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Rumor: Nolan Boards 'Justice League' with Christian Bale as Batman?

by Ethan Anderton
March 4, 2013
Source: Latino Review

Everyone put your rumor hats on, this one is going to be bumpy. After hearing many threads of rumors surrounding Warner Bros. seemingly unfocused attempts to get a Justice League film off the ground, no real solid information about the film or its direction have surfaced. From talks of Joseph Gordon-Levitt taking on the role of Batman following the conclusion of The Dark Knight Rises to script troubles, it sounds like the studio has no idea what to do. Well, they might finally have a solid idea if the latest scoop from Latino Review is true. Their source is saying that Warner Bros. is hiring Christopher Nolan to oversee any project from the DC Comics universe, and all things related to those superheroes, goes through him.

But that's not all. Apparently the studio is looking to shape Justice League to allow Christian Bale to return as Batman and team up with Henry Cavill as Superman. Much like the production of Man of Steel, Nolan will be producing and overseeing the project, and they might be lining up Zack Snyder to direct in addition to co-producing the film. In a way, it's similar to how Jon Favreau kicked off Phase One of Marvel's cinematic universe with Iron Man and executive produced The Avengers. However, there's a chance this rumor might not be for a full fledged Justice League film.

After their video report, the article goes on to say that this could be for a project taking cues from World's Finest, a series of comics that featured Batman and Superman working together, sometimes with the help of Robin. And while that seems like a more safe bet than trying to bring together a whole team of superheroes, many of which haven't been successfully brought to the big screen, the idea of bringing Christian Bale back as Batman with Nolan initially sounds like a thrilling prospect, but it also feels extremely desperate for a studio trying to replicate Marvel's success.

In addition, if this rumor is indeed credible, bringing Bale back as Batman pretty much undermines an unravels everything that happened at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. So Bruce Wayne is just going to abandon Selina Kyle and head back to Gotham to team up with Superman? Unless the writers have something spectacular up their sleeve, that's just stupid. Bringing Nolan (or someone competent) on to oversee the DC Comics' cinematic universe is a splendid idea, but just let Christian Bale (who is unlikely to do multiple added movies as Batman) move on and bring Joseph Gordon-Levitt on as Batman. That just makes much more sense in the overall mythology that started with Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy universe.

For now, this is nothing but a rumor, but it seems a little convenient for this rumor to surface after the debut of Jack the Giant Slayer was underwhelming for Warner Bros. The fantasy adventure took the top spot at the box office, but it only pulled in just over $28 million in its opening weekend. For a film that cost nearly $200 million, that's not a very promising debut to allow the film to earn the rest of its budget back over the next couple of months. So maybe there's something to this rumor, or at least the Nolan portion? Would you want Christopher Nolan producing Justice League with Christian Bale as Batman?

Filed under Discuss, Hype, Movie News, Rumors

From around the web:

http://www.pewpewpew.de/ reeft

It's not a rumor. Latino Review just made this up. Like the Marvel story two weeks ago. Why do you keep taking them seriously? You get less views, yes, but much more respect from your readers if you don't follow this, guys. I know this blog. I love it, actually. We all know it's fun to joke around and discuss the big "What ifs" and possibilities that come from filmmaking but there is literally not a single other source than Latino Review. I'm not telling you how to run your blog but I'm just shocked that they are still a credible source - even in the blogosphere.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=899815272 Krishna Shenoi
  
  Forbes also posted an article, citing their "own source," in addition to the Latino Review. So you never know.
http://twitter.com/txshurricane Jim

Starving for pageviews, are we?
- capitandelespacio
  
  It's all over the internet, get over it.
  - http://twitter.com/txshurricane Jim
    
    So is ignorance and fanboyism, but we put up with you anyway.
    - capitandelespacio
      
      Don't be so bitter, my friend. It's part of life feel a little hype about things we like. Cheers.
      - http://twitter.com/txshurricane Jim
        
        This isn't hype. It's floundering for validation.
Mcfly

Bale would make sense if at the same time as justice League nolan or his brother made dark knight returns for late 2014 where robin does take on the mantle but gets killed so bruce comes back to avenge him and thus leads into justice League and would definitely be a reason for bruce to name his future sidekick Robin in honor of his fallen replacement!
- Astroboy3000
  
  i like this idea. JGL as Batman, or Robin or Nightwing taking over the role as Gotham's protector. Get's Murdered by whatever/whoever the new villain(s) are, causing Bruce Wayne to return, with or without Catwoman and the rest of the team will fall into place.
- Blargh
  
  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. That would actually make a lot of sense, would also make tdkr feel a bit more satisfying. Only problems would be that if anyone was going to kill Robin then it would have to be the joker and it would mean reopening Nolan/Bale's batman. Which would be fine by me, just not sure either would want to. Personally I think the hollywood obsession with trilogies is overrated.
racquetman

Nolan and Abrams need to dress up as superheros and fight at the next Fantastic Fest. Or someone could just beat the $hit out of that a-hole Faraci again - that would be fine too.
- Linkfx
  
  Faraci is great, informed, intelligent and a great critical analyst. Not a pure hype machine which is rare in this day and age.
Lagoya

As far as I'm concerned the turd that is TDKR doesn't exist. The franchise stops after TDK so I have no issue with Bale returning as Batman.
- OfficialJab
  
  Your life must be a nightmare.
  - capitandelespacio
    
    Life? What's a Life? Where can I get one of those?
http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves

There could always be reasons for Bale to return as Batman...heck, what if Selina were killed and other major terrible things were happening? What if he was needed? I like the idea of JGL being the new Batman just fine, though. Here's a thought...what if Justice League/World's Finest ignore The Dark Knight Rises? It could just act as a direct follow up(More or less) to The Dark Knight, and leave it at that...let Rises be the ending of that story, and these films be the continuation of the character in another direction.
Rain Spider

I hope this is true. It wouldn't be so hard to believe that Bruce came back as Batman. Bruce hated not being Batman for those 8 years, Obviously, the guy turned into a shut in. If this happens, hopefully JGL comes in as Nightwing.
jedibilly

I'll believe it when it's actually confirmed! Stop cock teasing us!
OfficialJab

The idea of the supernatural co-existing with Nolan's Batman is frightening. Maybe a good frightening, depending on how Man of Steel turns out. Also, this may be a rumour, but it would be laughable to think that there aren't people at WB and DC pushing for it, whether there are any internal plans or not.
http://www.facebook.com/luis.eo306 Luis Eduardo Ortiz

Cool off your jets Ethan... Joseph Gordon Levitt's character was never meant to actually play Batman in any film. Robin John Blake was suppose to be a symbol that Batman could be anybody. That was Bruce Wayne's idea since he started as Batman. Yes, it is understood that Robin "became Batman" at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. However, this incarnation of the character was not created for sequel purposes. That was the end, it was just suppose to mean a symbol and that was it. Now, with Justice League on suicide watch after The Avengers, WB is doing anything possible to get a good movie ASAP. So what other better idea than to call the man who brought us the best Batman and the actor who played him so well? (Yes I do like the Batman voice because it is all part of the theatricality and deception) This is wonderland news to me. There are many ways to bring back good old Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) back from retirement again. Who knows, maybe Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) can be brought back. They can show them living peacefully in some random island or whatever part of the world. But then mayhem is going on and he gets called back to aid Superman (Henry Cavill). I think the dynamics of the characters would amazing. Bruce Wayne can even call Robin to help out as some sort of assistant (For the sake of not ignoring his character and the finale of The Dark Knight Trilogy). This is amazing to me. Now, I know many people may disagree but now all they need is to bring back Ryan Reynolds (Yes the movie sucked but it wasn't his fault), and cast someone legit for Flash and boom! They have their Justice League film.
- capitandelespacio
  
  The Green Lantern movie was so bad that actually this Justice League incarnation can live without a GL on it's ranks. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman are the top line in this movie, the rest could be The Flash, Hawkman and Martian Manhunter. Maybe a Green Arrow... but, please, cast a real actor, not that one from the CW's soap opera.
  - http://www.facebook.com/luis.eo306 Luis Eduardo Ortiz
    
    I agree that Ryan Reynolds may not be the best actor out there... But I feel his potential got thrown to the trash because his movie was so poorly written. I would like him back for the sake of continuity with the little stuff that WB has.
capitandelespacio

I would rather not. But, could this be a good idea? May this work? Why? Is it really necessary?
- it's plain wrong
  
  No,no ,because money cash profit connected to fear of failure for using somebody else in the role of Batman and no.
Geoff Johns

TERRIBLE IDEA. Nolan is not good with super hero films with super powers.
- brijazz012
  
  Based on.....?
  - capitandelespacio
    
    His other self told him.
- Legion
  
  Totally agree. Dark Knight Rises was horrible. Bruce Wayne was out of character. Plot holes galore. Tale of Two Cities as the frame work for a Batman film...? FAIL. Dark Knight was good only because of Heath Ledger's Joker. Batman Begins had it's moment but way too many problems like the other 2 in terms of plot structure and logical progression.
dgeet

no...just let Nolan do his own original movies.
Who cares really?

Who cares really but... If this comes to be it will invalidate the whole trilogy and what Nolan was supposedly trying to achieve with whole realistic approach to comic book super heroes vigilante concept.It basically ruins the trilogy.If he is really willing to go all fantastical and fairy tale like with Batman then he should make another Batman movie with crock as a villain or that other one impossible to justify in realistic terms,the one made out of clay.Or Mr Freeze,or Poison Ivy,or the frankestein-type one that never dies.I'm sure there's a bunch of them which can't be made realistic or interesting without the fantastical element. No,Justice League Batman should be his own entity,completely separate from Nolans trilogy. Besides it would make Superman a complete dick for not helping out with whole Bane nuke thingy in New York..I mean Gotham
http://twitter.com/timmmc Timm McIntosh

Would he have to actually be Batman? Maybe some great villain could draw him back to Gotham for some reason or another, and he assembles the Justice League in a sort of Nick Fury-type role.
kori

batman escaped the atomic bomb in the dark knight with the intervention of superman(my theory), so batman in returns owe superman for saving him. Batman will join forces with superman to take down any necessary evil that wants to take over or destroy earth.
- Steven
  
  Noooooooooooo - seriously what was the point of Nolan having the auto-pilot fixed if this was the case.
http://www.roamandthink.com/ PBGray

I don't think it's THAT stupid Ethan. If something dangerous was about to destroy the entire world, I can see Batman coming out of retirement to help stop it. If Batman was needed to join the rest of the League, he wouldn't become the hero the world deserves, but the hero the world needs. This is beyond just Gotham. This is about every city on the planet. Let's not forget, Bruce Wayne is alive. Spin it all you want. The ending of TDKR was not Inception even though it was treated as such. If everyone on the planet winds up dead then a relationship with Selina makes no difference.
kash

Think about this...in the DC universe, we know how Batman and Superman stand against each other, and alongside one another...there is a mutual respect between them brought about by AGE and EXPERIENCE. Now, imagine Cavill's superman standing next to Bale's Batman....then imagine Cavill Standing next to JGL's batman...which one is more believable and more true to the Superman-Batman tandem? Yeah, you already know the answer...
- http://www.facebook.com/luis.eo306 Luis Eduardo Ortiz
  
  BALE
http://twitter.com/Kashchei2003 kashchei2003

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4jtd9GsllU make this happen! with Cavill though of course
dbucks

I could see them ending the Superman movie with a shot of Bale sitting watching the TV new report with Selina; his eyes alive and mouth gaping. Then cutting to black when he quickly gets up. If Batman is a symbol, then there doesn't only have to be one.
yoddle

it isn't stupid...lets just say Blake takes up the mantle of the bat, goes overboard and starts killing, like Valley in the comics in the early 90's (Blake did shoot and kill people in the TDKR); so, Wayne has to come back to stop this madman, it could then be easy to weave Superman into (but well have to wait to see just exactly how Man of Steel turns out)...nonetheless, it would be cool I think...
castingcouch

I don't know why, but the idea of Bale talking in his gravely Bat-voice to Superman is just funny to me.