Even though, Christopher Nolan’s version of Batman closed its chapter with The Dark Knight Rises concluding that Bruce is off with Selina Kyle starting a new life with a clean slate. John Blake finds the Batcave and the end right? For some this is the case, Nolan’s version of Batman is over and done with and now you can die peacefully satisfied. Well…not exactly. You see from what I got from the movie, Nolan, or better yet David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan left the door pretty wide open for the next director or writer to create the same realistic universe for Batman that Nolan has made for the trilogy.
What Nolan gave us was a realistic version of the Batman universe. We had relatable characters whom we can see in this world terrorizing us. Bane represented the organized terrorist, Catwoman represented the modern version of a bad Robin Hood, and The Joker represented the unexplained evil in this world. All these characters and more can be seen living an everyday life. Since we’ve had a whole trilogy of this, I think many of us are ready for more supernatural characters such as Clayface, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and more. Now, these characters may be fantasy 
based but they can be scientifically explained. I think that’s what we’re looking for in the next Batman movie and I think The Dark Knight Rises gave the next Batman movie its jump off point with the fusion bomb. Here’s why, this bomb had radioactive substances that needed to be placed in a reactor to keep it from exploding. Now, such a radioactive explosion could spread about 10 to 30 miles by wind to any city near by. Ahem, ahem, Gotham, ahem! The radiation could even contaminate the water supply causing mutations in humans or other species. If you heard the DKN: Dark Knight Rises Special Podcast, where Ryan (fellow writer) suggested this; he had a good point for supernatural villains to arise from the exploded fusion bomb such as Killer Croc who is the biggest example who could arise from this situation. It gives a reasonable explanation, and why so many of these villains would be found near or in Gotham City. Instead, of their usual statement “I hate Gotham so I’m gonna destroy it,” which has always been weak to me. They have a reason to become these supernatural villains from a scientific stand point of radiation giving us our world of classic meta-human/ supernatural foes. This could connect the next Batman movie to The Dark Knight Rises continuing the realistic Batman universe.
As for Gotham City, since all the bridges were destroyed; Gotham has become a self contained city with little importations or exportation coming in or out of the city. So, this means everyone will be struggling for the basic necessities such as water, food, clothes, and energy. Money won’t 
matter to a city that does not have a government to circulate the money. Bane also depleted Wayne Enterprises’ stock market, which means the biggest enterprise that runs most of the city just lost 66% of the city’s money. So all this could reference to No Man’s Land for any future director or writer to create a distraught Gotham where they need a Batman to uphold order and justice. I am not talking about John Blake as being Batman because he is an original character only meant for the Nolan Universe. I mean Bruce coming back from his semi-vacation with Selina Kyle, which is similar to No Man’s Land where Bruce left Gotham City only to return to a demolished city where gangs rule parts of Gotham. These gangs can be formed by the prisoners who escaped from Black Gate Prison, this means there can be high profile bosses such as Black Mask and The Penguin who can emerge for the next Batman movie. They’re mobsters with style in the most grotesque way. I know we all want to see Black Mask in action, the “King of Gotham City”. Now why would Black Mask be called “King of Gotham 
City”? Doesn’t Gotham have a democratic government? If you remembered from The Dark Knight Rises, Mayor Garcia and the rest of his political idiots were blown up in the stadium sky box. Yup, Bane totaled their asses in a blaze of glory. Bye, bye! There is no government even though, they made a statue of Batman and Gordon stayed as Commissioner. It does not mean anything because even when Gotham had elected officials, they were crap against the mobsters. Now, you have prisoners running the streets forming gangs. It’s back to square one, baby. Booyah! The gangs are going to run the streets and monopolize the basic necessities for living.
I might be thinking too much about No Man’s Land, Gotham could go back to the way it was before with just a better class of criminals. The Penguin who is one of my favorite villains could become Mayor since he wants to rule and be admired by all. Black Mask wants power so becoming crime lord over a corporation would sustain him enough. Without, No Man’s Land, the next Batman movie would be able to sustain a better chance at having a decent story line. Since No Man’s Land would require a few years to go by for the city (realistically) to actually fall apart. The next director/writer might think that No Man’s Land was already covered in The Dark Knight Rises. Although, it was a brief representation of No Man’s Land it was not all the way. Damn Nolan and his cherry picking ways. What is for certain, Mayor Garcia and a bunch of political idiots are dead. Also, the gangs are out and about again.
For many, John Blake cannot be the next Batman. He does not have the training nor the experience, in which he could die in the process of being Batman. So, the next Batman movie would have to bring Bruce back as Batman. Still, they would have to explain what happened to Blake. Unless, they’re going to pretend The Dark Knight Rises never existed. I also wouldn’t think that Bruce would come back to train Blake. Blake is our craptastic wedge to continue the Nolan Universe. One, everyone and even I thought he would become Nightwing; but the one thing I did not take into consideration was this…he’s not Robin. He’s none of the three Robins and yet he’s all of them, but I won’t confuse you with this statement. Instead, I’ll say this “he’s not Robin.” Blake is a fanboy nod/bow from Nolan to say “gotcha! who’s ya daddy? who? meh!” Unless, the next Batman movie will be a complete reboot with a different universe. However, if the director/writer wanted to use Nolan’s Universe, they could do something with John Blake.
Here’s what I think and some might really disagree because they don’t believe John Blake would make it as Batman due to his lack of training. A reboot would be great for those who don’t want Blake as Batman at all. I’ll entertain that idea where Blake can’t be Batman even though, I believe he would take up the cowl while Bruce is gone. In my opinion, the writer can kill off Blake and introduce an actual Robin in memory of Blake. Where 
Bruce will name the future Boy Wonder, Robin, as a memory of John Blake. This takes away the whole Haly Circus calling Dick Grayson as Robin, instead connects the name Robin from John Blake. This wouldn’t be a bad thought, since people can’t work around the idea of having John Blake be part of the Batman Universe. Who knows maybe Dick Grayson might be living in the boys’ orphanage at Wayne Manor after his parents die, which would be where Bruce would see Grayson and recognize what Blake was talking about when he stated a boy’s sense of loss building into anger. Even though, that conversation was suppose to be for Blake recognizing Bruce as Batman. I think the director/writer could use this monologue as a way of getting Bruce to raise Grayson as Robin to channel Grayson’s anger and to find closure for his parents’ death as a vigilante. Possibly, Bruce will see this in Grayson and name him Robin as a token to Blake. It is an idea that’s only for the continuation of Nolan’s Universe with John Blake if director/writer wants to continue the realistic version of the Batman Universe from Nolan’s world.
Chiefly, these are all ideas because when I saw the ending of the movie a third time last Sunday, it clicked that Nolan left the door open. He actually left the door open for directors/writers to continue the realistic version of the Batman Universe. The idea to bring in Dick Grayson as Robin, 
supernatural/meta-humans emerging, high profile villains, and to get Bruce back to Gotham City. Now, legally this might not apply but if Warner Bros. really fought with Nolan. They probably would win because Batman as a franchise belongs to them. While Nolan worked on Batman, he had more power to control it. Now, he’s out so…Batman goes back to belonging to Warner Bros. Some would fight me and say Nolan still has power, but once a contract is up, it’s done. Only his original characters will not be used to continue in the Batman movies. John Blake would have to die as being Batman. Nolan really owns nothing except for his success and original characters. In the end, these are all ideas. It is clear that Nolan really left the door open, because he would be a real “dick/asshole” to close off his trilogy and let no other director/writer take a stab at Batman. Really, Bruce never stops being Batman so why end the franchise of a dark Batman? Batman is money and Nolan understood this…so did Warner Bros. That’s why Nolan forgot to lock the door on his trilogy because he left a trail of bread crumbs on the floor with more opportunities to dive into other Batman Universe characters, which I will give a part two.
I hope you enjoyed my theories and speculations here for the next Batman movie. I wonder if you have any yourself? Comment down below or on DKN Facebook. What are your thoughts on how Bruce might come back to being Batman? Do you think Warner Bros. will do a reboot instead? Who’s the next villain you would like to see who could be supernatural/meta-human or a just a bad ass like Black Mask, The Penguin, The Riddler, Mr. Freeze or any others?
