Talking with Empire, Chris Nolan was asked about Joker in the third Batman film, which will hit theaters July 20th, 2012.

This is what the director had to say:

“No…I just don’t feel comfortable about it.”

One hopes this is the case. Heath Ledger’s performance should be left alone. Enough said. Re-casting an iconic arch-villain (again), especially after such traumatic circumstances, is an unnecessary hurdle.

Nolan went on to talk a bit about the new Superman film, which David S. Goyer has been tasked to write:

“It’s much more specific than that…What it is, while David Goyer and myself were putting together the story for another Batman film a few years ago – you know, thrashing out where we might move on from ‘The Dark Knight’ – we got stuck. We were just sitting there idly chatting and he said, ‘ By the way, I think I know how you approach Superman,’ and he told me his take on it. I thought it was really tremendous. It was the first time I had been able to conceive of how you would address Superman in a modern context. I thought it was a very exciting idea.”

The idea was pitched to Warner Bros and they bit. But Nolan is quick to say “it wasn’t something for me to direct.”

Back to Batman, the director confirms a couple more things: his bro, Jonah Nolan, is writing the script and he still hasn’t signed on to direct, primarily because all of his focus is on Inception.

That’s all for now, kiddies.

Are you excited to see Goyer’s Superman? Bummed about no Joker in next Batman? Happy?