My version of TDKR

Rating: Null/10 (25 July 2012)

I believe the plot for TDKR is one movie too early. It's a good plot but the pain Bruce Wayne went through isn't as hard as what he went through in begins and the dark knight.
In begins, Bruce Wayne had to endure the loss of his parents. In The Dark Knight, Bruce had to endure the loss of his former lover, Rachel Dawes and the one hero he personally thought would replace batman as Gotham's hero - Harvey Dent. Now, as much as Rises seem a fitting ending, somewhere along the lines, to only have The Joker as your only NON-league of shadows villain is somewhat surprising. If it were me, i would have left TDKR as part 6.
In part 3, I would have used Harvey Dent/Two-Face to continue the story. As long as Harvey still lives, Batman will find it hard to finish him or put him behind bars. And yes, part 3 is where the characters of Miranda Tate, John Blake, Daggett and Selina Kyle are slowly brought in and developed.
I would use Dr Hugo Strange as the main villain in Part 3. The link is from the dude who was suppose to blackmail Bruce Wayne in TDK somehow lost his evidence that Bruce Wayne is Batman to Strange. I would have Selina Kyle and perhaps Edward Nigma worked for Strange.
With Two-Face looking to Batman for revenge, and Strange appearing as Batman would make Two-Face confused as to Batman's identity, mission, ethics, life principles..etc. Batman, on the other hand, will keep trying to convince Two-Face the other side of life, that he needs to accept the fact that Rachel is gone and he needs to move on. The emotional turmoil between Batman/Bruce Wayne and Two-Face/Harvey Dent would make Batman more vulnerable, thus, allowing Strange to take advantage of the situation and take control of Gotham.
Selina Kyle accidentally finds out Strange's plan; forced to drink some kind of potion before getting thrown off the 9th floor. From there on..her character can slowly be developed to Catwoman.
They could have made a story from this point.
I would end Part 3 with Batman (hugo strange in disguise) killing two-face and leaving Bruce Wayne emotionally wounded.
Part 4 would see Strange and perhaps The Riddler taking on Batman with side scenes showing the rise of the league of shadows. The end of part 4 would display the emergence of Bane.
Part 5 & 6 would be my TDKR with the end of Part 5 is the battle between Batman and bane with the latter breaking the bat and sending him down to hell.
Part 6 would be how he rises against bane and the league of shadows.
So yes, i'd rather Batman be something like Star Wars. Lots of physical, psychological, and emotional turmoil for our hero.