This thread's been kinda quite for a while. Here's my idea for a fourth Batman film...though it would probably makes fans of TDKR and the Nolan trilogy a bit mad if it were made.
A few years after the events of TDKR, the city of Gotham is still struggling to recover from the damage left behind by LOS. Progress has been extremely slow and the issues which led to the disparity between rich and poor still remain. In alot of ways Gotham city is still a city divided.
The Dent Act has expired , and many of the criminals who were set free during the Blackgate prison break remain at large while the Underworld has a new leader , known as The Black Mask who's taken over what's left of the Falcone mob family. Its clear the city needs a Batman more then ever. There are rumors that Batman has returned and that he didn't die , but for now its considered a myth amoung those who live in the slums.
John Blake, on the other hand has given the city a new dark knight,. He's less flashy then Bruce's version and prefers to remain in the shadows and to remain a myth. However Blake has found that the role is much harder than he imagined it would be. He's used the contacts and informants that he had as a police officer but nobody can seem to get inside the Mask's organization. At the same time, mask is recruit the same type of orphans and youngsters that Blake want's to turn away from crime.The Black Mask, and with the use of assasins such as deadshot is brutal and has challenged the new Batman in every way.
Bruce and Selina , in the meanwhile live in Italy under new names and new identies enjoying the domestic life as a married couple. They now have a daughter Helena and have left their prior lives behind. However, Bruce still moniters the slow progress that has been occurring in Gotham. While Bruce is troubled by the new developments , he's the happiest he's ever been , and he's not willing to give that up.
At the same time Selina , is shaken by the re-emergence of the Falcone family and its new head Black Mask. There is still alot about Selina's past that Bruce doesn't know about but he doesn't press the issue. However Selina's past apears to come back to haunt her once she begins to recieve strange emails and messages. She clearly has an idea of what they're alluding to but she doesn't tell Bruce , and they argue anytime he presses the issue.
Gordon has retired as Commisoner and settled down with an old friend detective Sarah Essen. He still keeps in touch with Blake and gives him advice from time to time but he's out of the game. Essen on the other hand is desperate to take down the Black Mask organization and to try to keep Gotham together.
Things go from bad to worse once Blakes Batman is led into a trap by one of Blake's teenage informants who working for Black Mask. Caught off guard , Blake is killed while Lucius monitors his vital signs. Lucius tries to get in touch with Alfred who he believes lives in France. Sarah Essen is also taken out in an odvious mod stlye hit.
A few days later Selina is killed and Bruce mysteriously recieves part of Blakes Batman cowl. Bruce is devistated and angry. He takes Helena to Alfred who brings him up to speed on the information he learned from Fox. Bruce now has no choice . He leaves Helena with Alfred who tries to talk Bruce out of it , pointing out that he has a daughter to live for. Bruce argues that theyll come for Helena if he doesn't go back . Bruce must return to Gotham and don the cowl again in order to stop Black Mask and discover who killed Selina.
He returns to gotham with one identity, Batman. At the same time he's found a Gordon close to the edge with grief. The two men need each other and decide to work together again to take out the common enemy which destroyed both of their lives. In the end they take out the Black Mask and his syndicate but soon discover that he had nothing to do with the killings of Blake, Selina, and Sarah.
As it turns out the Joker was behind the messages and the killings of Blake, Selina and Sarah and did it as a means of bringing Bruce and Gordon back into the game. Joker explains knowing Bruce's identity was only a means to an end in order to get him back out and that he couldn't except the "pretender" and the idea that Gordon and Bruce would just "give up" . Joker also hates Black Mask and see's him as a Johnny come lately and see's an added advantage of bringing Batman back in order to crush him .
Anyway that's what I would do though , the fans would never go for a new actor playing the Joker , but to me that's how i'd do it.
