Hmmm. So, 3 will introduce Robin. Scares me just a bit seeing as that's where the last set of Bat-films went to pot.
Of course we know the real reason the films blew after 2, the last time round, was completely the fault of the director...but still, I'm wary.

@Miranda Kali: I am shocked, SHOCKED, that you thought Batman 2 was good.
Catwoman - good idea. Penguin - oh so very bad.

Although I love the idea of bringing in Long Halloween.
I think Hush would also be a great movie character.

!!!

There is no need to introduce Robin!

HE DOES NOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE DISCUSSION!

I'm averse to Robin myself... but in the hands of Christopher Nolan, it could be interesting.

So who should play Robin? Place your bets.

If there was ever a retcon I'm longing for it's the one where all the Robins go poof! and disappear.

@extracrispy: Shia Labouf.

"introduces Batman's sidekick Robin."

Oh god NOOOOO!
as long as they ignore that bit from the books it'll be good. Robin should stay away from Batman.

Robin can be good. I'm sure the homo-erotic elements are worth adding, just to please the young and older bi or gay fans. Who would make a good Robin?

@Gyrus: Do not have offspring.

Srsly though, Robin = big no no. I don't think we've explored the world of Nolan-Batman enough to warrant another character. It would destroy the brooding mood of the movies that worked so well if Batman were to have a sidekick.

I'm not really sure how they are going to make Mandarin and Fin Fang Foom work on the silver screen, but I'd be happily surprised if they can.

I'd be cool with them introducing Robin if they killed him at the end.

Somehow I doubt they would make the mistake of introducing Dick Grayson and making him become Robin all in the same movie. I don't think that Nolan would rush something like that if it happens at all. I for one am going to wait at least until The Dark Knight comes out to start making speculations on a movie that hasn't even made it to pre-production yet.

And there is no way Nolan would cast Shia LaBouf, or at least I fucking hope not.

@braak: Robin 'saves' batman from following Harvey down that road to insanity.

AAAAAAAaaand this is where the terrible plot and pathetic rogue's gallery of the Iron Man comics gets in the way of the movie. I was expecting it for the first, but they dodged the bullet.

If Robin MUST be in Batman, he should be young and small, not a late teen or someone as old as Batman. The whole idea's ridiculous, but at least that way people can be morally outraged by Batman sending an eight year old at armed thugs wearing green bikini bottoms and a bright red tunic, and maybe they'll overlook the creepy guy in the cape that dressed him that way.

I'm going to have to join the anti-Robin bandwagon. There are two "flavors" of Batman-campy and dark. The new Batman is of the dark, serious variety, which I much prefer. Robin only works in campy Batman (and he's barely passable at that). However, he's completely out of place with the dark mood. To even try to make him compatible would be like putting a mime in Schindler's List and having everyone act like there's nothing out the ordinary.

@Tiber: Yeah, I'm not sure you can make Robin dark. Having a guy running around in a rubber batsuit because he's borderline insane is pushing it, but having a kid come in going "I want to live with you... and be dark too... I'll be... a bird." just doesn't sit well with me.

They should introduce Robin to anal sex.

...sorry, that typed itself...

@DeepFriar:
I must admit, The Penguin was my least favorite part of 2, but Michelle Pfeiffer all kinked out in vinyl, AND Christopher Walken as a throw in villain more than made up for it.

@Tiber: I could see Robin working as a child informant for Batman, living on the streets like Oliver Twist, hearing everything that goes on, not respected at all cause he's a kid, but helping Bats anyway. Other than that, I see nothing else for him in the Nolan Batman movies.

She gets hit by a car, and forgets the Doctor? ??? That's more farfetched than Earl!
And Harriet Jones, a Dalek? That's effed up.

@Belabras: Make the Mandarin more like Osama Bin Laden crossed with Attila the Hun and Fin Fang Foom more like Godzilla.

There's a massive coordinated terrorist attack in the US, followed by a message form the Mandarin to the effect of, "Do as I say or there will be more destruction." In comes Samuel L. as nick Fury, to convince Tony Stark that this is Iron Man's top priority. Tony balks at being ordered around and tells Fury to get some of his other superheros to do it, he's busy trying to clean up the mess left by Stane (Stane's stain?).

Then reports of Foom being sighted in China. Evidence leads Tony to suspect that Stane was branching out into bioweapons and Foom may be the first generation Kaiju WMD. Tony goes to China to fight Foom, Rhodes dons the War Machine armor to help protect the US. The two battles converge. Iron Man, War Machine and SHIELD fighting terrorists and giant monsters.

@Tiber: I wholeheartedly agree. I don't see Robin adding anything to this version of Batman.

The Doctor's Daughter sounds... bad! But I'll hold my breath, as always.

I think James Earl Jones would be a good Dick Grayson.

@Gyrus:
I like it, but there are still problems:
Mandarin is both a silly name and racist. They really should go with a moniker like "Master of the Ten Rings" or some such.
Mandarin's power source, the 10 rings of alien technology, might be a tough fit for the movie. It'll require some really good writing to make it work.
Fin Fang Foom is a hard sell on the silver screen, and tossing him in as a Kaiju WMD (while pretty cool imho) might be too much for the non-comic book fan to buy.

Otherwise, I'd be down with that plot arc.

I understand the reluctance to include Robin -- it will be very difficult to do successfully -- but the character is an important part of the mythos, and I would rather see this relationship explored than another invented romance.

No Robin. Period.

Although, if they wanted to introduce Nightwing, as a potential ally/competing vigilante, that might not be sucktastic.

No. Y'know what? NO ROBIN. Or any Robin-related paraphernalia.

@Belabras: Agreed. This is problematic for a second movie, though given enough lead time, might be possible to develop by a third movie.

@braak:
@Belabras:

I say just ditch the alien gizmo nonsense and say the ten rings is the name of his group, period. Mandarin is a hugely awful name but easily fixed with something vaguely Arabic or Asian. He wields power based on the age old principle of killing his rivals and making outlandish promises he has no intention of keeping. you can even make a not to the Mandarin by having some old racist general make a comment about that damn Chinese mandarin (kinda like the slightly oblique Iron Monger line by Stane).

Foom as Kaiju also has a built in explanation that avoids the alien connection neatly. "Genetically engineered super monster." is all you have to say. Everyone gets the point and it isn't any more or less silly than "wealthy drunk weapons manufacturer builds his own robot armor."

c'mon guys! Batman and Robin, they go hand in hand. I gurantee that if Chris Nolan wants to introduce Robin, it will be AWESOME.

@Gyrus:
I could see that. In a perfect world I'd love to get a mech version of Fin Fang Foom instead of an organic one, as well as a version of Mandarin that had domestically developed power rings (without some of the sillier abilities. Maybe just telekinesis and energy throwing abilities) stolen from some other high tech wiz.

I just worry any biological kaiju is going to end up being compared to and/or ripped off from the father of all kaiju - Godzilla. And I think Iron Man vs Godzilla (while totally awesome in its own right) might not have as wide an appeal as the first movie.

I also wonder why no Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo, or Lasher...

@Belabras: In fact, the next Iron Man movie has already been set up. It will be filmed in shaky-cam, in a collaboration between John Favreau and J. J. Abrams: Iron Man versus That Cloverfield Thing.

@TheKeyMaster: "c'mon guys! Batman and Robin, they go hand in hand."

Most people don't like their costumed crusaders to be holding hands, is the problem.

Personally, I'd prefer the Doctor and Grandpa Wilf saving the earth with funny folk-y English comedy songs

Robin only works in campy Batman

Piffle. Robin worked fine in the Warner Bros animated Batman. They even had him move on to become Nightwing after a rather serious facedown and a parting of the ways with Batman. They even made Batgirl work.

Oh PLEASE no Robin (or Batgirl). One caped hero per film is enough.

Catwoman though...I would love to see Nolan's take on her.

@Belabras: "Mandarin is both a silly name and racist."

Yeah. They should rename him "the Ringmaster".

Then he could create his Circus of Crime...

@ideaman2020:

Jerry Springer?

@braak:
Hah!

Like chocolate and peanut butter, Cloverfield and Iron Man were made for each other.

Robin in costume = DO NOT WANT!

Dick Grayson as a non costumed assistant makes some sense. Maybe the little boy he tossed the night-vision periscope to in the first film could fill that role. But never, never have him put on green shorts and a yellow cape.

The closest I want Robin in my Batman movies is Burt Ward in a cameo as a street bum in the narrows being beaten up and Batman has to save him.

I cant wait for the third Iron Man movie where he adds nipples to the suit and takes on Beryllium Boy as his sidekick.

Of course, knowing Tony Stark it will be a 18 year old stripper he saves from a life on the streets.

Robin would be ok if it was Carrie Kelly from the dark night returns story line.

hey, you never know!

@ideaman2020: or the "scout leader"

@Dillenger69: No, that's "Speedy," and she's Green Arrow's sidekick.

@knots: No one would see that coming -- DEUS EX MACHINA!

As far as Robin goes, there's also the issue of how do you justify endangering the safety of a (I assume) 12-year old while fighting crime? In the animated series I think Robin was 18(?). I agree with others here, I just can't see this concept working in the current films. Even with Christopher Nolan at the helm.

As for Doctor Who, I think that break in 2009 will do a world of good. Perhaps even a good time for David Tennant to hang up his coat and pass the role onto someone else? It was Patrick Troughton who stated that an actor should only stay in the role for 3 years, after all.

@Spacehamster: Read "All Star Batman and Robin". Any time Robin's in panel, someone says "Dick Grayson, Age 12". It's ludicrous, but the whole book is.

This is all well and good but none of it explains why Number 6 (The Prisoner) is in the lead image.

So excited for Robin! I love his character, I admit it.

A good actor for the part would be the kid who played Christian Bale's son in 3:10 to Yuma. He's got that pouty yet irritable air about him similar to Robin's :D:D

No more Rose; please, no more Rose. She was fine as a Companion, but I am really tired of her.

And hell, seems like poor Mickey still can't get a break : (

saw some pictures from the finale of Doctor who in Daily Record, confirms that Rose, Jack and the |Daleks are back in the finale.
Iron MAn - no script yet so it was probably just Jon Favreu going "you know what would be cool in the next movie".

re: including robin

making each movie into an 'origin' flick is a great idea too.

@JennaW: i "heart" you