We count down our favorite Batman rides, in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan The Batmobile Photo: AFP/ Getty Images Warner Bros. recently shot a bonus feature from the eventual Blu-ray release of “The Dark Knight Rises” (early, I know!) that featured all five Batmobiles from the movies, starting with Adam West’s Lincoln to Christopher Nolan’s Tumbler. The video makes for a cool stunt, seeing all the vehicles in one place, but it also provides insight into just how different the Batmobiles have been over the years — so much so that it begs the question: Which Batmobile was best? Here is our countdown of the top five Batmobiles from the movies: 5. “Batman and Robin” Joel Schumacher ‘s run as the director of the Batman series brought around the two worst Batmobiles by far. Both cars stand as perfect symbols of everything that was wrong with the director’s take on the Caped Crusader. They are both too over-the-top to actually function as vehicles, in the same way that Schumacher’s Batman simply doesn’t work. But of the two, the painful swirling light of the final Schumacher Batmobile from “Batman and Robin” remains the worst Batmobile of all time. The one-seater looks like an oversized Happy Meal toy, and the convertible design puts the Bat out in the open air where everyone can make fun of him. 4. “Batman Forever” The first Schumacher Batmobile gets a pass simply because it’s not as bad as the one from “Batman and Robin.” The enormous fins remain, but the body doesn’t extend nearly as far out. It also gets the added benefit of a closed cabin, so Batman can hide his shame from behind the privacy of tinted windows. At the very best, the “Batman Forever” Batmobile wins the losers bracket. 3. “Batman: The Movie” The Batmobile that Adam West drove during his stint as Batman on the television series and in the 1966 film is the only one of the Dark Knight’s cars that actually looks like a car. Completed in three weeks, the original Batmobile was made from a modified 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car. West’s Batmobile scores points now for a retro style that can’t be beat and just the right amount of camp. 2. “Batman” and “Batman Returns” Admittedly, this is the ride that inspired the two worst Batmobiles ever, but Tim Burton’s take on the Bat vehicle has a certain charm to it. Burton’s films in the series had a look all their own, but they never quite went over-the-top insane like Schumacher’s, and the same applies to his Batmobile. It had the same long body but had a more refined and battle-ready look to it. As impractical as it probably was, the Burton Batmobile was badass in its own way. 1. “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises” Is there really any other choice? The Tumbler not only fits the realistic take on the series, but it also could eviscerate any and all other Batmobiles. Did I mention that his has a motorcycle hidden inside the front of it? How about the newly added flight feature? It may have been meant originally for building bridges, but all the Tumbler ended up doing was being the toughest ride the streets of Gotham has ever seen. It’s only fitting that the greatest iteration of Batman gets the all-around best version of his car. Which is your favorite Batmobile? Let me know on Twitter via @KPSull! 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 ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer: 5 Key Scenes
On Friday evening, March 30th 2012, Warner Bros. shot a bonus feature segment for the “Dark Knight Rises” Blu-Ray. For the feature they gathered all 5 Batmobiles from television and movies. I shot this footage using a Canon 5D MKII. Enjoy! Thanks Miuslis! [Josh Turchetta] No related posts. No related posts. Broadcasting platform : Vimeo Source : [Geeks are Sexy] Discovery Date : 02/04/2012 22:14 Number of articles : 2
From Ned’s beheading to Tyrion’s tumultuous journey, we recount the key moments to remember heading into Sunday’s premiere. By Josh Wigler Lena Headey in “Game of Thrones” Photo: HBO Swords, kings, dragons and things (and by things, we mean an absurd amount of sex and violence): Where else but “Game of Thrones” can you get all that and then some? Those who’ve been thirsting for blood and fire are about to get plenty of both when “Thrones” returns for its second season this Sunday, but considering how much time has passed since poor Ned lost his head, you’d be forgiven for not remembering much of what happened all the way back in season one. Well, never fear, true believers; that’s what we’re here for! Keep on reading for everything you need to remember about “Game of Thrones” season one before returning to Westeros later this week. “Winter Is Coming” The words of House Stark echo all throughout “Game of Thrones” season one, beginning with King Robert Baratheon’s royal visit to old friend and war buddy Eddard Stark all the way north in Winterfell. Robert all but commands Ned to take on the role of Hand of the King — the ruler of Westeros’ right-hand man — and Lord Stark begrudgingly accepts. His reason: to investigate the death of the pervious Hand, Jon Arryn, an old mentor of Ned and Robert’s, who he believes was murdered by Queen Cersei and members of her wicked family, the Lannisters. Kids These Days Ned’s investigation does not go smoothly. After arriving in King’s Landing to serve as Robert’s Hand, Ned learns that Robert fathered many bastard children and that his own supposedly trueborn heirs — Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen — were not his trueborn children at all, but bastards of Queen Cersei’s incestuous relationship with her twin brother, Jaime. Robert dies from a freak injury before Ned can tell him the truth, and Ned takes it upon himself to see that the late Baratheon’s younger brother, Stannis, is the next man to sit upon the Iron Throne, as is his right. Hopeless, Headless Ned Once again, Ned’s plan does not go well. When Lord Stark attempts to persuade the court to recognize Stannis’ claim to the throne, newly minted King Joffrey and Queen Regent Cersei have him arrested for treason. A deal is later brokered where Ned will confess to his treachery and recognize Joffrey’s claim, in exchange for the safety of himself and his children. But after he publicly confesses to his “crimes,” Joffrey pulls a fast one on everyone — characters and audience included — by ordering Ned’s beheading . With one stunning stroke, the main character of “Game of Thrones” was dead, before the season finale, no less. Stark Reality While they still have their lives, the Stark children aren’t faring much better than poor Ned. The youngest son, Bran Stark, is pushed out of a window and subsequently paralyzed after catching twins Cersei and Jaime doing the nasty. Ned’s two daughters, Arya and Sansa, are left in very different and very awful positions following his death too. Arya is posing as a boy, traveling north with a group of young men to join the Night’s Watch; she’s to be dropped off at her home in Winterfell before reaching the Wall. Sansa, meanwhile, is still in King’s Landing and still betrothed to the wicked boy king Joffrey, who abuses her physically and emotionally with brutal regularity. The King in the North Lord Eddard Stark’s eldest son, Robb, on the other hand, is in a position to actually do something about his father’s death. Robb has called upon House Stark’s bannermen in the northern part of Westeros to wage war on Joffrey and the Lannisters. His goals are threefold: the safe return of his sisters, the official succession of the North from the Seven Kingdoms’ purview, and vengeance for Ned. Robb becomes known as the King in the North, an ancient title not held by anyone since Torrhen Stark bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror nearly 300 years earlier. Here a King, There a King … Robb Stark is not the only man in Westeros calling himself king. There’s Joffrey Baratheon, of course, who sits on the Iron Throne. Three other men have their eyes on the crown as well: Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands and the two remaining Baratheon brothers, Stannis and Renly. Though Renly is a charismatic and well-liked figure in Westeros, he is also the youngest Baratheon, making his claim weaker than the less-beloved Stannis. It won’t matter which Baratheon has the better claim, of course, if one of the other three kings vying for power has their say. … And There a Queen There’s another player in the game of thrones, and that’s exiled princess Daenerys , the last surviving member of House Targaryen, the clan who ruled over Westeros for nearly three full centuries. Dany spends the entirety of season one across the Narrow Sea among the Dothraki, a barbaric people who pride themselves on war and horses. Bad things happen to all “Thrones” characters, but Dany has a particularly rough go of it in season one: Her husband, Khal Drogo, and their unborn son both die, as does her brother, Viserys. (Indeed, that guy is super dead.) On the other side of all that tragedy, Dany is now the proud owner of three brand-spanking-new dragons, the first of their kind in hundreds of years. That’s a plus! The Perks of Being a Wallflower Elsewhere, in another remote area of this fantasy world, Ned Stark’s bastard Jon Snow serves as a man of the aforementioned Night’s Watch, an ancient order of warriors who patrol the great ice Wall to protect the people of Westeros from the dangers lurking further north. Shortly after becoming a sworn brother of the Watch, Jon saves Lord Commander Mormont from dying at the hands of a reanimated corpse (zombies, ftw!), the latest and most dangerous evidence yet that the Others — a long-forgotten force of evil with unspeakably cold crystal swords and voices that sound like crackling ice — still exist beyond the wall. To investigate further, Mormont takes Jon and other members of the Watch beyond the Wall, where they’ll continue to explore throughout season two. Paying Their Debts Clearly, season one was crazy busy for Ned Stark and his family, but how about House Lannister? Though Cersei’s son sits on the Iron Throne as she had always hoped, the queen suffers a severe blow in the capture of her brother and lover, Jaime, at the hands of Robb Stark. Jaime remains in the northerner’s captivity. Meanwhile, the third Lannister sibling — the imp Tyrion Lannister — went through hell and back again as well: He starts in Winterfell as part of Robert’s royal party, ends up on the Wall for a time, is captured by Ned Stark’s wife Catelyn for his suspected role in Bran Stark’s paralysis, is brought to the miles-high Eyrie to pay for his crimes, is eventually liberated from his fate with the help of his own cunning wit and the talented sellsword Bronn and ultimately relegated to the frontlines of lord Tywin Lannister’s war against the Starks. As King Joffrey’s Hand, Tywin can’t exactly win a war and worry about the goings-on of Westeros at the same time. Accordingly, he temporarily passes off his duties as Hand to Tyrion, who is about to prove that a very small man can cast a very big shadow. A Dink and a Nod Speaking of very big shadows, you heard about Peter Dinklage’s Best Supporting Actor wins at the Emmys and the Golden Globes this past year, right? Well, given what happens to his character in “A Clash of Kings” (the novel that the second season of “Thrones” is based on), Dinklage has only scratched the surface of Tyrion’s enormously satisfying arc. If he’s as smart as his character, the gifted actor has left some room on the shelf for a few more trophies come the end of the new season. Are you all caught up for “Thrones” season two? Let us know in the comments section below, or chat with me more on Twitter @roundhoward! Related Photos ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season Two
Batman and Katniss duke it out to be champion of the 2012 box office, in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Tom Hardy in “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. What is going on with “The Dark Knight Rises” and its lack of a marketing campaign? We’re four months out from what is supposed to be the biggest movie of the year, but all we have to show for it are two trailers and new theater standees . This past weekend’s box-office domination of Jennifer Lawrence and “The Hunger Games” stands as a testament to the power of a strong marketing campaign when you have a rabid fanbase helping to carry the load. Warner Bros. has so far taken an entirely different route when it comes to promoting the final film of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. It’s no secret that “The Dark Knight Rises” is coming out and that everyone wants to see it. The mania around “The Dark Knight” established a subculture of raspy-voiced Batman parodies and every male teen attempting Heath Ledger’s Joker makeup and ensured a huge box-office take for the eventual third film. But with so much of the movie industry now focused on “The Hunger Games” and its “bigger than we could have imagined” success, can “The Dark Knight Rises” afford to coast into theaters in July without a similarly mega-huge marketing campaign? And how high can a big-budget movie like “The Dark Knight Rises” fly without the increasingly common deluge of marketing? Box-office experts weighing in on the success of “The Hunger Games” give credit to the balance of a hard marketing push and dedicated fanbase. Lionsgate got the word out early and often that “The Hunger Games” was a phenomenon that wouldn’t and couldn’t be missed. For the most part, the campaign fit the property. The three best-selling books had a huge following, but Katniss Everdeen wasn’t exactly a household name heading into last weekend. If a 30-year-old guy didn’t know the Suzanne Collins novels, the commercials could have been enough to entice him. The approach to marketing “The Dark Knight Rises” should be different. No one needs to be told who Batman is. Everyone and their English butler went to go see “The Dark Knight” in 2008 and would probably be interested in seeing a third film. But what’s new? Fans can look forward to Bane, Catwoman and the Batwing, but there isn’t a news hook like Ledger’s death that makes it something more than the next big movie to see. When the returns from “The Hunger Games” rose and rose and crept ever closer to the record previously held by “The Dark Knight,” there may have been a slight panic from Batman fans. What if 2012 has already seen its biggest weekend at the box office and Katniss Everdeen has already been crowned the champion? It would be ignorant to suggest that “The Dark Knight Rises” can’t succeed without an all-encompassing viral marketing campaign and commercials airing every other minute, but what “The Hunger Games” may have proven is that without those elements, Batman might have to settle for second place. Are you disappointed with the level of marketing/images/previews/trailers from “The Dark Knight Rises”? Hit me up on Twitter @KPSull and we’ll discuss later in the week over on the Movies Blog ! 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 ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer Decoded! Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
MTV News fills you in on all the latest Batman updates in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale on the set of “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Getty Images Batman fans received what will probably be the most important news of the pre-release for “The Dark Knight Rises” : The film actually exists. As we reported, Christopher Nolan screened a rough cut of his final Batman movie for Warner Bros. brass last week, and the legion of fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. We now know that a completed version of the film is real, and it’s not just a trailer we’ve watched obsessively since … December? Yup, it’s been three months since we’ve seen any new footage from the most anticipated movie of 2012, and we’ve felt every Batman-less minute of it. You go three months with nothing more than a squeak from the new Nolan Batman movie, and you start to think some paranoid thoughts. Is the movie ever coming out? Is the movie even real? But worry not, borderline psychotic Gothamite: “The Dark Knight Rises” is real and finished, presumably in the form of a four-hour rough cut. There’s no official word on the reaction to the screening, as of yet. Thankfully, the news of the rough cut closely preceded the leak of a new plot synopsis, taken from the plaque of a film cell that will eventually go on sale over at Film Cells Ltd. The cell shows Batman, Bane and Commissioner Gordon with the caption: “When Commissioner Gordon stumbles upon a plot to destroy the city from within, Bruce Wayne gets back into action as the Batman. Waiting for him is the mysterious Selina Kyle and Bane, a lethal adversary on a crusade to tear apart Batman’s legacy piece by piece.” Granted, the “synopsis” amounts to “Hey, Batman, Bane and Commissioner Gordon are all going to be in the same movie. Can’t really talk about it,” but we can’t really complain about new information at this point. In the realm of Batman rumors that could possibly affect you — wait, let me clarify. This rumor might affect you if you were lucky enough to snag passes to San Diego Comic-Con before they sold out in 6.5 seconds. There’s a chance Nolan could appear at San Diego Comic-Con this year. It would be the first time ever for the director, since his previous two Batman movies debuted before the convention. This time around, Batman will rise the week after SDCC, so speculation has already begun that Nolan could make his final bow at the geekiest of all gatherings. If you start to consider that, the nerdy possibilities are endless. What will the panel include? Who from the cast will show up? Are we talking about an actual screening here? Can I go? Why can’t I go? Please let me go! Listen, I’m all for going into a highly anticipated movie not knowing much, and I’m glad that my spoiler levels for “Rises” have been kept to a generous low. But there should be a little more out there to tease us. In the race of the summer tentpoles, “The Dark Knight Rises” is resting on its laurels while “Prometheus” and “The Avengers” are dropping kick-ass trailers like they were nothing. It’s getting to the point where Warner Bros. might need to start considering that slapping “Christopher Nolan” and “Batman” on a theater marquee might not be enough to win the summer. And when you do finally cut a second theatrical trailer, Warner Bros., please spare us the 10-second trailer of the trailer. Those are just terrible. 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 ‘Dark Knight Rises’: The Year In Review Related Photos ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer: 5 Key Scenes On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
We discuss just whom Marion Cotillard is playing in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Marion Cotillard Photo: Todd Williamson/ Getty Images The topic of this week’s column might be considered a spoiler. Admittedly, it’s probably the spoiler that most fans already know about, but if you wish to remain uninformed, I suggest you stop reading. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be discussing the two “Dark Knight Rises” characters that have stirred the most controversy, outside the hugely overblown debacle surrounding Bane’s voice. Almost as soon as Christopher Nolan cast Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt , fans called “B.S.” How could a series with such a storied history for casting great actors as classic characters put Cotillard and Gordon-Levitt in made-up roles like Miranda Tate and John Blake? The answer is, Nolan wouldn’t. Fans saw through the ruse immediately, pointed at Cotillard and cried “Talia al Ghul.” With so much talk swirling around “The Dark Knight Rises” in the early months of its development and confirmation that it would circle back to touch on some themes from “Batman Begins,” Talia seemed like a choice candidate for a secondary “Rises” villain. By the time Joey King confirmed that she would be playing young Talia al Ghula , Tate’s true identity was all but sealed. But now we find ourselves in a curious position. With everything but an official press release telling us that Marion Cotillard will play Talia — picking up where her dear old dad, Ra’s al Ghul, left off — how will that affect the overall arch of “Dark Knight Rises”? One of the most common complaints about “The Dark Knight” was Two-Face’s uneven role. It was the Joker’s movie, and many felt that adding such an iconic villain toward the end of the film didn’t do the character justice. Is Talia destined to become the next Two-Face? It all depends on when Miranda Tate’s true identity is revealed. Such a high-profile comic book adaptation like “Dark Knight Rises” has to contend with different hazards than a normal film. The Tate/Talia twist could work in a film that didn’t feature such well-known characters. Instead, fans have a whole universe of potential true identities to assign if they feel a character is lying, which they did with Tate. For the reveal to not fall absolutely flat, Nolan would have to introduce the truth in a way that’s less “A-ha! I got you!” and more a natural progression of the story line. A spoiler of this caliber does the least amount of damage when less of the plot depends on its shock value. Attempting to make the Talia reveal a big shocker would feel would be a fool’s errand at this juncture. How Talia will fit into “The Dark Knight Rises” also relies heavily on Bane’s final role in the film. The prologue strongly hinted at the presence of a renewed League of Shadows with Bane taking the lead. That still leaves a lot of room for a leader above him, the one giving the orders. This is where Talia is most likely to fit in. So much of what we’ve seen of the film so far focuses on Bane and his role, but many of the shots come from just a few scenes. The trailer only gave the illusion of showing us a lot. That leaves the majority of the film unseen, and plenty of screen time left for Talia. On that note, even if Cotillard does end up portraying Talia, it really doesn’t spoil all that much. A character’s identity will never be a focal point of a story. Nolan is too intelligent of a storyteller to waste his final act on a plot development that people guessed a year out. Nothing that this column or any spoiler sites have uncovered has been essential enough to lessen “The Dark Knight Rises” as a movie. Did knowing about Dent’s Two-Face transformation in “The Dark Knight” ruin that movie? No. Expect the same with Talia. What would you like to see from Marion Cotillard in “The Dark Knight Rises”? Let me know on Twitter via @KPSull, and check MTV Splash Page on Wednesday, when we’ll discussion your tweets. Check out everything we’ve got on “Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer Decoded! ‘Dark Knight Rises’: The Year In Review Related Photos ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer: 5 Key Scenes On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Before Nolan finishes with ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ we take a look back at the film that started it all in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale in “Batman Begins” Photo: Warner Bros. Months and months ago, when we weren’t fortunate enough to have seen the first six minutes of “The Dark Knight Rises” or even a full-length trailer, one of the best pieces of info that we had about the conclusion to Christopher Nolan ‘s Batman trilogy was that the film would circle back — thematically and perhaps story-wise — to “Batman Begins.” Since 2008, “The Dark Knight” and Heath Ledger have dominated most of the conversation around the series. The general feeling was that while “Batman Begins” was great, “The Dark Knight” transcended the superhero genre. That’s why it comes as a surprise that when the trilogy ends, the underappreciated first film will play a big part. With the release of “Rises” looming, there has never been a better excuse to rewatch “Begins,” not only to look for clues of what’s to come, but also to see how the film holds up in a post-“Dark Knight” world. If you haven’t watched “Batman Begins” in a few years, it may surprise you how entertaining it is. For his first Batman movie, Nolan crafted a tight origin story that seems almost quaint in scale compared to “The Dark Knight.” That isn’t to say “Begins” lacks ambition; it immediately jumps into a complicated story structure to tell Batman’s origin, and the central conflict revolves around ninjas using insanity spray to poison Gotham. The scaled-back feeling of “Begins” stems from where its primary focus lies: Batman. “The Dark Knight” was an ensemble piece with the Caped Crusader at its core. With that particular structure, many viewers felt they lost sight of Batman in the process. Though it worked for “Dark Knight” and gave the film a structure more complex than we deserved, the biggest takeaway from watching “Begins” may be that Nolan should give Batman and Christian Bale the time they deserve before the legend truly ends. How “Rises” will return to the topics addressed in “Begins” remains to be seen, but what we can gather from rumors and the prologue is that the League of Shadows will return. If this is a case, I have to give credit to Nolan, David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan for not falling prey to a typical sequel problem. The League of Shadows isn’t the kind of organization that’s going to give up after one go. In “Begins,” Ra’s al Ghul mentions that poisoning Gotham’s water supply was their second attempt at destroying Batman’s hometown. Were they just going to give up after Batman ruined that attempt? Did Ra’s fail to mention that they make a maximum of two attempts to destroy a city’s infrastructure before they call it quits? They don’t, so bringing them back for the finale makes perfect sense. Most importantly, “Begins” makes a great argument that it and “The Dark Knight” are two great, but different Batman movies. Both work perfectly well, just on two different scales. Where “The Dark Knight” tackles a sprawling story with many intriguing key players, the aptly titled “Batman Begins” focuses on Bruce Wayne and his journey to becoming a legend, a smaller story but one worth telling. Random takeaways: -Maggie Gyllenhaal is, by far, the better Rachel Dawes. -Chicago is Nolan’s Gotham. It will be sorely missed. -The lady who introduces Bruce to the fake Ra’s al Ghul must have been really confused after hearing, “This isn’t Ra’s al Ghul. I watched him die.” -Ra’s makes no mention of a daughter, but talks briefly about his wife. Hmmm. -As the train is about the crash, the look on Ra’s’ face intrigued me. -At the end of the movie, Wayne looks like he’s rebuilding the Manor himself. He must have given that up a few weeks later. -The Joker tease at the end is just as cool as it was in 2005. What did you enjoy most about “Batman Begins”? Let us know in the comments! Related Photos ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer: 5 Key Scenes Analyzing Catwoman’s Costume In ‘Dark Knight Rises’
Jonathan Nolan promises Tom Hardy is ‘spectacular’ in the wake of controversy over villain’s muffled vocals in ‘DKR’ prologue. By James Montgomery Tom Hardy in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures Fans and critics may have had a difficult time understanding Bane’s dialogue in “The Dark Knight Rises” prologue, but they’ll have no problem comprehending what screenwriter Jonathan Nolan has to say about the matter. In an interview at a Television Critics Association event in Los Angeles, director Christopher Nolan’s brother was asked about the reaction some folks had to Bane’s muffled lines. And while he admitted he’d rather discuss his CBS drama “Person of Interest,” he didn’t exactly duck the question, either. “I’ve gotta tell you, I think what Tom Hardy is doing with the role is spectacular,” Nolan said. “I’ve had the benefit of seeing a little bit more than the audience has seen, at this point, and it’s pretty spectacular.” The writer doled out praise for Hardy — who plays the veiny, verbose villain in the upcoming film — and assured fans that, really, the prologue shows just one small part of a very multifaceted character. Nolan was rather tight-lipped about additional “Dark Knight” details, saying only, “We’re still in lock-down mode, in terms of talking about that project.” Though he did speak about the inspiration behind the eye-popping, mid-air snatch-and-grab that’s prominently featured in the prologue. “It’s an amazing team with my brother [Christopher Nolan], [producer] David Goyer and myself. Those are two great guys to work with and brainstorm with,” Nolan said. “I think Chris [has] long wanted to do the aerial spectacular. It’s such a good fit for the IMAX cameras that he likes to shoot with, and so that was a long time in the making.” What do you think of Bane’s voice in the prologue? Sound off! 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 Talk Nerdy To Me Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Jonathan Nolan promises Tom Hardy is ‘spectacular’ in the wake of controversy over villain’s muffled vocals in ‘DKR’ prologue. By James Montgomery Tom Hardy in “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures Fans and critics may have had a difficult time understanding Bane’s dialogue in “The Dark Knight Rises” prologue, but they’ll have no problem comprehending what screenwriter Jonathan Nolan has to say about the matter. In an interview at a Television Critics Association event in Los Angeles, director Christopher Nolan’s brother was asked about the reaction some folks had to Bane’s muffled lines. And while he admitted he’d rather discuss his CBS drama “Person of Interest,” he didn’t exactly duck the question, either. “I’ve gotta tell you, I think what Tom Hardy is doing with the role is spectacular,” Nolan said. “I’ve had the benefit of seeing a little bit more than the audience has seen, at this point, and it’s pretty spectacular.” The writer doled out praise for Hardy — who plays the veiny, verbose villain in the upcoming film — and assured fans that, really, the prologue shows just one small part of a very multifaceted character. Nolan was rather tight-lipped about additional “Dark Knight” details, saying only, “We’re still in lock-down mode, in terms of talking about that project.” Though he did speak about the inspiration behind the eye-popping, mid-air snatch-and-grab that’s prominently featured in the prologue. “It’s an amazing team with my brother [Christopher Nolan], [producer] David Goyer and myself. Those are two great guys to work with and brainstorm with,” Nolan said. “I think Chris [has] long wanted to do the aerial spectacular. It’s such a good fit for the IMAX cameras that he likes to shoot with, and so that was a long time in the making.” What do you think of Bane’s voice in the prologue? Sound off! 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 Talk Nerdy To Me Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
Christian Bale is suited up on cover of latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale as Batman on the cover of EW Weekly Photo: EW Batman is suited up and raring to go on the “Dark Knight Rises” cover of the new Entertainment Weekly. Christian Bale stands front and center on the magazine’s cover as part of EW ‘s 2012 movie preview, showing off a slightly updated batsuit for the first time. It’s a nice introduction to the version of the Dark Knight that we’ll see onscreen in a little more than six months. Inside the issue, we’re treated to three additional photos , two of which give us great looks at Tom Hardy in full Bane regalia. The pictures come from scenes briefly touched on in the first theatrical trailer, including one of a very scared-looking Commissioner Gordon. In one of the Bane photos, he’s looking just off-camera at an unmasked Bruce Wayne, taken from the scene in the trailer when the “You have my permission to die” line is spoken. The other photo of Hardy shows him at the large-scale brawl between Batman and police and Bane and his minions. We see Bane and Batman locked in hand-to-hand combat, something that has been teased about this film and something we haven’t really seen since “Batman Begins.” For better or worse, Bane has been at the center of controversy since the world first heard his voice. In the EW preview, Christopher Nolan addresses the issue of the distorted dialogue, asking for his audience’s faith. “I think when people see the film, things will come into focus,” he said “Bane is very complex and very interesting and when people see the finished film people will be very entertained by him.” The preview also features an interview with Bale, who opened up about the pressures of bringing the trilogy to a close. “I can tell you the truth because I’m done with it: I felt immense pressure,” Bale said. “And I think it’s a good pressure, because you owe it to the films — and the people’s expectations — to make great work.” 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 .
