The Dark Knight Rises What if it takes place between BB and TDK?

[Paste Pot Pete]

Maybe it's actually a prequel to Batman Begins, and Bale is actually playing Thomas Wayne's father, who turns out to be the original "Bat-Man."

Or, it takes place 1000 years in the future, in which Batman is thawed out of cryosleep to take on a new version of the Joker. Maybe it's actually a hybrid film mixed with the sequel to Blade Runner. Robin could be a replicant.

 

[Nave 'Torment']

Very interesting theory. I could watch this movie if it's made!

But I would much rather see a linear progression. Bane's involvement should be proof enough that this will take place some time after the events of TDK - I want to see what becomes of the 'freaks' that the Joker prophesised. This is a great idea, but I don't think it would use the third installment to its fullest potential.

Also, we can stretch about Catwoman's involvement all the way back to Batman Begins as long as I'm concerned. As JMC says, she could be in Rome, we could take up Fox's comments about cats as an indication of Catwoman and all that, but I wouldn't want to see that at all. The reason I like Catwoman introduced in this film is because she's following up on both the Joker as well as Rachel. She's the ultimate bridge between 'villain' and 'hero' that Batman struggles with at the end of TDK. Her involvement is a progress to the themes that started in TDK, so lets not take things back. I'd love to see this but somehow I think the true potential lies ahead, not behind.

But hey, this way we could get some of the best things we've all been pining over: the old Bat-suit, another year-one centric Bat story, the damn Tumbler, etc. There's enough of a gap between BB and TDK that an entire coherent narrative can be created. But again, lets create new things.

And... the way I saw it, the Joker had been active since the end of BB, HIS involvement was a natural progress from BB, I wouldn't want an intermediate story without him.

It's true that Nolan loves to toy with perception and structure, but there's always a reason for it. On a superficial level, Memento's structure suggested the 'handicap' of the protagonist, The Prestige's back-and-forth was typical of the novel's format (it's an epistolary novel, even the oldest of these had the jarring time-shifts that most filmmakers were too scared to make explicit onscreen), and Inception was all about reality perception. Heck, most of the plot in Inception was linear anyway, only very tightly wound. It actually wins points because of it's linearity. On the other hand in Batman Begins we have those flashbacks that many would say was unnecessary but I think it was the best way to introduce us to Bruce Wayne's time in training, while addressing key aspects of his childhood and young-adulthood that figured heavily into his characterisation. It's almost like Bruce remembering everything that lead him to that point in his life when he feels he can return to Gotham City a new man.

I'll have to ask, then, what the real reason would be to put TDKR between BB and TDK? Didn't we have Gotham Knight?

 

[Nave 'Torment']

I think you are overestimating the mental capabilities of the cinema going mainstream. Only fanboys would notice such a thing.

And I think you're underestimating them Trust me, the latter is more risky.

This is because of how TDK ended.....with Batman being chased by the cops, and probably other organisations(FBI, Mafia etc). Making a prequel would literally ruin all that glorious potential. Who does not want to see Batman attempting to do his work, while all the time being chased and hounded, and have the public see him as a murdering vigilante? AMAZING potential for a tie up 3rd film, and no story revolving around Selina could come close to what Nolan could do with that.

This right here, on the other hand, is truth.

 

[enygma]

By all means, close this thread if it's stupid. I'm just having fun and speculating here. Don't take it too seriously, or do.

We know that Nolan likes to manipulate time and play with audience perception (Memento, The Prestige, Inception), so what if TDKR takes place in the 6 months prior to TDK, only we don't know that until the ending? We assume it's after TDK for the entire film, only until the final minutes.

League of Shadows, Talia, Alberto Falcone - all directly connected to Batman Begins with no connection to The Dark Knight.

We know that Two-Face and The Joker can't come back, particularly The Joker because of Heath Ledger's passing. How do you acknowledge his existence without being able to see him? How do you make it a stand-alone film?

We know that BB and TDK, for the majority of their time, took place within a short amount of time. TDK arguably took place within a few DAYS. If you have 6 months to play with, Catwoman and Bane aren't entirely impossible.

When I envision the surprise twist ending (which Nolan likes), I imagine the final scenes showing a Maggie Gyllenhaal cameo (indicating that Rachel is still alive, which immediately confuses the audience), then showing an Aaron Eckhart cameo (in which Harvey Dent's face is not scarred), Gordon talking about catching "this Joker guy", and Salvatore Maroni (Eric Roberts) taking the mob throne from JGL's Alberto Falcone after he's killed. It would throw the audience completely off guard.

How is that "Nolan's END to the trilogy"? It COULD technically still be an ending to the trilogy even though it takes place between two films, with TDK being the true ending (which is suitable to me, since TDK's ending perfectly sums up who Batman is).

Again, a 6 month timespan is plenty to introduce Catwoman and Bane as minor threats to Batman, especially if it focuses on 1 month, 5 months before TDK, giving the people of Gotham and Bruce to now focus their attention on The Joker, and pay little acknowledgement to the Catwoman and Bane characters from 5 months ago.

It's insane and implausible, but I still think it's cool. Hate me if you wish.

On reading the thread title I though, stupid idea, but you know what it actually good work, the only problem is that in my mind TDK took place weeks if not days after BB.

 

[enygma]

While I will say that this is 99.9% not going to happen, I LOVE this idea. I think it would be a great way to deal with the lack of The Joker's presence. Also the ending of TDK as the trilogy is pretty awesome.

I feel pretty much the same as you.

 

[jmc]

Folks seriously, prequels, or in this case a midquel, never works. In fact the very concept of a having a story take place before another story but telling it second is flawed because the outcome is already predetermined. On top of that, you've still got the loose thread from TDK that needs tying up in Batman being on the run. This ain't gonna happen.

 

[enygma]

Folks seriously, prequels, or in this case a midquel, never works. In fact the very concept of a having a story take place before another story but telling it second is flawed because the outcome is already predetermined. On top of that, you've still got the loose thread from TDK that needs tying up in Batman being on the run. This ain't gonna happen.

I think we all know that, however speculating on the whys and hows means I'm not bored in work this morning.

 

[BestGirl]

While I will say that this is 99.9% not going to happen, I LOVE this idea. I think it would be a great way to deal with the lack of The Joker's presence. Also the ending of TDK as the trilogy is pretty awesome. As for lose ends not being tied up......Batman has always been an outlaw and I pretty sure at some point or another he HAS been accused of murder.

The easiest way to explain the lack of the Joker's presence would just be to say that he's in Arkham.

 

[The Joker]

The easiest way to explain the lack of the Joker's presence would just be to say that he's in Arkham.

Which is exactly what they'll say since we know he was headed there anyway with Batman's padded cell line.

 

[Nave 'Torment']

I'm a lot more concerned about the lack of the Tumbler's presence.

 

[Unmasked]

Very interesting idea !!!

But very unlikely; however I can see some flashback scenes that would show the audience what may have happened between BB and TDK (or what a prequel would have been)

 

[Random490]

I just want to point out the viral marketing leading up to the Dark Knight tells the story of what happened in Gotham between Begins and TDK