Nolan has brought his series to an end, but some of the key players have shown interest in seeing what comes next. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Christian Bale in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images
Let’s discuss the newest trailer in the latest edition of The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images If you went to see “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” this weekend and you weren’t lucky enough to see the prologue for “The Dark Knight Rises,” you were lucky enough to see the second trailer. And it was a hell of a trailer! Nothing sets the tone like a young boy singing the national anthem, and tone is what the trailer really nails. When you walk away from it, the one idea that lingers is that some bad stuff is going down in Gotham. This new trailer shares that, among other things, in common with the first. It also begins quietly, just like the teaser. Alfred worries about Bruce, and he probably should. It’s been eight years, and not much is good in the city of Gotham. Gordon sits on the chopping block as the city’s police commissioner, even though he let his wife think he died to protect the city. That should be mentioned in his performance review. Selina Kyle plays a much bigger role than we have yet seen. Appropriately, she shows up at a beautifully shot masquerade ball and doesn’t bring good news with her. “A storm is coming, Mr. Wayne,” she warns. “And you and your friends better batten down the hatches.” Her role in all of this still hangs in the balance. Will she be a full-on antagonist for Batman or will she toe the line? She did do Bruce the courtesy of warning him about the storm, so maybe it’s more ambiguous than good guy vs. bad guy. She’s motivated by an idea, along the lines of what got Bruce started in the first place, so that may be the bond that connects them. What that motivating idea is has yet to be disclosed, but she comes off in the trailer sounding like an advocate for the little man. Bane, on the other hand, has no ambiguity to speak of. Between the prologue and the second trailer, we finally get a better idea of what to expect from the masked man. I love his entrance into the football stadium. Then the final punch lands firmly with one of the greatest trailer moments in years. Watching the football field crumble in near silence automatically qualifies that scene as one of the best of 2012. Other films have done similar stunts, but not with such an assured hand, so consider me on-board with Bane’s supposed earthquake machine. Admittedly, it sounded too hokey for Nolan’s Batman movies, but no one can deny the awesomeness of that football scene. Both the prologue and the new trailer prove that the talk in last month’s Empire wasn’t just talk. In just the two short clips, Nolan has established Bane’s presence and a solid argument for him as the choice for the “Rises” villain. He’s big, bad and calculated. Instead of trying to overshoot Heath Ledger’s Joker, Nolan and Tom Hardy are aiming in the opposite direction. If a trailer does its job, we should be left with an idea of what the film will be like without knowing every single story beat. That’s where the trailer succeeds the most. While the stadium lets us know exactly what happens in that moment, we don’t know why Bane does it. We know that he frees and arms prisoners, but for what purpose? Miranda Tate shows up, but we’re still not sure what evil thing — because let’s be honest — she’ll be doing later in the film. Selina Kyle has an agenda, but who’s to say what it is just yet? Now I want to hear from you. What did you think of the trailer? Tweet your impressions to me via @KPSull , and check back with Splash Page on Wednesday to see some of your responses and a discussion based on those tweets. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com .
Lucky fans who screened six-minute preview in NYC tell MTV News they love the action but can’t understand what Bane is saying. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images NEW YORK — Fans came out in droves Wednesday for a chance to take an early look at the first six minutes of Christopher Nolan ‘s final Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises.” The prologue screened as a part of a viral marketing campaign, which involved fans reading through “leaked” CIA documents and finding coordinates for cities around the world. When all the pieces fell into place, a secret website, OperationEarlyBird.com, revealed the locations and times for prologue screenings. A line formed early outside the AMC Loews Lincoln 13 on the Upper West Side, and the excitement was palpable. The anticipation only grew as fans filed into the IMAX theater to await the six-minute preview. Once the preview ended, the crowd applauded and demanded a second viewing, to no avail. Outside the theater, the most common reaction to the footage was jubilation, but some fans expressed reservations about Tom Hardy ‘s voice as Bane . “I thought it was really good,” Tom Dichiara told MTV News. “It was a lot of action, good opening sequence. You can’t really understand a whole lot of what Bane says, though.” “The action was crazy,” Brian Sansone said. “They did sh– in ‘The Dark Knight’ that I had never seen before, and they blew me away again. A lot more action-packed, just as intricate, just as crazy. If the rest of the movie is like that, they got my money.” “I loved it. Christopher Nolan just did an ingenious scene, a great action scene, something that will have your jaw drop. It was pretty amazing just watching it on the screen, saying, ‘I never thought that would be possible,’ ” said Tyler Rice, who liked Bane’s voice but struggled to understand it as well. “Bane’s voice sounded awesome, but you can’t understand what he’s saying. He had about two clear lines you can hear what he’s saying. Otherwise, it just sounded like awesome gibberish. It kind of sounds like Buffalo Bill [from ‘Silence of the Lambs’].” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com .
‘I wrapped a few days ago, so that will be the last time I’m taking that cowl off,’ actor says. By Gil Kaufman Christian Bale on the set of “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images After lasting longer in the role than any other actor, Christian Bale has confirmed that the upcoming finale of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises,” will be his curtain call as the iconic crime fighter. “I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I’m taking that cowl off,” Bale reportedly told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “I believe the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it’s all done. Everything’s finished. It’s me and Chris — that will be the end of that Batman era.” The $200 million-plus epic , out July 20, will also feature Gary Oldman , Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Tom Hardy as villain Bane . The Oscar-winning actor also held forth on the complexity of the role that has been inhabited in the past by George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton. “Bruce Wayne is absolutely sincere as Bruce Wayne, and as Batman utterly sincere. But Bruce Wayne, the playboy, is a pure facade, it’s a lie he has, somehow, to control one side of your soul that’s not really under control,” Bale said. “In fact, only Alfred knows who he is. It’s time for Bruce Wayne to face the pain that has always stirred his life.” Bale took over as Batman in 2005’s “Batman Begins” and reprised his role in 2008’s $1 billion-grossing “The Dark Knight.” Though Hathaway has gotten some flack for the look of her Catwoman costume , Bale had nothing but praise for his co-star. “When Chris watched the screen test, he agreed that Anne did a wonderful job. In many ways, she has the hardest job,” he said. “There are a number of people who feel that the Catwoman role has been defined previously. So, I always saw Anne’s role as being the toughest job of any of us.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Six-minute-long prologue footage will reportedly only be shown at theaters with high-resolution 70mm IMAX screens. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale and Tom Hardy film “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images It is almost certain now that the Dark Knight will be rising sooner than expected. As MTV News reported last week, there was a rumor circulating that a six-minute prologue to the upcoming Christopher Nolan Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” would play before IMAX showings of “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” The presentation was, in theory, supposed to be similar to the Joker’s reveal that played before IMAX screenings of “I Am Legend” in 2008. The rumor remained just that until theater chain AMC released a statement on their blog that reads: “The six-minute Dark Knight Rises prologue footage will only be shown on the higher resolution 70mm IMAX screens. Not the digital IMAX screens. Locations haven’t been confirmed yet, so stay tuned for an update on AMC Theatre locations that will be showing the prologue Dark Knight Rises footage at a 70mm IMAX screen nearest you.” AMC’s statement aligned with the original rumor that had been posted on /Film , but news of the clip only showing on the “higher resolution 70mm IMAX screens” was an unexpected bit of information, though not entirely surprising. Nolan is known for his meticulous control over his films, so insisting on the higher res for the preview makes sense. This detail from the AMC post may spell trouble for some fans. If the report is accurate, the prologue will play on far fewer screens than initially expected. The digital IMAX screens tend to be more common than the 70mm format ones, so some fans may have to travel further than expected for their first glimpse at “The Dark Knight Rises.” The post was the most solid confirmation yet about the footage, but it was soon removed. A new statement was issued by AMC, stating, “The information in this post has been retracted until further notice. Please refer to Warner Bros. for any information about The Dark Knight Rises.” If AMC was confident enough to confirm the rumors, the prologue seems like more or less a certainty. The redaction by Warner Bros. could have to do with how they typically release Batman info. With “The Dark Knight,” the “Why So Serious” marketing campaign involved highly complicated tasks that rewarded fans with content, like the Joker prologue. A straight news release for the “Dark Knight Rises” prologue would go against precedent. What do you want to see in the prologue for “The Dark Knight Rises”? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter ! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos Experts Analyze The ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Teaser Trailer Take A Peek Inside The Toronto International Film Festival Related Photos Analyzing Catwoman’s Costume In ‘Dark Knight Rises’ On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Photos of Marion Cotillard hint that her character is more than just a ‘board member.’ By Aubrey Sitterson Christian Bale and Tom Hardy film “The Dark Knight Rises” on July 31, 2011 Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images While we’ve had our fair share of superhero flicks in 2011, next year is when the big boys are coming out to play, with Joss Whedon’s “Avengers” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” hitting theaters in the summer of 2012. After the credits of “Captain America: The First Avenger,” fans got an official sneak peek at “The Avengers,” and now we have our first clear look at “The Dark Knight Rises” (following an obscure first trailer) , via a series of photos from the set in Pittsburgh over the weekend. While seeing Christian Bale all suited up and ready for action isn’t quite as exciting as it was the first or second time around, he’s looking as hard and utterly badass as ever. Though the suit looks a little different in the clear white light of day opposed to Nolan’s stylized cinematography, it’s practically the same as the one used in “The Dark Knight.” The real attraction in these photos, however, is the guy Batman’s fighting: Tom Hardy’s Bane . When Hardy was first cast in the role, there were some mixed feelings in the fan community. While he’s a fantastic actor and proved that he can be terrifyingly menacing in “Bronson,” even when the British thespian’s all muscled up, he doesn’t exactly resemble a humongous Latino man. And in the previously released photo of Bane , we only saw his hulking form from behind. Those concerns should be put to rest with these photos, however, because while Bale’s Batman clearly has the height advantage on Hardy’s Bane , there’s also a fantastic shot of the shorter, stockier actor overpowering the Dark Knight himself as snow flurries around them. We’re a little disappointed that the character is lacking Bane’s singlet and lucha mask, but the more military-influenced attire fits perfectly into Nolan’s Batman universe. The photos also give us a clear look at Marion Cotillard’s Miranda Tate . While she’s been described as a “Wayne Enterprises board member,” it looks like her character will also see some action, prowling the streets with heavily armed men and even climbing on top of the “Tumbler” Batmobile. Batman’s ride has received a makeover , eschewing the classic black for a paintjob that looks a lot like desert camouflage, which raises questions about how it will fit into the fake snow-covered landscape of Gotham City (or Pittsburgh, for that matter). Take a look at the photos yourself and make sure to tell us about anything significant we might have missed in the comments below! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Jared Wickerham – Getty Images about 1 hour ago: CLEVELAND – JUNE 17: Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets is congratulated by a teammate after scoring against the Cleveland Indians during the game on June 17, 2010 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Reyes had earlier injured his hand but stayed in the game. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) View full size photo