I think this could be a good move. I'd like to see some action in it, but I think this could fit the general direction of the trilogy very well.

" @cold_fuzion: If they bring in Sgt. Max Cort (who Tom Hardy's also been rumored as) as the Night Scourge, that could bring in some action.

If  Scarecrow can be a decent movie villain, then someone like Huge Strange is perfect!  He's just begging to be turned into a Nolan villain.
   

Aside from all the good points mentioned by Tony, one of the things I like about Strange is that he's a relative unknown which helps preserve a lot of the mystery for the film.  I'm not sure if people realize how much that's been missing in the information / video / trailer saturated age we live in.  I mean, it used to be you saw a poster and maybe a 30 second TV spot, you checked a three line / 4 star review in the paper and that's all you had to go on before you went into the theater. 
 
Now, you get 3-4 two plus minute trailers (if not seven or more for real blockbuster, plus special features, making of, actor / director commentary, pre-release hype programming, etc) that slice through the same film different ways, exhaustive online reviews and aggregators like RT and MetaCritic, and a deluge of spoilers before you even get into the theater.  That means you practically know the entire plot and every twist and turn before you ever see the film! 
 
The Dark Knight, Inception, and- to a lesser extent, Batman Begins all had trailers that preserved a lot of the mystery to the films' stories in terms of actual plot (only themes or action / visual beats are revealed)... and that tends to make the film more engrossing, at least for me.  With Strange, I think the audience is going to be pretty unfamiliar with the character meaning they won't know what to expect which can enhance the rollercoaster feel if the film executes. 
 
To that end, I know a lot of people are citing "Prey", but I hope it serves only as loose inspiration rather than a blow by blow account of our story... I think another strength of the Batman franchise is that they've really sought to tell original / new stories as opposed to adapting wholesale existing works / stories... that lets the franchise forge new ground and create its own legend rather than borrowing and diluting the legitimacy of something else (arguably compromising both, and part of the reason people are sick of origin retellings). 
 
Even if Hugo Strange is the expected villain, I hope and see him as a great gateway into the unexpected. 
 
PS - One last point, Nolan didn't completely avoid fantastical elements in Begins... I thought the Scarecrow on a firebreathing horse (as seen through hallucinating eyes) was effective (even if the Bat Demon was less so) and with Strange's penchant for diving into the mind, there still might be a possibility of- even briefly- seeing some of Batman's more extraordinary rogues so long as it is in the drug-induced context. 

" Didnt the last movie have people dressing up as Batman? Didnt we already have a crazy psychologist in this series? Terrific another slow psychological Batman movie. I can already hear Alfred offering more sage advice to Bruce while he sits in the cave ready to quit being Batman. Bring in CobblePot and Black Mask and have a huge war going on for Gothams underworld. With Batman being hunted by the police already you have most of the movie written. Use the hidden identity  of Black Mask as the films big mystery and move on from there. Lets not rehash things we have already done. "

I think Hugo Strange, Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Talia Al Ghul should be in the movie. Hugo and Harley as the Villians, Catwoman as an Anti-hero, and Talia as the one pulling the strings inorder to get revenge for the death of her father.

After what I have read G-Man I would like to see Hugo in the next Bat-movie! I hope he is.

Nice article.    

I wouldn't mind.

" @Icemizer said:

" Didnt the last movie have people dressing up as Batman? Didnt we already have a crazy psychologist in this series? Terrific another slow psychological Batman movie. I can already hear Alfred offering more sage advice to Bruce while he sits in the cave ready to quit being Batman. Bring in CobblePot and Black Mask and have a huge war going on for Gothams underworld. With Batman being hunted by the police already you have most of the movie written. Use the hidden identity  of Black Mask as the films big mystery and move on from there. Lets not rehash things we have already done. "

  Let me focus on one point of that statement; Black Mask.   Black Mask would be perfect as a Nolan-verse villain. Origin isn't to fantastical, powers are non-existent and he  is a very human character. All ticks on the box. Sad thing is, he probably won't have be considered by Nolan.   P.S. The guy dressing up as Batman in the second film was Scarecrow.  "

Hugo Strange is one of my favorite batman villains, been saying he should be the badguy of batman three since dark knight ended ha ha so im very happy to hear he actually might be the bad guy! I get bragging rights amongst my friends for calling it the night after dark knight opened ha ha

Holy crap! I remember thinking the EXACT same thing after reading the Prey storyline and watching The Dark Knight. That's creepy...

Don't forget boys and girls.  The movie is called Battle for Gotham. 
 
I'm calling it now :  It's gonna be Hugo Strange, Black Mask, and either Talia/Ra's, or Scarecrow as the villians for this movie.  Since it's the last Nolan installment, he's going to all out.  I think all these villians are going to go big and do whatever they can to take over Gotham.  I think that there has to be a certain flow from film to film.  Nolan is a very good story teller.  I think he going to recap and talk about the first two movies in the third.  That's why Talia and Ra's would be in it.  I think it their going to take it Batman. They want revenge from the first movie but, they have no idea that other villians/players are in this and what Batman's head on a lance too. 

Hugo is in the movie to get into Batman's head and start to play mind games with Batman.  At the same time, he's going to strike at him with Night Scourge.  A one two punch if you will. These 3 villians alone are going to push Batman like no other.  Physically and mentally.   
 
Finally, you add the Black Mask . He will be the Mob element like the first two movies. Mask will be the in charge of Falcone and the rest of the Gotham mob.  He might strike with Scarecrow again because of what Batman did to the mob in the first one.  Again, Nolan going to tie everything together,  I have a feeling that all these characters will be in the third movie. Plus,  look for a cameo of the Joker in Arkham too.  Batman is facing his final test. It's going to be hard on Batman.  A threat of many foes new and old trying to Battle for Gotham.   
 
I think I'm right.  Only time will tell.

Deep down, i still want Killer Croc. With some tweaking like the Joker had in DK, he could fit, but no, I've realized it won't happen. I just want Bats to go up against a bruiser in a movie since he hasn't faced a physical threat considering he was an even match for Ra's Al Ghul and the Joker smacked him around a bit but nothing serious.
 
But Strange really is the perfect character for the final movie. I as talking with a friend of mine about this last weekend and he basically fits the MO necessary to work with the setup of DKR, basically everything G-Man said verbatim. Plus, it will be great to get a really unknown bat villain on the screen, even though Arkham City will inform a few people.

My idea was that strange would be working with the police to stop batman but he would have his own criminal plans if he captures batman. I think he would also make a deal with a certain mob boss like the penguin or black mask to discover what the real identity is. After he discovers Bruce is batman he turns even more sinister he captures Alfred. And confronts batman in their final fight. So batman must stop the mob boss(penguin or black mask) a psychal challenge. and the police and Hugo is chasing them (a mental challenge).

" Don't forget boys and girls.  The movie is called Battle for Gotham. "

" @cold_fuzion: If they bring in Sgt. Max Cort (who Tom Hardy's also been rumored as) as the Night Scourge, that could bring in some action. 

"

Babs just sent me a link saying Hardy would not be playing Hugo Strange (not an official confirmation or denial). As mentioned, Hardy was also rumored to maybe play Max Cort. Either way, I still say someone should play Strange in the movie.

When Batman changes his voice, THEN I'll see this movie

 
thanks G-Man, this article convinced me that Strange works for the next Batman film.

He looks like Dr. Steel! xD

Hugo Strange is a great character with a real history with Batman, and Tom Hardy is a fantastic actor, so this will almost certainly be great. 
 
That said, I was hoping for Bane, possibly played by Javier Bardem.  A modified Knightfall storyline would be kickass.  
 
Hope springs eternal.

I couldn't agree more that Hugo would fit well as a Nolan-verse Bats film baddie.  Especially the psychotic obsession angle ala him dressing up like Bats.  I like it.  It has a fetish undertone that amps up the creepiness angle.  I like the angle of the GCPD brings in a psychological profiler in their Batman-manhunt task force and it's Hugo Strange?  Beautiful.  I wasn't awed by TDK like everyone else on the planet.  Nolan needs to fix that lame-ass Bale Bat-voice big time.  That killed the movie so bad.  Ugh!  Take a cue from Kevin Conroy on how to have a Bruce & Bat voice and how to switch between them and we're gold. 

This Hugo Strange should appear in the final film. This would be a great premise for "The Dark Knight Rises". Gotham police sends Deadshot to take Batman down while Hugo Strange is figuring out who Batman actually is. So you have two villians who are after Batman. One for bounty and one for revealing the secret identity.

Love hugo Strange and really hope they go with this story arc...

As someone who's recently read "Batman and the Monster Men" and "Batman: Prey", I can safely say Hugo Strange will make a fine addition to Nolan's Batman world.

Hell of a Fight!

Strange has a lot of potential.

 You know, I think Hugo Strange is a good decision. I like the character for who he is I really do, but I think for Nolan's final installment he has to up the ante, and I don't see Hugo really taking down the Batman by himself and what I really wanna see in one of Nolan's bat films, is an Anti-Batman. Only two really come to mind. I think the Night Scourge is alright but I wanna see a Hugo inforcer, I wanna see a villain do to Bruce Wayne and his company what Batman's been doing to these Mob criminals and super villains I really do. I wanna see The Wrath or Pormetheus 

 The Wrath -  http://www.comicvine.com/wrath/29-50593/     
 Prometheus -  http://www.comicvine.com/prometheus/29-22784/     
 This is what I really wanna see, I'm leaning towards the original Wrath more to be honest but if he's to much of an unknown I wouldn't mind compromising Wrath for Prometheus. Especially after the kind of succesful surgical strike he accomplished against the Justice League and the way he defeated Batman in hand to hand combat, I'd say he's a superb choice myself. Though I feel The Wrath had more of a personal feel compared to Prometheus. Wrath beat Alfred, like Hugo discovered his personal identity, defiles Bruce' parents grave, targets Gordon, and wears a perversion of Batman's costume. 
 
 The way I see it is Hugo Strange using Wrath as a kind of anti-personel weapon against Batman, I think the film should have several inderect murders with Batman incapable fo stopping Wrath while Hugo publicly attacks Batman, maybe even frame Batman if Nolan were to have Wrath wear a purversed lowtech version of Batman's own costume (which I would hope to see). I mean wouldn't be something to see this kind of Anti-Batman waltzing through Wayne Enterprises and tear the building apart single handedly batman esqe style? Nolan can briefly explain Wrath's origin possibly after his own parents were murdered Hugo was the one Psychologicaly caring for the boy and with Hugo being the nut he is might give some insight why Wrath dresses up like Batman or why his Wrath suit looks like Batman's. 
 
 I just really wanna see someone take it to Bruce like Batman's been taking it to the criminals and I really think the possibly disturbing Nolan image of Hugo Strange and The Wrath can be something that could really bring Nolan's Batman trilogy to a close even leaving some mind bogling questions of what's right and wrong, an ending that leaves you thinking. I would like to get some thoughts on my opinions here, I think they would be awesome, so please let me know what you think of my ideas of who I would like to see in a Nolan Batman film

I hope this doesn't happen. Worst final fight in Batman movie history. 
 
Strange: Batman, I *Goes to give long, involved, motive rant* 
 Batman:  *Single punch to the face* 
 
The End. Total anti-climax to an awesome trilogy.

I know nothing about Strange, but from what I've read here, it does seem like he'd make a natural fit for Nolan's take on Batman and Gotham City.  Still, I wouldn't mind seeing Nolan also take on something with a bit more mysticism or supernatural in regards to the characters, so long as it isn't treated with the supposedly comical insanity of Batman Forever and the like.  
 
As much as I like the "realistic" take on Batman and other superheroes we've seen lately, I want to feel a certain sense of wonder when i watch the films, much like Spider-Man 1 & 2 managed.  Is this the right film series for that?  I don't know, but if it was introduced in small doses to acclimatize the audience, I think it would work.

" I think Strange would make an interesting addition to the films helping the police track down Batman, but I think they should have Black Mask in it as well, so Batman's taking on the police and organized crime itself. It would make for a more interesting film if he had to take on both sides of the law at the same time "

Yeah I agree why not but he is one of those villains that are boring to look at because he is a bold guy in a black suit with glasses nothing special about it. Unless they make his beard, glasses and face look very creepy as hell while looking realistic at the same time. 

" I hope this doesn't happen. Worst final fight in Batman movie history.   Strange: Batman, I *Goes to give long, involved, motive rant*   Batman:  *Single punch to the face*   The End. Total anti-climax to an awesome trilogy. "