Did 'The Dark Knight Rises' Set Itself Up for a Reboot?

SPOILER ALERT: we'll be discussing the end of "The Dark Knight Rises" here, so if you want to avoid any spoilers, stop reading now!

No, seriously, major spoilers ahead.

Major.

Ready?

Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have both said that "The Dark Knight Rises" will be their last work in a Batman film. That could be the case, as the trilogy came to a neat close with "TDKR." Bruce Wayne has retired as Batman in the most thorough way possible (faking one's death tends to allow for a great deal of freedom), so Bale's portrayal looks to be done.

But the final moments of "The Dark Knight Rises" revealed a tease of a potential new Batman: a fellow by the name of Robin. There are hints throughout the movie that Officer Blake, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is the Boy Wonder, as he is an orphan himself and has known Batman's identity all along. At the close of the movie, we see Robin heading into the Batcave and discovering the legacy that Bruce has left behind for him.

Seeing as Nolan followed a few aspects of the "Knightfall" storyline, particularly the "Breaking of the Bat" issue, in "TDKR," it would be no surprise that the movie would set Robin up as Batman's replacement: the Robin of the comics, Dick Grayson, takes on the responsibility when Bruce's back is broken by Bane and he is temporarily out of commission.

So the question is this: is Warner Bros planning a new Batman trilogy with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the title role? Possibly, though it's hard to imagine selling JGL in that particular role. The other option would be a Nightwing movie, as Robin eventually takes on that title and becomes his own vigilante hero. Should Warner Bros take that option, that would still leave Batman open for its own reboot. After all, a new Batman will be needed to fit into the potential "Justice League" movie.

What did you think of the ending of "The Dark Knight Rises?" Would you buy Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the new Batman? Sound off in the comments.