What studio pick did he do that I'm not aware of?

Johnson did Brick (which also won Sundance and was a rare domestic distribution deal for FOCUS), Bloom (with two academy award winning actors – and four actors that have been nominated for academy awards – Through Summit for the same adjusted budget as Insomnia) and now has Looper.

I don't think Following had much of an impact on Warner's decision to interview/hire Nolan.

Both use non-linear storytelling methods. Both are extremely visual and pull from European cinematography. And both know how to manipulate and audience with pre-conceived casts.

Regardless, Johnson is a breathe of fresh air to a blockbuster audience. The thing that I think we don't want to say out loud is that Nolan created two great storylines for his last two films that were original (even though they were well researched). I don't want-trust Snyder. Truth is, I'd hate to see a page by page adaptation of any Batman Graphic novel to hit a big screen.

With Mann, who might have been a strong influence of The Dark Knight, I cringe at what he did as a producer with Hancock.

Rian Johnson is the nerd we want. His first movie was about detectives his second was about con men. Both were well received.

It was his third feature. Batman was his fourth.

Johnson's done two feature and Bloom was done for a mini-major in Summit, which is the same studio that did Memento.

So yeah, not quite. I would suspect that Looper is done at Summit and not at a major studio.

I will also bet all the money in the world that Rian Johnson will never direct a Batman movie.

Looking at Post-Joker Gotham Rogue's list the series needs a man who can write/direct the characters of Wayne/Batman/and whatever villain we have in store.

Most of the fandom is looking at The Riddler and Johnson's Brick reminded me of a great Riddler or Long Halloween-esque story. Brother's Bloom also shows that criminals have a heart, despite their insanity.

I also like that he's not into Green Screen at all. Snyder would kill the element of Gotham being a real place on earth. I think the same could be said of Fincher.

PT Anderson paints very epic stories that could be fitting to nolans universe.

Others: John dahl, Polanski,

Second pick Fernando Meirelles.

Also, are you implying that Nolan's sledgehammer is any better than Meirelles'? That's a particularly absurd proposition.

Ivan has something close to my shortlist, but I don't think Alan Horn wants to ever see Andrew Dominik again; I don't think Andrew Dominik wants to ever see Alan Horn again.

Dream would be Kathryn Bigelow directing a Vincent Ngo script.

However, I'd say the director will be someone who Bale has already worked with. Likely candidates that haven't been mentioned, I'd say Brad Anderson, John Singleton, James Mangold and McG don't seem implausible. Left-field less likelies are Mary Harron, Todd Haynes and Terrence Malick.

We really tried to not get too pie-in-sky-ish here.

Look Darren Aronofsky, is never going to do Batman. If you can't figure that out from all the information at hand, well, sorry, but we're not gonna argue it.

Snyder, while a horrible choice, would be ultimately way more desireable from a studio perspective than Aronosfky. I doubt all three of Aronofsky's films have grossed half of what "300" did.

BUT if Nolan is intent on moving on, here's my suggestion:

1. Still hire Goyer and Jonathan Nolan to write the screenplay.
2. Get Nolan's pal Steven Soderbergh to helm the picture while Nolan exec produces.

I'd love to see what Soderbergh could do in the Batman universe. I think his Traffic, documentary style, mult-thread story sensibility could really be an interesting way to go if A) Batman 3 has Batman on the run from the law or B) Is a twisted who-dunnit plot that involved the Riddler and mind games…just an idea!

All too expensive. Especially the first two. Cuaron much less so.

If they're starting over, they're going cheap.

it's his baby and he is a damn fine director, so i guess he wouldn't "let" anyone direct it if he had the chance. as far as i remember he was the one that approached and pitched his idea for a batman film to warner brothers.

and for other directors stepping in, i'd go with the obvious:

1) michael mann
2) david fincher
3) alfonso cuarón

i don't think mann and fincher would want to do it, but cuarón might consider it. but what the hell do i know…

blughebaergh

I just vomited my guts out. Goodbye cruel world.

The guy understands the world of mystery and crime better than any of the directors you've previously mentioned.

A Matt Reeves / Drew Goddard scenario could work very well too.

I would likely wait to video with every name you put on that list.