as miles better than the previous one.

 

[Anno_Domini]

Sadly, I'd have to agree that we still need to wait for a trilogy where each film is universally hailed better then the previous. Even if TDKR has a massive fanbase and some who feels TDKR is the best of the three(like me), I'm not blind enough to see that TDK is the more universally acclaimed of the trilogy, followed by TDKR, then BB.

If anything, though, if another CBM threequel is trying to play some finality such as giving some kind of closure to a main character, then I would be shocked if TDKR isn't referenced, and especially if a CBM threequel tries to have a massive scope or become a bit more epic than previous installments.

 

[BatLobster]

I do wonder if there'll ever be another CBM to do a "hard" ending. Thing is, Nolan was in a unique position of power. WB knew they needed him to come back and were willing to give him a ton of creative freedom. They also have a great working relationship with him and don't want to burn bridges by mucking around with his Bat-universe. But for most of the other franchises out there, it's the studio calling the shots. Certainly with the Marvel films, save maybe Joss Whedon. And studios don't usually want to end highly profitable franchises, they want to keep 'em going for as long as possible.

I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see more third superhero films try to raise the stakes as much as possible though. That's how it should be anyway.

 

[Brain Damage]

It's not really a "hard" ending. Not as hard as it could have been, anyways.

This is starting to make me uncomfortable.

But anyway. Point is, even though yes, Bruce's story did get an ending, the world of the trilogy itself is still very much left open SHOULD WB choose to go that route (and I really hope they don't). I think the best CBM franchise for a real hard ending would be Superman.

 

[BatLobster]

It's not really a "hard" ending. Not as hard as it could have been, anyways.

This is starting to make me uncomfortable.

I dunno though, even if the ending had been Bruce Wayne really dies and John Blake doesn't take up the mantle...they could have still theoretically made a subsequent film where someone new did take up the mantle. Nolan didn't close out that world from any possible continuations, but I think he wanted it to continue in our minds, not on the screen. For all intents and purposes it closes the book on the series and acts as a sendoff for this version of the character.

I think it's also arguable that even if WB tried to continue the series without Bruce Wayne, it'd be more of a spinoff than a sequel.

 

[Brain Damage]

That's a fair point. I really hope no spinoffs or anything are made though. It's time to move on to new territory.

Except maybe an Anne Catwoman film, I could be easily persuaded to get on board for that