Beverly Hills, California, July 9 : "When the story's done, the story's done," said writer-director-producer Christopher Nolan about why the new "The Dark Knight Rises" will conclude the critically and commercially successful latest "Batman" film franchise.
And, without Nolan, it's unlikely we'll see Batman himself, actor Christian Bale. "I just can't imagine making 'Batman' without Chris," Bale explained.
"It was his notion and our agreement on how the character could be played in a way that we had not seen him played before, that formed our relationship for these three movies."
"The Dark Knight Rises" returns us to Gotham City some eight years after "The Dark Knight" concluded -- with Batman/Bruce Wayne keeping the peace by taking the blame for the murder of district attorney Harvey Dent, who few knew was really the villainous "Two-Face."
Batman/Wayne has become a recluse, but is brought out of retirement with the arrival of two new threats to the city: burglar Catwoman (played by Anne Hathaway) and terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy).
"I was grateful that it was the third in the trilogy, and the last, when I saw the movie," noted actor Michael Caine, back for he said is his third and final turn as Alfred, Bruce Wayne's trusty butler. "I really wouldn't want to make number four and try to top this one."
For the cast and their director, the release of "Dark Knight Rises" is unlikely "goodbye" to each other. There's still the movie to promote, likely awards to collect.
And then there's Nolan, who tends to use the same actors again and again. Among the "Dark Knight Rises" cast members who've worked with Nolan before: Caine, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
That said, it's not Nolan but Warner Bros. and DC Comics who likely control the fate of Batman on the screen.
"(Chris) did say to me, 'Well, this is it, of course, unless you want to whore your ass out and do number four -- for some other schmuck,'" said Oldman, laughing. "I don't know the studio ... That's a hard one isn't it? I mean, wouldn't they want four and five and six?"
Then Oldman makes cash-register sounds and laughs again."The Dark Knight Rises" releases in India on July 20.
