Variety is reporting that Warner Brothers Pictures 'is already planning the next installments' in the Batman and Superman film franchises, and, although neither director has actually signed on for the sequel, Warners is counting on having Christopher Nolan direct the sequel to Batman Begins and Bryan Singer helm the follow-up to Superman Returns.  The studio has hired Christopher Nolan's brother Jonah, who wrote the screenplay for Prestige (which Chris Nolan is currently shooting) to write the script for the as-yet unnamed Batman film, which the studio hopes to debut in 2008, to be followed by a Superman sequel in 2009.

Warner Brothers has contract options for Christian Bale and Brandon Routh, the stars of the two superhero epics, and Legendary Pictures, which financed 50% of both the Batman and Superman films, is on board for the sequels as well, which lessens the risk for Warners.  The fact that Warners is commencing work on a new Superman film months before Superman Returns debuts testifies to the confidence that studio execs have in the film in spite of its considerable cost. Variety estimates that despite substantial tax breaks (covering 12% of the cost) from the Australian government, the current production cost of Superman Returns at $185 million, which does not count the millions spent on 'developing' previous film projects featuring the Man of Steel, which never got made.