While outlandish casting rumors for the next Batman sequel are a dime a dozen (we're starting another right here: fresh from her Dreamgrillz triumph, VH1 star Tiffany "New York" Pollard is being tipped to star as Bruce Wayne's next love interest), we've never been able to put much stock in them, principally because Bat mastermind Christopher Nolan hasn't actually signed on to a third film yet. Now, talking to the LAT, the director signals that his future involvement in the series shouldn't be seen as an inevitability:

GB: Watching "The Dark Knight," it’s very easy to imagine the Joker returning to Gotham, the way his fate remains unresolved. When you were writing the film, did you anticipate that the Joker would be back in the third film? NOLAN: No, really and in truth, I only deal with one film at a time. I find myself sort of protesting this issue a lot. We’ve never attempted to save anything for a sequel or set up anything for a sequel. ...GB: Could you see actually yourself not making the third Batman film? NOLAN: Well ... let me think how to put this. There are two things to be said. One is the emphasis on story. What’s the story? Is there a story that’s going to keep me emotionally invested for the couple of years that it will take to make another one? That’s the overriding question. On a more superficial level, I have to ask the question: How many good third movies in a franchise can people name? [Laughs.] At the same time, in taking on the second one, we had the challenge of trying to make a great second movie, and there haven't been too many of those either. It’s all about the story really. If the story is there, everything is possible. I hope that was a suitably slippery answer.

And we hope that Nolan is simply negotiating for a bigger payday, as a potential Batman sequel with Michael Bay or Brett Ratner at the helm is enough to make us commit seppuku via batarang. Sure, everyone wants to avoid a Godfather, Part III situation, but think of the fans! Think of Heath Ledger's legacy! Think of Brian Austin Green!