I started plotting something out with MB. It's not really finished yet - I still have to add in a lot of layers and subplots, but here's my idea for a first movie:
* Takes place 3-4 years post TDKR.
* John Blake has just returned home from years of training in Europe and Asia under the guidance of Bruce and Selina.
*Lucius Fox has finally proven that the stock trade in TDKR was a sham, and regains a controlling interest in Wayne Enterprises.
* Jim Gordon is acting "war time" major - working with Federal agents to restore order in Gotham.
* Gotham is a mess. All of the criminals that were prosecuted under the Harvey Dent Act have been released.
* The Narrows is where the majority of the criminals have congregated - leaving it even worse than it was at the start of Batman Begins. Arkham Asylum has also grown into a once again prominent role under the leadership of it's new Chief of Staff, Dr. Hugo Strange.
* Dr. Strange is secretly in command of the Circus of the Strange crime syndicate - its enforcers being the grotesque Professor Pyg and the psychotic La Flamingo.
* John Blake dawns the persona of Batman for the first time to delve deep into Arkham Asylum to investigate reports of strange occurrences and disappearances around the Asylum. He finds that inmates and Narrows citizens alike are being brainwashed into foot soldiers for the mysterious Black Glove by Professor Pyg.
* Inside the Asylum, Dr. Strange attempts to drive Batman mad - submitting him to all kinds of horrific experimentations. But Batman remains triumphant and rescues all of the families.
* Meanwhile La Flamingo prowls the streets of Gotham, committing countless murders and mutilations that send Gordon and his task force on a continuous wild goose chase.
* The murders cause public support for Gordon and the Police to plummet dramatically.
* Spurred on my secret agents for the Circus of the Strange, Riots begin to pop up all over Gotham. One of these riots is at the Wayne Manor Boys home - and all of the children are kidnapped by Strange.
* As Gordon and the police task force attempt to quill the rioting and Flamingo's murderous rampage, Batman goes back into the Asylum he barely escaped from earlier in the film.
* He finds that the Asylum has been totally deserted by the staff and inmates and prisoners run free - all except for one "special" prisoner who few care to mention by name.
* His body and mind under attack by the inmates, Batman has to have some deep personal revelation about himself to save the day, defeat Pyg, and rescue the boys.
*Gordon and his men just barely manage to stop the chaos caused by Flamingo and bring some sense of order to Gotham.
* But during which, Strange has used the rioting, crime, and Batman's absence to steal political and governmental support away from Gordon and the movie ends with Strange announcing the creation of "Arkham City".