Why did the story stop after The Dark Knight Rises?

Question

I can't believe that they stopped the storyline with The Dark Knight Rises. In my eyes, the movie ends with a cliffhanger...

We have Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle / Catwoman at the end sitting with Bruce Wayne. We have Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Sgt. John Blake, whose full name contains Robin. Who enters the Bat-Cave at the end. And we have Gary Oldman as Commissioner James Gordon standing in front of the refurbished Bat-Signal.

When I saw the movie in the cinema back in 2012, I couldn't freaking wait for the next Batman, starring Christian Bale and continuing where the last ended.

Also the movie grossed $1.085 billion, so money can't be the issue and yes, Batman is back in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice -- but this movie tells a whole other story and does not tie to this movie at all.

So why did they end the story of The Dark Knight Rises like that, and did not continue with a sequel?

Answer 1

Cast & Production

Most of the key actors and the director are big names with well established and varied careers, it is likely that they would be reluctant to keep turning out episodes of the same franchise indefinitely. It is also likely that the decision to make this incarnation of Batman as a 3 part trilogy was made at an early stage for commercial and creative reasons, bearing in mind also that the last batch of Batman films somewhat tarnished the franchise with too many ill-conceived sequels.

Story

I don't entirely agree that the end is a cliffhanger. We are shown early in the final film that Bruce Wayne is in bad shape physically and emotionally even before he has his back broken by Bane and then gets stabbed and possibly irradiated. So his retirement from being Batman is largely forced by his health. Similarity one of the running themes of the trilogy is physiological motivations which drive batman which are, arguably, as much about his own personal trauma as simply wanting to fight crime. So the fact that he is finally able to put all of that behind him is a conclusion to that chapter of his life.

While there are certainly hints that Gotham may get a new incarnation of batman this only underlines the idea that Bruce Wayne has moved on.

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It's also clear that the makers wanted to do something different with this interpretation including a more gritty and realistic tone (as far as batman can be realistic) and part of this is having a well defined, character focused story with a beginning, middle and end.

Answer 2

Since most of the superhero movies are three-movie deals and The Dark Knight Rises is the last of the three movies. I hate that they do this ! I felt it was a bitter cliffhanger in The Dark Knight Rises (related reason link below)

I'm assuming DC Comics is doing something to Batman that Marvel usually does to its superhero movies.

Usually Marvel only has three parts as a limit for any superhero movie they churn out. Be it Iron Man, Avengers etc. (Very sorry, totally unrelated Marvel Info, but citing since its superhero franchise as well)

Edit: I didn't have a source earlier. But finally, I have proof

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_Extended_Universe (search for 'three-', youll fine three-part deals)

So in DC comics (as well as marvel), most of the movies are signed in three-part/three-movie deals with a single actor. It's kind of a norm, and I don't know why. So you don't see an actor do more than three movies. For example,

CYBORG(2020) In April 2014, Ray Fisher was cast as Victor Stone / Cyborg.[71] In October, Warner Bros. announced the character's solo film, titled Cyborg, with release scheduled for 2020.[26] In August 2017, Joe Morton stated that he signed a three-picture deal and that he will reprise his role as Dr. Silas Stone.[142]

Justice League(2017) In June 2013, it was reported that Goyer would be writing Justice League as part of a three-film deal he signed for Man of Steel.

Wonder Woman(2017) Gal Gadot was cast as Diana Prince / Wonder Woman and signed a three-picture deal which included a solo film