Inception Pushes Batman 3 Back to 2011

This shouldn’t come as news to any of us, Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller Inception has taken first priority over the third Batman film. Over at MTV, Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth) gave an update on when we can expect to see another movie. Unfortunately according to the actor, the scope of Inception is so huge that everything else will have to take a backseat including the much anticipated follow up to The Dark Knight.

MTV asked Caine for a casting update on the film, and whether or not we can expect to see the production of Batman start anytime soon.

“There is nobody, there’s no script, there’s nothing,” Caine told MTV News of the status of the next Batman movie. “It can’t possibly be made before 2011 because Inception is such a big picture.”

I’m on the fence about all of this. There has been such a nonchalant vibe towards another Batman over the past year. I honestly think the film’s success has put a lot of pressure on the studio and Nolan. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were actually afraid to make another one, even though contractually certain actors are obligated to return for a third.

Inception puts me in an odd place. It’s a huge ensemble piece led by Leonardo DiCaprio, that will be visually stunning. Why can’t we get both films in a reasonable amount of time? If the actual production of Batman 3 can’t begin until 2011, that means it won’t hit theaters until 2012. That’s a bit long in the tooth don’t you think?

Do you think Nolan is taking too long to make a third Batman film? When do you think the new film should hit theaters?