should there be a continuation of this universe in some way?

[mrrockey]

If Nolan, his brother, or Goyer could come back to expand on this particular Batman universe through novels, graphic novels, or video games even, should it be done? And if so, which stories should be told? Some possibilities would be the adventures of John Blake's Batman, expanded origins for Ra's al Ghul or Bane, and maybe even more villains added to the roster reinvented in that Nolany way, of course.

Discuss...

On a side note, I am already aware of there being a direct-to-DVD movie called Batman: Gotham Knight that takes place between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. But that doesn't look or feel the least bit like it's part of the same universe at all. Does anyone actually consider that canon?

[thecolorsblend]

I don't really care to see the adventures of John Blake. In fact, this universe is pretty much done for me. I accept the trilogy we have but I don't see much need to continue it beyond what we have.

[The Dark Knight]

Agreed. And anyway, I really doubt Blake would've had many adventures. I could see him getting offed in his first night out.

[thecolorsblend]

Agreed. And anyway, I really doubt Blake would've had many adventures. I could see him getting offed in his first night out.

It does push the bounds of credibility quite a lot. I can buy that someone who was trained by a ninja death cult could do the stuff Bruce does in that trilogy because it kinda sorta totally has to be that way. That's the entire premise of Batman. If I can't get on board with that, I'm watching the wrong movie.

But I guess if you had to show Blake's adventures as Batman, you could develop him as being a lot more cautious than Bruce was. Bruce would charge headlong into situations without necessarily formulating much of a plan. Blake doesn't have Bruce's chops so he might rig booby traps for his prey, stake places out more carefully, only pick fights he already knows how to win, call the police for backup, gather evidence secretly without necessarily engaging his mark, etc.

On the other hand, who the hell wants to watch the "adventures" of a passive Batman??

[Edd Grayson]

I hope that Blake wouldn't take the Batman persona but rather someone like Nightwing. But this just my own wish, with no real basis in the films.

[The Dark Knight]

In my mind he wouldn't take on the Batman mantle either. Nightwing would be my preference. I think he could assist the police by sharing the batcave databases, like Alfred mentioned in the film. "They don't have the tools to analyze it" - "They would if you gave it to them." But indeed, I'm still struggling to see an effective, crash bang hero with Blake.

[Wayne49]

To me, I see the trilogy as a fully contained story. "Batman" is ultimately an idea that can be carried to another generation by another person, although the public never knows the identity is changing hands. Plays quite a bit to the tune of the Phantom if you think about it. I liked the fact Nolan gave Bruce Wayne a happy ending without it being at the expense of Batman (my interpretation). Given his physical afflictions from playing the part, I doubt there would be anything to add except the redundancy of retelling it through the eyes of Blake. I'm fine with the way it is.

[thecolorsblend]

To me, I see the trilogy as a fully contained story. "Batman" is ultimately an idea that can be carried to another generation by another person, although the public never knows the identity is changing hands. Plays quite a bit to the tune of the Phantom if you think about it. I liked the fact Nolan gave Bruce Wayne a happy ending without it being at the expense of Batman (my interpretation). Given his physical afflictions from playing the part, I doubt there would be anything to add except the redundancy of retelling it through the eyes of Blake. I'm fine with the way it is.

For a lot of fans, there's this idea that Bruce should never give up. He should be Batman forevermore. I can understand their enthusiasm.

But ultimately I think they're wrong. Bruce does what he does because he's psychologically deformed in some pretty critical ways. He's misshapen... but over time, I think he'd mentally recover enough to the point where he'd experience what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity and realize he didn't somehow "fail" his parents, they loved him, they wanted the best for him and they would never have wanted him to be what he's become.

He's done a lot of good, sure, but he'd decide it's time to retire and move away from Gotham City.

TDKRises doesn't give us that exactly but it's pretty close. Close enough for me to overlook a LOT with the movie. Nolan understood that Bruce can't do this forever. He's right. That may be for the wrong reasons, I'll grant you that, but he's still right in his sentiment. It needed to end at some point. So I'm okay with that stuff.

[Edd Grayson]

The old series was just the opposite. Bruce came to terms with being Batman, and he chose to be Batman...forever. 

[The Laughing Fish]

The old series was just the opposite. Bruce came to terms with being Batman, and he chose to be Batman...forever. 

And did so without carrying a burden any longer. 

As for TDKR's ending? I read an improvised ending that BatmAngelus came up with from a few years ago which I thought was much better:

A lot of TDKRises fans chalk up the critics as fanboys who can't let go of the fact that Batman quit and think he should go on forever.  To me, it's not about that.  It's the execution. 

Want to give Batman a definite ending and have Bruce Wayne hang up the cowl?  Okay, Chris.  But do it in a way that fits with the themes you were setting up in the last two movies, that keeps Bruce as the heroic figure we've been rooting for since Begins, and doesn't make us ask a ton of logic questions to ourselves before the credits roll. 

It also would've helped if Bruce hadn't already quit being Batman for eight years before the film started.  If the movie's about how Bruce needs to give up on being Batman, don't start with him having already done it 'cause then you've defeated the purpose.

Hell, I'm not even convinced "Batman" had to die at the end either, but things would've sat a lot better with me if "Batman died but Bruce Wayne lived" in the eyes of Gotham City.  It still wouldn't have solved things like "How did he get out of the Bat in time?" but this would've helped a lot of other issues. 

By staying in Gotham as Bruce, he wouldn't have come across as a selfish jerk, like in the current ending, for making his friends and allies, including the man who raised him, think he was dead.  Everyone who knew he was really Batman would know that he was still alive.

You also wouldn't have people wondering "Why hasn't anyone figured out that Bruce was Batman if they both died?" or "How/when the heck did Bruce have time to write his will?"

This ending also would've eliminated the restaurant reunion, which means Alfred wouldn't end up broadcasting the movie's ending in the first fifteen minutes or saying that he never wanted Bruce to come home from his travels (which was never remotely hinted at in Begins in the first place, so this wouldn't have been much of a loss).  And Bruce and Selina wouldn't magically be able to dine at the same restaurant in Italy at the same time. 

Instead, Bruce and Alfred might've actually had a real, heartfelt reunion/reconciliation in Wayne Manor, instead of just a nod and a grin, now that Bruce had finally moved on from being Batman. 
(Honestly, if I were Alfred, I wouldn't have been smiling upon seeing Bruce.  I would've been pissed that the kid made me think he was dead this whole time).

On a big thematic level, Bruce Wayne could actually regain his fortune, which would've fulfilled how Batman always "picks himself up" after tragedy (instead of quitting and running away from it all). 

Instead of leaving Gothamites to pick up the pieces from all of Bane's destruction so he could hook up with Selina in Europe, Bruce could've put funding back into the orphanage himself and used his resources to help the city rebuild itself, like his father did, finally shedding the playboy persona and living up to the Wayne family name, truly bringing the themes all back to Batman Begins (and fulfilling what Alfred advises earlier in the film anyway). 

We'd actually get to witness "the day that Gotham wouldn't need Batman" that was hinted at way back in 2005.
Too bad that was all contradicted in the current ending with the return of the Bat Signal and Blake getting the Batcave.

Honestly, I don't think the TDKRises fans would love the film any less if Nolan went for this ending.  The movie would've lost very little, yet gained so much.