We should really start putting some though into what to call the next installment in the Batman franchise. Considering that the previous two films have featured Christopher Nolan at the helm, it’s easy to just start calling it Batman 3. But there already WAS a Batman 3 (Batman Forever) and before that Batman belonged to Tim Burton, another single director with two bat films under his belt.

On the other hand, Batman Returns isn’t one of the highest grossing movies of all time, so we might as well give Nolan some credit and just call it Batman 3.

Now that we have that sorted out, has Nolan already signed on to helm his third superhero movie…?

Maybe. But probably not.

Rumor has been circulating online that a recent copy of Production Weekly has Nolan’s 3rd Batman film listed with him as the director and a pre-production start date of February 2009.

While some are taking this news at little more than face value: an official publication has said that Nolan is attached and pre-production starts February 2009.

But some, like Peter at /Film, have wisely observed: “I highly doubt that Warner Bros would have confirmed any of this production information with a third party, as it would steal the thunder from the studio’s eventual press release.”

We tend to agree with him. Because Warner Bros doesn’t care what the third Nolan Batman is even about as long as there is a movie with Batman and Christopher Nolan is directing it. As far as they’re concerned, they have a little money-baby - or cash cow, because eating a money baby would be a little morally ambiguous