Will Joseph Gordon-Levitt Bridge Christopher Nolan's 'Batman' Trilogy and 'Justice League' ?

Looks like we will take a break this week from the Star Wars: Episode VII rumor mill and move over to the rumblings regarding Warner Bros.' Justice League. With Man of Steel director Zack Snyder admitting to staying the course with his reboot of Superman leading into Justice League, a new rumor has surfaced today.

If you haven't seen The Dark Knight Rises, you may want to stop reading here...

According to sources talking to Hitfix, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is set to 'absolutely' appear as the new Batman in Justice League, which is looking to hit the big screen in 2015.

Since director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale have retired their take on Batman, and Nolan has stated he will have no involvement with Justice League, it has been widely assumed that a rebooted version of the Caped Crusader would have to be introduced in the DC all-star team up film. But with Levitt's Officer John Blake inheriting the cape and cowl at the conclusion of TDKR, the decision to carry the character over and into Justice League would not only bring an additional familiar face alongside Henry Cavill's Superman to Warner Bros.' big screen answer to Marvel's The Avengers, but would more importantly provide a quick and easy shortcut to incorporate Nolan's entire Batman trilogy into the ongoing big screen DC Universe.

According to Hifix's Drew McWeeny:

"Now here's where things get interesting. The more insistent the drumbeat has become, the more poking around I've been doing, and it's looking like we may see Gordon-Levitt in the suit earlier than that. They're a long way from filming anything Justice League related, but they appear to be solidifying deals for Gordon-Levitt and, potentially, at least one other actor from the Nolan films to do… something."

Now the implication here is that there are plans for a big reveal cameo in next summer's Man of Steel, linking Gotham and Metropolis well before Justice League hits theaters. Though Man of Steel is the only big screen opportunity for WB on the horizon as of now, so it's either this or nothing.

Additionally, if another actor from the Nolan films were to join Levitt (according to Hitfix's source), you could conceivably place Michael Caine (Alfred) with him in Wayne Manor or the Batcave (perhaps watching a news report of Superman), or have Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon) stand along side Levitt's new Dark Knight as Superman flies over Gotham with the Batsignal in the sky. Taking a heavy cue from the Marvel Studios post-credits cameos, a brief shot is all it takes to get the ball rolling and neatly wrap these films together.

Factor in as well that Nolan is producing Man of Steel, so none of this would go forward without his knowledge, or blessing. Obviously all of this is complete rampant speculation, but for WB it would provide a solution to not having to start a entirely new big screen DC Universe from scratch with next year's Man of Steel, and incorporate Nolan's brilliant body of work. 

Another other option is to also include Ryan Reynolds' Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in Justice League, and not scrap the ambitious sci-fi groundwork laid down in that 2011 film. And with thousands of active members in the Green Lantern Corps, Reynolds could easily do a quick cameo and step aside for another to join full time in Justice League (though its highly likely Reynolds and the GL cast signed a multi-picture deal with WB).

Where Marvel masterfully built their big screen universe one film at a time, cross-over cameo by cross-over cameo beginning in 2008's Iron Man and leading into The Avengers, DC/WB does not have the luxury of time or a busy upcoming film slate to mirror that feat before Justice League hits in 2015.


SOURCE: Hitfix

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