Holy Nolan!

Proving that you really can go from black and white budget flicks to Batman in five years, Memento director Christopher Nolan has been enlisted to revive the Caped Crusader himself. In a surprise appointment to say the least, Warner Bros have recruited the fantastic Brit to beef up the Bat after the franchise seriously flagged after four movies that grossed more than $1 billion. A deal has been struck for Nolan to direct but he has refused to confirm whether he will also write the script. "All I can say is that I grew up with Batman, I've been fascinated by him and I'm excited to contribute to the lore surrounding the character," Nolan told Variety. "He is the most credible and realistic of the superheroes, and has the most complex human psychology. His superhero qualities come from within. He's not a magical character. I had a fantastic experience with the studio on Insomnia, and I'm keen to repeat that experience." But he's going to have to call on all his trademark intelligence and imagination to successfully resuscitate a franchise that was all but wiped out by the living hell of Batman And Robin. Warner Bros have been doggedly trying to kickstart the whole shebang for some time through a series of rather desperate re-inventions and spin-offs. Batman Vs Superman had a script from Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker and was about to go into production when director Wolfgang Petersen decided he was after action a little more ancient and went off to start Troy with Brad Pitt. Meanwhile Batman: Year One, a Gen-X version of the crimefighter developed by Requiem for a Dream helmer Darren Aronofsky, is waiting in the wings while the proposed Catwoman spinoff starring Ashley Judd is still on the fast track at Warners. Then of course, there's also the man in spandex to worry about. Another Warner Bros property, Superman - with or without the initial choice of director Brett Ratner - is apparently at the screen test stage to find the Man of Steel for the 21st century. Nolan, you're a brave soul indeed.