Any news on The Dark Knight Rises is good news, and this news is particularly sweet. This is the latest piece from the rumour mill on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming concluding part to his Batman trilogy. Apparently, the film will be based on the graphic novel Prey.
The graphic novel is part of the Legends of the Dark Knight series, written by Doug Moench and the story is an unofficial follow up to Frank Miller’s Batman Year One (a heavy influence on Batman Begins), the main villain of which is Dr. Hugo Strange.
In the book, Strange is a psychiatrist who uses his influence over the big power players in Gotham City to capture Batman, who is the root of his obsession. A task force is assembled, the leader being Commissioner Jim Gordon, who has to juggle various responsibilities including his pact to protect Batman.
The news seems to fit with all the recent activity taking place around The Dark Knight sequel, particularly that Tom Hardy would be playing Hugo Strange. These are still rumours with no official sources yet, as is typical with all Nolan productions the details are very hush-hush.
However Strange and the plot of Prey do fit in very well with the Nolan verse. The story arc is gritty and more in tune with the realistic tone established by Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Strange is a sinister figure, a manipulative and evil man who is always behind the scenes and never out and in your face.
For me, I would like to see the way this rumour goes as I’m not yet entirely convinced. I am unsure of whether the screenplay will be a straight adaptation. In the previous films, they have used various influences and brought them together. Plus they are currently on the hunt for a female actress who could be a villain or a Bruce Wayne love interest. Prey’s storyline does however fit nicely to the close of The Dark Knight with Batman/Bruce Wayne on the run, now an enemy of Gotham City.
Who knows, but Nolan’s final instalment of this brilliant series of movies is shaping up to be a terrific conclusion. Filming begins in May 2011, finishes in November 2011, and has a July 2012 release.
