Long wait anticipated for The Dark Knight sequel.

Based on conversations coming from within industry insiders as well as the apparent schedule for Inception, Christopher Nolan’s latest film, it looks almost certain that The Dark Knight sequel will be released in summer of 2012. This is because the preproduction, shooting, and postproduction from Inception which will be released in 2010 will take a total of 18 months to two years.

Firstly, let’s take a quick look at a little Nolan history.

We know now that the script for The Dark Knight was finished before the end of 2005 about a half a year after Batman Begins was in theaters. Nolan worked on The Prestige during the latter part of 2005 on into 2006, with the film ultimately being released in October 2006. In July of 2006 while the director was still working on The Prestige, Warner Bros officially announced that Chris would helm TDK, it would be released in the summer of 2008, and that Heath Ledger had been cast as The Joker. Once The Prestige hit theatres in Fall of ‘06, there was then a six month gap before filming began on TDK.

Right now, Inception is in preproduction. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine (internet forums, fan sites, official statements) filming will take place from mid-2009 and finish late in the year. Nolan and co. will most likely be involved with post production for most of the first half of 2010, readying the film for its mid-July release.

It looks as if there will be no way that BATMAN 3 can go through pre, filming, and post during the second half of 2010 and the first part of 2011 and be ready for a Summer ‘11 release.

Doing the math, the timeframe between The Dark Knight to Inception is nine months later than it was between Batman Begins to The Prestige so that’s nearly a year folks. Thus it appears that Batman 3 will come four years after TDK.

I know a four year gap is a bummer, but cheer up — at least we know a Nolan-directed Batman 3 is coming!

(And that’s more than we could say back in ‘97 after BATMAN AND ROBIN.)