Christopher Nolan: No Joker in Third Batman Movie

I didn't realize this was still something people were talking about, but Christopher Nolan confirms to Empire (via Obsessed with Film) that The Joker won't be in the third Batman movie. First of all, would Nolan really be so distasteful to re-cast that role? Secondly, didn't Batman beat The Joker in The Dark Knight? Obsessed with Film writes that we have to imagine Heath Ledger's character locked up in Arkham Asylum. OK. And? Weren't we already operating under that assumption? Empire asks the director if the character will return in the as-yet untitled film: “'No', says Nolan emphatically and unhesitatingly. He resists elaborating simply because, quite understandably, he says, 'I just don’t feel comfortable talking about it.'" There's no narrative reason to bring him back, based on the events in the last movie, and with the troublesome realization that you'd have to find a new actor to play the role, it's just best that, as far as the Nolanverse goes, we've seen the last of The Joker. That's why it was such a shame to me that they spent so much time on Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight: If you've got The Joker, you don't need another villain at all. So to rush through the Two-Face angle in about 20 minutes just didn't seem to help things, in my opinion. Now, don't assume that because there's no Joker, we're stuck with The Penguin or Catwoman or The Riddler. There's been no official mention of any of those characters, despite mountains of rumors to the contrary over the past two years. In fact, all that's ever been said on the subject that you could take to the bank is a denial from co-writer David Goyer that Nolan intended to use that trio of villains. That's not to say that one or more of them won't find their way into the next film, just that it was way too early to even speculate about it because there hadn't been any work on the script. I still vote Black Mask, and I still vote Guy Pearce. It's a great way to use Arkham Asylum again, with or without The Joker, it's time Guy Pearce gets a big career push, and it's a devious and underappreciated villain. But all we know right now about the third movie is that we won't see The Joker.

Comments

[Orinn]

uh Dur but people still ask. Less we visit the Asylum there should be no Joker at all, and if we did simply some quick fanfare, use the laugh we already have on tape, maybe put a look alike in the proper crazy suit behind glass, but nothing more.

[SEAN]

phil hoffman as penguin is my choice still, yet highly doubt it

What idiots really thought there would be Joker recast or even apart of the next film? lol

I dont know how they will top The Dark Knight or if thats even possible

[chad]

good thing is the joker which was a great character wont be cheapened and overused til the character is dried up.

and in terms of them spending too much time on harvey dent whenever i saw two fce my mind kept thinking of the joker so theres a subtlle thing that the joker was in a lot more scenes then he really was at least to me

[Jeremy]

I've always liked Guy Pearce. Definitely gets overlooked a lot, despite the fact that he always looks like he's either sucking his cheeks in or hasn't eaten in 4 months.

[Scott]

I think the Black Mask makes the most sense, in regards to the Nolan series. Unless they want to create an entirely new villian...which I would be all for. In Nolan We Trust