Those wondering why the DC film universe is so dark and gritty, and has been for a long time, may want to familiarize themselves with Frank Miller’s iconic 1986 comic series The Dark Knight Returns, one of the most influential series in comic book history. Now, the legendary comic book artist, writer, and film director is planning on creating another sequel to his masterpiece.
The Dark Knight III: The Master Race will be written by Miller and writer Brian Azzarello, whose works included an acclaimed run on Wonder Woman. “Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting,” said Miller said in a press release, “but we’ll do our best.”
Azzarello said, “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with Frank these past six months. I think we have an epic story that these characters truly deserve.”
“We are thrilled to have Frank back home at DC writing Batman,” according to Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, Co-Publishers for DC Entertainment. “The story he and Brian have crafted is an astounding and triumphant conclusion to this seminal body of work which influenced and shaped generations of readers and creators alike.”
The original series, The Dark Knight Returns, showcased an aging Batman gearing up for the fight of his life. It heavily influenced comics and the movies that came after them, including Tim Burton’s two Batman films, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and the upcoming iteration of Batman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. As a collection, the series was also named as one of TIME’s 10 greatest graphic novels of all time. In 2001, Miller returned to the Dark Knight by penning and drawing Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Back. However, while the sequel was incredibly successful, it was panned by both critics and fans alike. It will be interesting to see what the man behind the darkest cowl has in store this time.
The Dark Knight III: The Master Race is slated to be released in September 2015. No artist has been announced as of yet.
