‘He’s a little reminiscent of the Gordon you see in ‘Batman Begins,’ ‘ actor Gary Oldman says. By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Gary Oldman in “The Dark Knight” Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures This holiday season, fans looking forward to next year’s release of “The Dark Knight Rises” should be thankful for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and all the press its star Gary Oldman is doing. MTV News’ Josh Horowitz caught up with Oldman, who stars in both of those films, on the red carpet for the Gotham Independent Film Awards and noticed something different about his face. The iconic Commissioner Gordon mustache was missing. After wrapping the film recently, Oldman lost the mustache in favor of a cleaner look. “The Gordon mustache is retired,” Oldman confirmed. “They gave me a shadow box, and it has my badge, my glasses and the mustache. He is retired.” Empire magazine’s recent on-set feature dropped the detail that “The Dark Knight Rises” will take place seven years after the end of its predecessor “The Dark Knight.” This obviously leaves a lot of time out of the story and a lot of changes for the characters, including Gordon. Oldman said that his character has a return to an earlier form for the trilogy’s finale. “He’s a little reminiscent of the Gordon you see in ‘Batman Begins.’ They’ve tidied up the city, but there’s still work to be done. He’s very world-weary,” Oldman said. One of the more mysterious cast additions, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as beat cop John Blake, meant an extra man in Gordon’s Gotham PD. Oldman described his time working with Gordon-Levitt as a little distracting, but in a good way. “Someone that talented, I do these scenes with him and you can’t put a pin through an insincere moment,” he said. “It’s wonderful. You come out of character sometimes because … you’re in the scene and you find your head going, ‘Wow. He’s pretty good.’ ” 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’
Let the J.R. Martinez victory tour begin. Dancing With the Stars champion J.R. Martinez received an invitation from U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to visit the Pentagon and meet Panetta in person. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Panetta’s respect for J.R., an Iraq War veteran, motivational speaker and actor, was displayed in a congratulatory note: J.R. and Karina Smirnoff won the ABC competition Monday . “Your strength and spirit have captivated the nation, and your victory sends a strong message about the strength and resilience of our wounded warriors.” The Defense Secretary then personally called J.R. to invite him to meet in person. J.R. Martinez will address thousands of active and retired troops while in D.C. It seems everyone wants a piece of the man. Along with his journey to the Pentagon, Martinez has been named the Grand Marshal of the 2012 Rose Parade.
Filming on The Dark Knight Rises has come to an end and, with it, so has the portrayal of this iconic super hero by Christian Bale. “I wrapped a few days ago so that will be the last time I’m taking that [Batman hood] off,” the actor star told the Philippine Daily Inquirer this week. “I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it’s all done. Everything’s finished. It’s me and [director Christopher Nolan] – that will be the end of that Batman era.” The Dark Knight Rises Trailer Bale and Nolan first teamed up in 2005 on Batman Begins , a critically-acclaimed installment of the franchise that earned $372 million across the globe. The Dark Knight then broke the $1 billion barrier and earned Heath Ledger a posthumous Oscar. The Dark Knight Rises , meanwhile, hits theaters on July 20, 2012 and also stars Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. We have a feeling it will do rather well at the box office.
How knowing everything about everything is ruining everything, in this week’s The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale and Tom Hardy on the set of “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Getty Images Guys, I think we’re doing it wrong. We have eight months until the July 20, 2012, release date of “The Dark Knight Rises,” and none of this feels right. I mean, yeah, a new Christopher Nolan -directed Batman movie is coming out this summer. Yeah, it’s great that he’s picked up some of his “Inception” alums to join the cast. And granted, what we’ve seen from the set does look pretty cool. (Just whose panties is Matthew Modine holding?!?!) That’s all well and good, but do you ever get the feeling something is missing? Think back to the lead-up to the release of “The Dark Knight” back in 2007 and 2008. If you were one of the 10 million people who participated in the “Why So Serious?” and “I Believe in Harvey Dent” marketing campaigns, I’m sure you vividly remember what you were doing. That’s because you were most likely running around to bakeries and digging through cakes for hidden cell phones or opening lockers in bowling alleys to look for more clues. At the very least, you followed along at home and watched as people from around the world cooperated just for the chance to get your first glimpse at Heath Ledger ‘s take on the Joker or a vandalized version of the first trailer. When the film finally arrived in theaters, it wasn’t just another movie. It was something bigger. “The Dark Knight” became a phenomenon and an experience that you had a part in. The immersive, alternate reality game that led up to the release of “The Dark Knight” was all the work of one company, 42 Entertainment. The reason we haven’t had a similar campaign for “The Dark Knight Rises” is because 42 Entertainment is in no way involved with the project. In the company’s absence, a new viral campaign in the vein of “Why So Serious?” exists, but it is nowhere near “Why So Serious?” in terms of quality and quantity. “The Fire Rises” began as a chant on the film’s official website back on May 20. Fans eventually figured out that the visual spectrum of the noise pointed to a Twitter hashtag, #TheFireRises. For each subsequent re-tweet of the tag, Warner Bros. revealed another pixel of what ended up being the first photo of Tom Hardy as Bane . An impressive and intricate start for the campaign that looked to follow in 42 Entertainment’s footsteps, but the clues soon stopped. The Twitter account lay idle until last week, when it told followers to add their voice to Hans Zimmer’s score via UJAM, several days after that news originally broke. But even removing the added layer of complexity that comes with an alternate reality game or a simple viral marketing campaign isn’t enough to explain the bungled anticipation for “The Dark Knight Rises.” Instead of simply looking forward to a film without having any elaborate task to complete, which is how fans of all other films spend their pre-releases, those who follow “The Dark Knight Rises” have been subjected to a deluge of spy photos and videos from the set. The main reason for Warner Bros.’s hurried release of an official Catwoman photo was the existence of amateur pictures. Avoiding pictures of Bane or the Batwing or Batman leading the charge with the police in tow is not an option anymore. Since the information is so widely available, it’s all simply part of the conversation now. We cover it here simply because the information is out there, and people want to know — all of which begs the question, “Why are we doing this?” Why is there a drive to find out everything about a film before you see it in its proper form? I can’t help but believe that there is at least some subconscious battle of egos among Batman fans here, where the one who knows the most information that they’re not supposed to know is somehow superior. Here I was thinking that the whole point of all of this was that we are looking forward to seeing a movie, one that is meticulously structured with surprises and turns that are created to be enjoyed only within the context of the film and not a video some extra recorded on her iPhone. No one was scrambling to find out everything about “Inception” before its release. It had the benefit of a normal ad campaign and launch. Even if “The Dark Knight Rises” isn’t going to get the full 42 Entertainment treatment, it at least deserves a normal release along the lines of “Inception.” Now is a good time to remember that when it comes to Christopher Nolan movies, the one who goes in knowing the least is the one who has the most fun. What have you thought of the lead-up to “The Dark Knight Rises”? Let me know via @KPSull on Twitter, and we’ll discuss next week. Here’s a rundown of this past week’s “The Dark Knight Rises” news. The MPAA granted “The Dark Knight Rises” prologue a PG-13 rating. College Humor examined just how Batman found his voice . We visited the New York set for a look at
We’ve got all your Caped Crusader news in The Weekly Rising, MTV News’ new ‘Dark Knight Rises’ column. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale and Tom Hardy on the New York City set of “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Getty Images Because we know you’re as obsessed with all things Batman as we are, we’re kicking off The Weekly Rising, a brand-new column that will cover everything “The Dark Knight Rises,” from news roundups to rumors and analysis. Every Monday, we’ll give you the lowdown on the week in Bats and prep you for the big release next July. Spoilers are inevitable, and we’ll be sure to do our best to give you the heads-up when you might need to start covering your ears and saying “Na na na na na na na na Batman!” This week, we’ll fill you in on our NYC set visit from last week, give an update from filming back on Wall Street over the weekend and offer a tip on how to get your voice into “The Dark Knight Rises” (hint: It involves screaming at your computer, so make sure no one else is home). NYC Becomes Gotham It would have taken a lot of will power to work and live in New York City and not feel at least a small impulse to go check out what they’ve been filming around the city. The location shoots in Manhattan began a little over a week ago, and there has been a ton of great stuff happening. Production converted Trump Tower into the headquarters for Wayne Enterprises , making it the third form of Gotham’s mystical shape-shifting skyscraper. Outside the building, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake helped a very Patrick Bateman-looking Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne through a crowd of reporters. Spoilers ahead! We’ll let you know when you can come back out. Last weekend, things got more interesting. There was a Batwing hovering over Wall Street and, even more interesting, a large bomb-like object with a timer on it. Lots of theories got thrown around, including the popular “Bane’s earthquake machine,” which honestly seems too unrealistic. True believers in the earthquake-gadget theory were quick to reply, “What about the microwave emitter from ‘Batman Begins,’ smart guy? Huh? Is that more realistic? You think you’re so smart.” Our response: Anyone who has seen a workplace microwave after someone nuked a bowl of chili without covering it knows what kind of destruction microwaves can dole out. End spoilers. On the Scene So after that, how could we not stake out the set? Maybe we’d catch another motorcycle chase or at least see Bale in full Batman regalia, so we headed down to the set of “Magnus Rex,” the fake title of the production, at 32nd Street and Fifth Avenue to see what we could see. Turns out, we picked the wrong day to go. Check out the embedded video from our set visit; there aren’t any spoilers, because we had no idea what was going on. Not a total disappointment, but the real sadness didn’t set in until Saturday, the day we didn’t visit the set, and all hell broke loose. Spoilers are back! Batman and Bane literally fought a battle, full armies in tow, on Wall Street over the weekend — the cops with Bats and some pissed-off citizenry with Bane. Pictures and videos from the downtown war popped up everywhere, the best ones over at SuperheroHype.com , all of them mocking us. But enough about our deep, deep sadness — what the hell was going on? Most of the talk about the general arc of “Rises” points to the disintegration of Gotham’s infrastructure with Bane leading point. The fight looked like a continuation from the L.A. shoot, where Batman and Bane duked it out in the snow, so we could be seeing the same sequence here. Is Bane’s army just the citizens of Gotham or the long-rumored return of the League of Shadows? We say it was citizens — not shadowy enough. End spoilers. Make Your Voice Heard Finally, last week, composer Hans Zimmer offered fans a unique opportunity to join in on some cult-like chanting. If you head over to UJAM , you can record your own version of the “Bah-Sah-Rah” chant from the trailer and the viral campaign that unveiled the first picture of Tom Hardy as Bane. Speaking of which, where the hell is the viral campaign? “Why So Serious” was a major component of the lead-up to “The Dark Knight,” and all we’ve seen so far is the Bane picture . We can’t be the only ones who miss receiving clues from the Joker and waiting while more enthusiastic fans completed tasks, so we could reap the rewards of their hard work. Now we want to hear from you: It was rumored last week that a new trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” will premiere December 16 in front of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” the same day the six-minute prologue appears before IMAX screenings of “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” What do you want to see from the trailer and prologue? Let me know on Twitter via @KPSull, and we’ll discuss next week. Also, be sure to check out our new weekly discussion show, “Talk Nerdy to Me.” 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’ Analyzing Catwoman’s Costume In ‘Dark Knight Rises’
In the upcoming political thriller The Double , Topher Grace and Richard Gere star as an unlikely duo of intelligence agents paired to solve the mystery of a senator’s murder. The twisty plot leads them through a trail involving a psychopathic Soviet assassin (Stephen Moyer), Shakespearean code names and one double (get it) identity that culminates with a surprising ending in screenwriter Michael Brandt’s ( 3:10 to Yuma , Wanted ) directorial debut.
Maybe filming background scenes at Zuccotti Park wasn’t a great idea after all, or perhaps it was never really going to happen, but still: EW reports that Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises , which shoots this month in New York City, will not be using the Occupy Wall Street movement as a backdrop for one-percenter hero Bruce Wayne’s latest shenanigans, despite speculations to the contrary. Probably a good idea, especially after the Occupy movement turned Oakland, CA into something resembling a war zone last night, tear gas and all. [ EW ]
How does Christian Bale occupy himself between Batman movies ? Apparently by filming Chinese historical war dramas like The Flowers of War (previously titled The 13 Flowers of Nanjing ), which finds the actor playing another kind of hero in black — an American priest who helps Chinese escapees dodge death during the Nanking Massacre. Not sexy enough for you? There is probably more graphic violence (including execution-style kills), impassioned screaming, Christian Bale facial hair styles (I counted three!) and sex with prostitutes in this trailer than in all of Dark Knight Rises .
Anne Hathaway, who also plays Catwoman#39;s alter-ego, Selina Kyle, reportedly beat out Keira Knightley, Rachel Weisz, Blake Lively and Natalie Portman for the coveted role. Anne Hathaway is a lady in leather. The actress, 28, donned her tight black Catwoman costume on the set of The Dark Knight Rises, the latest installment of the Batman movie franchise. The film, which is set for a July 2012 release, also stars Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy.
