R.I.P., Bruce Wayne? Long Live The Batman

Have we seen the last of The Batman?

We already know that "The Dark Knight Rises" is the final picture in the trilogy of Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale movies about Batman.

But is it also the end for Batman?

Or at least Bruce Wayne?

Holy Conspiracy Theory!


It's an interesting idea - or maybe totally bogus, which is what makes it even more interesting - that was published by Cracked late last month. Wrote Cody Johnston:

As an expert in Advanced Batman Theory (and with a cursory knowledge of Quantum Batman Theory), I can tell you without seeing a single minute of the movie that this is how it has to go down. Nolan has said time and time again that he will not return to the Batman franchise. He is telling his own Batman story and when Rises hits theaters, that's the end of it. Christian Bale has made similar claims. But that's only a small fraction of why I think -- nay, why I know -- that the Dark Knight must die.

Johnston bases his argument on the brilliance of Nolan as a filmmaker and other evidence, both real and imagined. Johnston believes the villain in "Rises," Bane, is one of the keys.

But mostly he's known for breaking the Batman's back. It's the one thing you do when Bane's involved, unless you want to be Bruce Lame about it. But ALSO unless you're Christopher Nolan, because Nolan isn't about recreating moments from Batman comics. He's about reinventing ideas from Batman comics. He's about creating his Batman. And in his Batman, things are grittier. The stakes are higher. Things break harder.

Basically, Johnston argues that while Bruce Wayne dies, the legend that is Batman will live on. He even suggests a character who would pick up the cape and cowl to continue to fight the criminals of Gotham City. We don't want to give more away here. If you're interested, click on the link above. It's good reading. Or, as Johnston himself says, maybe he's just insane. Either way, give him some credit for original thinking. Sort of like Nolan.