Beaks here...

What do you do immediately after you direct and co-write the second-highest grossing movie of all time? Whatever the fuck you want to do. That's what.

For Christopher Nolan, it's INCEPTION. Based on his own original screenplay, it's described rather vaguely as "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind." The most interesting part of that logline is "contemporary". This isn't some far-off, speculative sci-fi noodling; it is, I presume, meant to be somewhat plausible. As for that "architecture of the mind" jazz, speculate away. Maybe he's remaking BRAINSTORM.

Now for the big question: when do we get the next Batman movie? Do we get the next Batman movie? Given that Warner Bros. is footing the bill for INCEPTION (tentatively scheduled to begin shooting this summer for a summer 2010 release), I'm very certain it's in the offing. Right now, they're probably pressing pretty hard for summer 2011. That, however, would put Nolan right back in the director's chair once he's completed INCEPTION. Obviously, this is possible, but it's also at odds with Nolan's deliberate nature. He's exacting. For the most part, he wants all of the narrative elements to be in place before he starts shooting. So unless a plot suddenly crystallizes for him (and Jonathan and Goyer), I'm thinking summer 2012 is most likely. We'll see.

For now, I'm just happy that we're getting a completely original film from Nolan. It will be his first since FOLLOWING (MEMENTO was based on a short story by Jonathan).