Considering The Dark Knight (predictably) smashed up the opening weekend box office record this week, I'd assume most of you have seen it. Or maybe only a few of you have seen it five times, minimum. But point is, someone is buying tickets to this thing.

In any case, you're probably now asking yourself, what's next for Gotham's winged knight? How can they top "The Dark Knight, " especially without Ledger's Joker? Surely, such a landmark revenue generating franchise will inevitably have another sequel forked up, right?

You don't have to be the Riddler to know the answer to that. I have no doubts, especially with the team involved talking lightly about it already. But where can the series go next? Or more importantly, who can Batman toe up against next? Which dark twisted villains can up the ante from the brilliant portrayals of Joker and Two Face?

Typical well knowns like The Riddler, and Catwoman are obvious choices. But in a movie series that continues to hinge on re-invention, I hunch director Chris Nolan will stay a higher road--his more serious road. (And why so serious? Well, Joel Schumacher and Adam West are why his Batman is so serious.) And in this Gotham City that his vision has brought to life, everything is much more real and heavy. It's a world that makes it hard to envision a penguin man that runs for mayor. A world that makes it impossible to see a woman with control over plants (Poison Ivy), a frozen terminator man (Mr. Freeze). Even a Riddler, though a drastic overhaul could make it so..

There is room for a sexy, sultry re-invented Catwoman. But even if that were the case she'll still need a new supervillain to balance dynamic out with Batman. As a director Nolan is more of an explorer than a story teller, which is why you may expect him to take less developed characters and bring them to new fiery life in the next step of his Batman series. Even though Two-Face and The Joker aren't new per say to the movie franchise of Batman, they were definitely drawn anew and parts of them that had never before been explored were explored. Two Face finally got the story he deserved and The Joker finally got to wield the chaos he deserved.

So who do you think is next for our caped crusader of Gotham? There is plenty to pick from. But are there any that really stand off the sheet to fit into the Dark Knight universe?

Have you seen this boy?

Of course, we're all talking about the Dark Knight today, even those of us that aren't geeked out and making our own utility belts! It's a caped crusader zeitgeist!

But, why dwell on the now? Let's look to the future!

A new little teasy trailer recently hit the web with another anticipated flick that has Christian Bale coming in to clean up, yet another, Ah-nuuuuuuld mess--Terminator 4: Salvation. (If you recall, Conan The California Governor played the Terminator, as well as Mr. Freeze in one of those Batman movies that we put a mental block on.)

Check it out, you misters and misseses.

It's easy to wander off and get historically lost in superhero oblivion right now, what with all the comic books and super heroes being adapted into movies right now. But it's okay, don't panic! I'm your friendly neighborhood superhero heroin, here to keep you up to speed.

Here is the latest in supehero movie productions this year.

Iron Man - In theaters May 2. (You can expect 2 sequels, and Downey Jr. says he'll do 15 sequels)
The Incredible Hulk - In theaters June 13 (aka Ed Norton vs Marvel Studios)
Hell Boy 2 (The Golden Army) - In theaters July 11 (I'll pass).
The Dark Knight - In theaters, July 18 (aka the comic book movie that's gonna deserve some Oscars)
Punisher: War Zone - December 5 (aka the Punisher movie that isn't gonna be half as good as the Thomas Jane one)
The Spirit - In theaters Jan 8, 2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Currently filming, set for May, 2009 (you can expect a sequel to this prequel, and another spin off or two: Gambit, Magneto, Deadpool)
Watchmen - In theaters March 6, 2009 (I premise that it will be wicked wild good)
Captain America - Being written, slated for 2009. (As a marketing guru, I'd imagine release date is July 4.)
Justice League Mortal - In writing limbo, but slated for 2010. (supposed to produce lots of Spin offs, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern
The Man of Steel - slated for 2010, "Superman Returns" sequel. Because DC comic movies don't use numbers in titles.
The Flash - coming in the coming years, meant to be a spin off of the Justice League flick
The Avengers - It will probably be after The Iron Man trilogy concludes, but is supposed to be wicked good. So maybe sometime in the next decade?

Heath Ledger died one week ago today, at the age of 28. While he didn't leave a wealth of work behind for us to pour over and help fuel our inevitable "what if.." questions, he left enough greats to get his own Top 5 Tuesday. So here are the five must sees from Ledger's career. (Oh, that's funny, I don't see Brokeback anywhere? Wierd.)

5. Skip Engblom in Lords of Dogtown
Written by Stacey Peralta himself. Ledger leads a pack of youngsters, looking to change the world with their skateboards, one kickflip at a time. It puts the 'roll' in rock and roll, dude.

4. Dan in Candy
So you got this 3-act Australian film about a poet (Ledger) who falls in love with a student, and next thing you know, they're shooting heroine together in the midst of their young wild romance, and it quite easily propels into one of those explosive Sid and Nancy love stories. And then you add Geoffrey Rush to the cast? I'll take this Candy from a stranger any day. (You get indie film cred points for knowing this one too.)

3. Patrick Verona in 10 Things I Hate About You
Every 90's high school dramatic comedy needed house parties (check), kegs (check), bodaciously beautiful babes (Julia Stiles? check!), and ensemble casts packed with rising stars (check). But Ledger made this more than every other 90's high school flick. Right before your eyes, the withdrawn badboy unfolds into an aussi-accented romancing charmer. Girls around the world started eating there hearts out right then, as he sung Franki Valli to Julia Styles from the bleachers at soccer practice.

2. Robbie Clark, the bearded actor side of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There
While Cate Blanchet easily nabbed the spotlight by portraying the most famous Dylan era in the only movie with a lot of Bob Dylans, Ledger got to portray one of the more treasured eras--The whole "finding himself again" era, centered around "Blood on the Tracks" where he struggled with divorce, and himself.

1. The Joker in The Dark Knight trailer
The movie doesn't hit theaters to July, but the tiny bits of Ledger we've seen as the chaotic face-painted bazooka-wielding anarchist have already chalked up as one of the greatest roles we've seen in ages. In other words, this trailer is better than most movies, and Ledger's psychotic turn as one of the most lauded villains of all time is exactly why.

I Am Legend looks awesome enough as is. But if you catch it in theaters (starts Dec 14), you'll be treated to a new trailer for The Dark Knight, featuring some footage of Heath Ledger masquerading around Gotham City as The Joker. Word is he's surpassed all expectations, which says a bit considering he plays the same character that Jack Nicholson nailed in Tim Burton's Batman. And I imagine he won't be prancing around to Prince tunes like Nicholson got to either. So it must have been a totally uphill battle for Ledger. But if director Chris Nolan did even half as good with this sequel as he did with "Batman Begins," we're all in for a treat. PLUS my favorite Hollywood cutie Maggie Gylenhall has taken over for Katie Holmes' role. This movie couldn't bomb if it TRIED to!

Of course, it isn't hard for a Batman movie to be good after that "Batman & Robin" movie with AH-NULD as Mr. Freeze. "MY NAME IS FREEEEZE. Learn it well, for it is the chilling sound of your doom!"