Does the next Batman film have its new title?¬† "THE JOKER".¬† Well… maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t.
Here’s the scoop.¬† Recently Michael Cain, who played Alfred in Batman Begins, was doing an interview about his career including some of his favorite directors. The interview really had NOTHING to do with Batman at all.¬† However, at one point while talking a little about Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan, Cain said this:
"Christopher Nolan who directed Batman is doing a smaller film called The Prestige about magicians and it’s very interesting. And we’re going to make The Joker next year."
THE JOKER would be a damn cool title for the film. I love it already! However…
This is a good example of how we in the online movie punditry community can let things get out of hand (I do this too).¬† I’ve been reading other sites proclaiming: "CONFIRMED!¬† THE JOKER IS THE NEXT BATMAN TITLE".¬† Ummm yeah.
Let’s make this clear.¬† A slight off hand remark made by an ACTOR in some interview does NOT "confirm" anything.¬† It adds to the speculation yes… it’s worth talking about yes… but it is NOT a "confirmation".
Now, having said that, the idea of actually titling the next Batman flick "The Joker" would be a brilliant one.¬† The mythology of The Joker is almost as deep and interesting as the Batman himself, and a film that focused a bit more on that character (after all, we’ve already been introduced to Batman and understand what makes him tick now) would be damn cool to see on screen.
So what do you think of  "The Joker" as a potential title for the next flick?
Ledger is playing the joker in the sequel to batman begins!!! um, i think jonny dep would be better.
I think Jim Carry would be the best Joker he does good facial expressions an also he did great in The Mask + at the end he showed Batman the card.So if they didnt use the joker it would be stupid an wouldnt make any sense. The joker rules. The name should be
“Batman Meets Joker” unless they copy AVP an do BVJ lol
The special effects now a days could really make the joker cool
or even bumjack batman
what about jokers blow job to batman & robin
yeah batman the return of the jokers just like in batman of the future
the jokers a good name but what about
batman
the return of the joker
As long as the Joker doesn’t dominate the film as he did in Tim Burton’s Batman. Don’t get me wrong, Batman is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I think Jack Nicholson deserved the credit he got for making it such a success, but I don’t think the villian should ever dominate a superhero movie.
Maybe the movie could spend some time developing the Batman character as a genuine detective/crime-fighter before introducing him to a new rival. A side-plot involving Batman following up on a standard crime that leads to the discovery of the Joker…I don’t know. I just know that one of my peeves with Batman Begins was that we never really get to see Batman do any real detective work. Any covert observation. We saw him striking fear into criminals (“Swear to me!”), but not snooping around for information and disappearing into the shadows like he does in the comics/animated series.
I would also like to see Robin come into play at some point in this series. I know most people look at Robin as an ambiguously gay underage sidekick, but anyone who is a fan of the comics could tell you that Robin in the comics plays a much more vital role in Batman’s life. Not only is he as good of a fighter and detective as Batman, but he also serves as an extension of Batman’s conscious, keeping him from succumbing to the rage he feels for these criminals. Who knows, maybe we might see Jason Todd on screen for the first time.
On a related note, where’s that NIghtwing movie I’ve been hoping for?
I don’t like The Joker as the title because the story is supposed to be about batman and Nolan said that he wanted to focus more on the dark knight than the joker. Something like Batman: Clown prince would be good title because it wouldnt be the same without batman in the title.
I have never liked Joker actually. I prefer some other bad guy. But wouldn’t it be cool to call this movie “Joker and Dead man’s hand” or something?
how about THE JOKER BEGINS
Batman vs. Joker
I never got into Burtons films all that much. I do like Returns but the original I am just not a big fan of. I can understand what it may have done for movies in terms of set design ( My friend seems to remind me everytime I mention it, as if its the only thing worth talking about) but its just a jokingly bad movie to watch. From the action scenes to the way the Joker was portayed. It was bad. I didnt know that the grappling hook originated from the Burton movie, thats kinda cool though. I will give him credit for that. I guess Burton had a thing for grappling hooks. He wanted it in Superman as well hahaha.
In my opinion Begins was the best Batman movie. For one Burton’s Batman’s never dealt with Bruce’s past on how he came ”The Bat”. Nolan explored Bruce’s side which made for a better film. In Burton’s Batman I never cared about the guy behind the mask because we knew so little on the origins which is important on the devolopment of character.
Better soundtrack though from Burton’s.
Johnny Depp as The Joker… what happened to that? I thought there was this Warner exec. who just gave a huge hint saying they had an actor cast who will have a follow-up to his biggest hit coming this summer (that can only be Pirates OTC).
By the way, I was listening to your awesome Audio edition and you couldn’t recall Johnny Depp as a villain role. I would push for you to remember the rather putrid “Astronaut’s Wife” where he ends up getting his feet in the water.
I agree with Get Carter, Batman : The Joker or Batman vs The Joker.
But also, ‘Batman Anything’ will do…just put Batman there w/ The Joker on the poster next to a Racheal Dawes tombstone and you get your 100 mil weekend right th…hey did I say ‘Racheal Dawes tombstone’? No, I didn’t mean that…really…
hah hah hah
“Batman: The Joker”
That is a fine name right there….you put the joker in the title and the erxcitement levels will go through the roof…people know the joker….people like the joker…he is comics greatest villain in my opinion and I can’t wait….
and I hope they cast adrien brody……
“Batman : Black And White”
I dont think “joker” needs to be anywhere near the title. This series is about BATMAN. Villians are secondary. The Joker shouldnt be in the second film anymore than Ducard was in the first. I’ll admit that the Joker is Batman’s greatest nemesis and deserves to be the main villian of the picture, but not the focus of the film. I dont want to go see “Joker Begins”. I didnt need to see ras al ghual’s history, or the scarecrow’s, or falcone’s to appreciate them as villians. Besides, we already know he exists by the end of the first one. Nolan has the right idea. Focus on Batman, everything else comes second. and by way, check out this article at Batman-on film concerning “The Joker” being the title to the picture
http://www.batman-on-film.com/batmovienews.html
Eh, maybe I just wasn’t a fan of Zimmer’s score….it could have done so much more.
As for vision…I say Burton had vision, Nolan (who is one of my fav directors) had Frank Miller
Remember back in the late 70’s and early 80’s when Peter Gabriel kept releasing self-titled albums? I think he did three of them. When he was asked about it he said he thought of them like issues of a magazine. I always thought that approach would be cool for a franchise like Batman. None of this 2, 3, Begins, Returns crap…just Batman. You know, the one that’s coming out in a few months. Not the one that came out a while back. ;-)
“The Joker”..hmmm.. I don’t know. It’s different thats for sure. Although, I would have gone with something more b-movieish, like something with Dark Knight in the title…but “The Joker” works, although for some odd reason, I get the feeling that this won’t be the title of the film..
Come on Varun
Editing i will give you
But soundtrack and sheer vision, for christ sake the whole soundtrack was done by Price,with the lead song called bat dance or some shit . Talk about fucking gay.
That is better than the score put together bye Hans Zimmer for Batman Begins ?
Maybe far superior was a bit of a stretch, and yes this is just my opinion (which i thought the comments section was for)but i only ment better in terms of viewing satisfaction, not breaking it down to a moleculare level
I don’t think they’d ever name the sequal as ‘The Joker’ without somehow having Batman in the title….maybe title it ‘Batman: Rise of the Joker’ or keep it simple with ‘Batman Begins’ but with an actual joker playing card next to the title.
Why call it Batman anything? I’m wanting Batman 2, so stupid people won’t look at Batman:Begins as a prequel to Batman (Tim Burton), they will finally look at it as it was meant to be…. a “reboot”.
Batman Begins is NOT clearly the best Batman of all times Stickman….that is your opinion, and this is mine, but let me illuminate something for you (just incase you werent around to remember the first 2). The studios wanted a very campy batman until Burton veered it differently and the first batman established several important aspects of set design that are still used today. Also Burton’s use of the grappling gun was original and SUCH a good idea they later put it into the comics……Batman Begins was damn good, don’t get too quick to say “far superior” if you look at the clearly better editing, innovative art direction, better soundtrack, and sheer vision that the first two handled so well that is not in Batman Begins.
This is just my opinion but i say it is pretty unfair to say “far superior” without labeling out specific cinematic aspects (as I did) that support your claim. Nolan did a great origin story and a great job vamping up the horror aspects of Batman and the Scarecrow, but don’t lambaste Burton’s films unnecessarily.
But to say Batman Begins sucked is also unfair Henrik.
Examin films then make the argument….it doesn’t do much more me (again my personal opinion) to make broad statements without points.
Nah I don’t like this new title. ”The Joker” sounds like it’s going to be a brand new francise about The Joker and at the end of the day these movies are about Batman. Have something like Batman: Last Laugh or Batman: Rise Of The Joker…OK lames ones I just made up but you get it.
How can you say Batman Begins sucked ? it was the best Batman film they have ever made, far superior to either of the Buton renditions and those foul two that came after
Wasn’t the biggest complaint with Burton’s Batman that it might as well have been called “The Joker”.
I remember people praising Begins for finally focusing on the Batman character instead of the villains, and now the same people praising the idea of a movie focused on the villain.
Whatever…Batman Begins pretty much sucked, and they’ll never be able to top “Returns”.
Thank you, Gordon. You’ve combined my two cinematic wants perfectly. Maybe some super secret space agency found life on Mars and is using Leonard Shelby to get rid of them one at a time.
‘See that green guy over there with the bug eyes and the enormous brain, Lenny? That’s John G, that is.’
‘Don’t call me Lenny.’
It’s a great idea. I think it would be extemely interesting, not to say courageous to call the film ‘Joker’, and have Batman as an, almost, ancillary character with the villain having a lead role.
How about Guy Pearce hunting down aliens called John G in space Steven? Two birds with one stone.
I think no title they concoct can be as bad as ‘Batman Forever’, sounds like something a six year old scrawled on their pencil case.
I think it will probably go into subtitle territory.
While I’d love another Batman vs Joker film, I’m still hoping for the story of Two-Face to be done well on film.
It would be a great choice. Short and simple. This could only work for Batman villians. I don’t see Brainaic or Venom working as titles for the other superhero franchises.
‘Batman: The Joker’ is an utterly nonsensical name for a film (and you know there’s no way in Hell the marketing people will allow a Batman film to be released without the word ‘Batman’ in the title), but then I guess ‘Batman Begins’ is pretty damn stupid as well. Oh, well, as long as they stick with the half dour, overly serious film, half laughable sack of nonsense structure they used last time, things should work out whatever title they decide on.
Is Batman in space yet? It seems about time he was heading out there. All I want today is a film where someone fights someone else in space. Also, I would like it if Chris Nolan made another film as good as Memento, because he’s slip-sliding into Hollywood hackery lately.
It’s a really cool name, but it sounds like a working title.
Batman Begins 2: Sir Jokes Alot Attacks With His Maddening Gas………
I hate subtitles (weakest part of Xmen in my opinion were the titles)
I like Spiderman 123456 i like simple titles….nothing cheesy
So in my opinion they should call this Batman Begins 2 or just call it…The Joker….please please please keep it simple.
Even Blade had enough sense to be Blade I 2 and Trinity…..it is just so much more simple….
Now obviously this doesn’t apply to Star Wars or LOTR (technically this one here is a book title) and i question Revolutions/Revelations a little bit….I just don’t like the sound of Batman Begins: The Joker….The Joker Would be a good title or what about The Joker Begins or Batman Reigns leading into a future (old bruce tale) of Batman Ends
They definately should end the formula of ‘Batman Something’ that the original franchise had. I was just thinking the other day that it would be great if the film was called ‘Arkham Asylum’ or ‘The Killing Joke’ or something of the sort. No Bond movie ever had James Bond or 007 in the title, and it would make it easier to remember them by name once a few are made.
Very cool if the title has “The Joker” in there or it is the title. Either way the movie will stand to make a ton of money.
I think people would love to see a “Joker” movie directed by Chris Nolan. His interpretation would be awesome!
I just hope they get someone really cool to play him!! Man I can’t wait for this movie!
I actually told my friends months ago that they should call the sequel The Joker. I also like Batman and The Joker as a title. It keeps Batman in there but lets you know that Joker is a major character. Question is would WB actually let this be the title of Batman 2? It makes it seem like its an entirely different movie. Maybe it will be Batman: The Joker, Batman: Attack of the Joker, Batman vs the Joker. Who knows but I really like the Joker reference in the title.
That would be an interesting concept if they followed the joker for the majority of the film showing his story and origin and his end at the hands of batman, who say’s you have to follow batman through the sequel.
The joker is a great character that they could do alot with it.
Well it CONFIRMS that the Joker is the villian, which anyone who watched the first film could figure out, but it’s good to actually hear Michael Cain talk about it offhandedly.
I would like to see the word “Batman” in the title, but THE JOKER is kind of cool…