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Six New ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Banners Highlight Batman Versus Bane, Shoddy Photoshop

Travis Woods — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:38:07 +0000

Despite being one of the most anticipated action films of, well, ever, The Dark Knight Rises’ print ad campaign seems to be taking a decidedly laid back route, in terms of quality. First, we had the Wal-Mart quality photoshopped horror of the final theatrical poster, now we have six new banners that look like they were pieced together in about 10 minutes each. One would think that, with a budget of around $250 million, Christopher Nolan and Co. could have spent a little more time working out the kinks. Check out the new banners below.

Ok, I should try to say something nice: the banners, um, well, they sure make me look forward to an epic confrontation between Batman and Bane, so… that’s something.

Elsewhere, you’ve got Batman leading what looks like a SWAT team against Bane’s army of what appears to be The League of Shadows from Batman Begins, so there’s something that we internet speculators can froth about for the next two months. Oh, and Catwoman’s blowing some things up while riding around on a Bat-Pod, which would be neat if it weren’t airbrushed and photoshopped into oblivion.

But hey, we’re still counting down the days until we can point our greedy eyes at The Dark Knight Rises—we just wish the marketing campaign lived up to our expectations of what this final Batman film in the Nolan trilogy deserves.

What do you think of the banners?

Source: Batman News

Two New ‘Dark Knight Rises’ TV Spots Reveal Bruce Wayne And Catwoman Plots

Travis Woods — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:33:00 +0000

The TV spot—normally they’re just brutally edited ‘Greatest Hits’ versions of a film’s trailer, 30 seconds of explosions and one-liners… Unless, of course, it’s a Dark Knight Rises TV spot, in which case you get a bevy of all new footage. That’s right: forgoing the usual route of offering up the best of their previous trailers, The Dark Knight Rises’ two new TV spots are replete with footage highlighting an aged and out of practice Bruce Wayne, his “wife” Catwoman, and a few more clips of the mysterious terrorist Bane. Check them both out below.

The first TV spot is all about Bruce Wayne. As has been reported previously, The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after The Dark Knight, and Batman has been retired following the events in that film. Something, however (likely Bane), forces Bruce Wayne to pick the cape and cowl up once again. Dig it:

The next TV spot highlights Catwoman and, to a lesser extent, Bane; the main emphasis is on the relationship between Wayne and Selina Kyle, who at one point poses as his wife to steal his Lamborghini. There are also a few bits about Bane, and how he was “born and bred in hell.”

It seems like Nolan and Co. have finally decided to begin upping the ante after a series of relatively underwhelming trailers. Not bad, no?

What do you think of the new footage?

Source: Batman News

Terrible New ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Poster Shows Gotham City Burning

Travis Woods — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:28:26 +0000

Welcome to the exact moment when The Dark Knight Rises ceased to be cool (even if it’s only for just a moment)—the release of a badly photoshopped final poster for the film. Looking like something you’d find for about $6.99 at Wal-Mart or Toys “R” Us, the final one-sheet for The Dark Knight Rises seems more like something directed towards your eight year old brother instead of an important final marketing salvo concerning one of the most anticipated adult action films of the year.

Taking the design of the original Dark Knight Rises teaser poster, slapping some fire across the sky, and dropping Christian Bale’s Batman right in the center in a position that makes no physical sense in relation to the background behind him, the final poster for the final Christopher Nolan Batman film, well, is just terrible.

It’s an odd and surprising misstep from a film and a marketing department that has yet to make any major advertising gaffes as of yet—but, as is the case with Prometheus’ oversaturation of viral marketing, it’s enough of a drag to make fans say, “eh, don’t bother me again until the week of release.”

Take a look at the silly new poster below and let us know what you think—is this a cool one-sheet, or a total blowout?

What do you think of the new poster?

Source: Batman News

Warner Bros. Launches ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Bat-Pod And Tumbler Tour Across The U.S.

Travis Woods — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:04:30 +0000

Sponsored by IMAX and Mountain Dew (apparently people still drink that?), Warner Bros. is launching a unique The Dark Knight Rises promotional tour—they’re taking The Tumbler (a.k.a., the Batmobile) and the Bat-Pod (a.k.a., Batman’s motorcycle) on a cross-country tour of the United States. Want to completely geek out and touch Batman’s ride? Well, Bat-nerds, now’s your chance! Details and tour dates below.

It’s a sharp, live-action press campaign that goes beyond epic trailers; it’s also a savvy announcement to make—coming on the heels of The Avengers’ record-busting opening weekend, Warner Bros. is almost certainly looking to up the ante so that The Dark Knight Rises walks away as King of the Summer Movies. The press release has the details:

BURBANK, Calif., May 10, 2012 — Fans who have been eagerly awaiting the July 20 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” will have an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod, which are rolling out on a coast-to-coast tour, sponsored by Mountain Dew and IMAX(R).

Both the Tumbler and the Bat-Pod have served as high-powered modes of transportation for Batman in Christopher Nolan’s earlier blockbusters–with the Tumbler first appearing in “Batman Begins,” and the Bat-Pod being introduced in “The Dark Knight.” They will both be featured in different ways in the hugely anticipated finale to the director’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

So there you have it—if you live in one of the major cities below, you know have a chance to geek out to your Bat-heart’s content this summer.

The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, and Gary Oldman. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the final film in the ‘Dark Knight trilogy’ is set for a July 20 release.

The Dark Knight Rises’ Tumbler/Bat-Pod tour dates:

5/12 Bentonville, AR
5/15 Tulsa, OK
5/19 Overland Park, KS
5/21 Kansas City, MO
5/25 Chicago, IL
5/27 Washington, DC
5/28 Baltimore, MD
5/30 Philadelphia, PA
6/1 Buffalo, NY
6/7 Toronto Canada
6/10 Montreal Canada
6/12 Purchase, NY
6/13 Columbus, OH
6/15 Lansing, MI
6/16 Detroit, MI
6/17 Brooklyn, MI
6/19 Indianapolis, IN
6/21 Nashville, TN
6/22 Knoxville, TN
6/23 Atlanta, GA
6/25 Dallas, TX
6/27 San Antonio, TX
6/29 El Paso, TX
7/1 Albuquerque, NM
7/2 Phoenix, AZ
7/7 Los Angeles, CA

What do you think of Warner Bros.’ marketing move?

Source: Batman News

Marion Cotillard Reveals ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Spoilers And Character Details

Travis Woods — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:38:12 +0000

One of the long-running rumors concerning the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises is that the character played by Marion Cotillard, Miranda Tate, would in fact be Talia al Ghul. Fans familiar with the Batman comics will recognize Talia as the daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, whom Liam Neeson portrayed in Batman Begins (and who will appear via flashbacks in Rises). Cotillard, who has been denying the rumor for months, recently spoke out about the true nature of her character, and her role in the film.

Some plot/character spoilers ahead.

Once again, Cotillard is denying that her character is really an alter ego for Talia al Ghul, going so far as to describe her part as “a very, very small role.”

She went on to state that her character is an ecologist who “is fascinated by Wayne Enterprises. They go through difficulties, and she wants to help provide the world clean energies. She’s a good guy.”

Cotillard failed to mention the moment that appears very briefly in the final Dark Knight Rises trailer, in which Miranda Tate and Bruce Wayne share a pretty passionate embrace. Not to be all Joseph McCarthy about it, but if she’s willing to hide that, just what else is she hiding?! (Editor’s note: Sometimes the nerd in each of us is just too difficult to control)

Ahem, well, it looks like this will just have to remain a mystery until The Dark Knight Rises dominates screens beginning on July 20, 2012.

What do you think of the Dark Knight Rises news? Is Cotillard playing Talia?

Source: THR

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Final Trailer Has Been Released

Travis Woods — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:42:45 +0000

Remember those halcyon days, before the megabuzz about The Avengers, or the slew of trailers for Prometheus, when The Dark Knight Rises was the only film of summer 2012 that mattered? Well, things of have become a little more complicated since then, but not anymore—the third and final trailer for The Dark Knight Rises is officially the most dramatic, jaw-dropping spectacle we’ve seen this year. Let your goosebumps begin in 3…2…1…

The first big relief of the trailer? Bane’s voice is now totally comprehensible, after preview audiences (and these ears included) had a bit of difficulty understanding the villain’s muffled speech during the first IMAX preview of the film’s prologue.

Elsewhere, we finally get to see more Catwoman, who definitely appears to be an ally of Batman’s , and it also seems that Bane kidnaps Batman/Bruce Wayne at some point and locks him in a prison. Meanwhile, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman all look at things in shock and surprise.

Most interesting, though, is the thread of melancholy that runs throughout the trailer. From the poignancy of the quiet opening, to the moment when Catwoman asks Batman why he’s sacrificed everything and he indicates there is one more thing he has to give (his life?), there is definitely an air of finality to the piece. Oh, and then there’s The Bat, Batman’s personal plane, which may be the coolest thing you see all year. Check it out:

The Dark Knight Rises is set for a July 20, 2012 release. If you can make it until then without your head exploding, good luck.

What do you think of the trailer?

Is ‘Iron Man’ Wearing Out His Welcome?

Joseph Doherty — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Since exploding onto the screen in 2008, Marvel’s Iron Man has imbedded himself into the pop culture. In addition to headlining two Hollywood blockbusters, the character made a scene stealing cameo appearance in 2008′s The Incredible Hulk and will be featured prominently in The Avengers, which hits theaters Friday. But with Iron Man 3 well in the works, it begs the question – “Is the character wearing out his welcome?”

Looking back at the first Iron Man, it’s a minor miracle that the character became so big – it seemed poised to fail. Iron Man was a second tier superhero that lacked the mythic nature and pathos of a Superman, Batman, or Spider-Man. And Robert Downey Jr. – while being an enormously talented actor – never had to shoulder this sort of big-budget motion picture before, and a lot was riding on his metal outfit.

Behind the camera, you had Jon Favreau, who was known to bring an independent sensibility – including lots of improvisation – to any project he worked on. Arming him with a $140 million budget was a gamble for studio bosses. In the end, Favreau and Downey had the last laugh, crafting a well-rounded and occasionally riveting film. Iron Man had arrived and fans rejoiced.

But this has proven to be a blessing and a curse for both the character and star. Landing the role of Tony Stark gave Robert Downey Jr. a huge outlet to showcase his talents. and his Stark is one of the most debonair superheroes to ever grace the screen. Downey rocketed to the top of the A-list, becoming one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood. However, his performance as Tony Stark is so iconic that Downey has become imprisoned by it. With the exception of Tropic Thunder (which was filmed before Iron Man was released), Downey has played a series of characters much in the same vein as Stark – his Sherlock Holmes is Stark with a British accent Though he can sell a one-liner with the best of them, Downey is capable of so much more.

As for Iron Man, Marvel has certainly done their job in saturating the market with toys, video games, and film appearances of the character in recent years. While Downey’s cameo in The Incredible Hulk provided a much needed jolt to an otherwise tame motion picture, cracks in the franchise began to show with the release of Iron Man 2. Though it had all the effects and action money could buy, the memorable characters got lost in the mix, including Tony Stark. Iron Man did a wonderful job of laying the groundwork for Stark as a three dimensional character and the sequel failed to build on that. It failed, period.

It looks as though the character’s appearance in the upcoming Avengers film will offer more of the same. Sure, Downey will deliver his characteristic rock-solid performance and The Avengers should go on to become one of the highest grossing films of the year, but is it a sin to ask for a little more substance? There is no question that Iron Man is still at his zenith commercially., but there could be a backlash if the films don’t become more artistically ambitious.

In December 2010, it was announced that Jon Favreau passed on directing Iron Man 3 and writer/director Shane Black would be stepping in. Having only helmed the action-comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (though famous for his scripts for Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout) it is hard to get a read on where Black will take the franchise. Last week at CinemaCon, he dropped a few subtle hints saying the film will be a thriller and incorporate elements of war and terrorism. More intriguing was that Black said the Tony Stark character will be seriously tested by these elements. Hopefully, Shane Black remains true to his word and gets back to the kind of deep-rooted character development featured in the first Iron Man. The last thing we want is Iron Man becoming the next Pirates of the Caribbean, another once-innovative franchise that was drowned in a sea of greed and repetition.

Do you think ‘Iron Man’ is wearing out his welcome?

Unlock The New ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer!

Travis Woods — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:37:00 +0000

Word recently broke that screenings of The Avengers would contain a new, possibly Catwoman-heavy final trailer for the upcoming (and massively, massively anticipated) The Dark Knight Rises, the final film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Well, it turns out you might not have to wait for hours in line at a Thursday night screening of The Avengers to see the new trailer—you can work with other fans to unlock it online.

Here’s how it works: The Dark Knight Rises website has been updated with a list of real-world locations that have “evidence” for the Gotham Police Department, and “right now these locations are all outside of the United States and Canada, but those countries will be added to the list at 11am EST.” Fans need to go to this locations, take a picture of the location and then Tweet it with the following hashtag: #tdkr07202012 (or simply email it to tdkr07202012@gothampolicedepartment.com). After doing so, you’ll unlock one frame of the third and supposedly final Dark Knight Rises trailer. If enough people do so, the entire trailer will be unlocked! (Check out the progress here)

It’s a savvy bit of viral marketing on the part of Warner Bros., and, let’s face it—this is about a million times more fun and interesting than the increasingly annoying trend of simply putting out a teaser for the trailer, right?

What do you think of the viral marketing for The Dark Knight Rises?

Source: Batman News

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Releases Five Minutes Of New Footage And Four New Images

Travis Woods — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:24:29 +0000

Between a slew of new photos, as well as news that a new full trailer will premiere with screenings of The Avengers, April has been a great month for The Dark Knight Rises news junkies. And, as if that wasn’t enough, Warner Bros. has recently released a handful of promotional art images from the upcoming superhero film, as well as a five-minute montage of new footage from the final Christopher Nolan Batman film.

First up, the promo art: in a series of new images, we see Batman fighting Bane in a snowy street fight, Batman walking down a crumbling/burning Gotham City street, Batman speeding in the Bat-Pod (the motorcycle from The Dark Knight, and Batman scowling in front of his new vehicle, The Bat (that’s the Bat-Plane, to you).

Next up, the new footage: at the recent opening day of CinemaCon, Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. debuted a montage of new and previously released footage from the film, all set to a pounding Hans Zimmer score. Superhero Hype was there, and has a recap:

“It opened with pretty much the same airplane hijacking scene that was showcased in the six-minute IMAX preview last December, although you could clearly understand everything Bane was saying in this case. We see Bruce Wayne back in Wayne Manor in a bathrobe and cane, clearly a broken man eight years after the events of The Dark Knight.”

It’s good to hear that the “muffled Bane” issue has been cleared up, as an unintelligible villain probably isn’t the best follow-up to the Joker.

“We see Selina Kyle sneaking out of Wayne Manor, having been in disguise as a maid. In fact, the footage included quite a bit of the fetching Anne Hathaway both in street clothes as Selina and prowling the night as Catwoman, as well as a bit more footage of Bane walking onto the football field and setting off explosives in the middle of the play as the quarterback dodges them.”

Is your head exploding yet? We can give you a moment to wipe the brain flecks from the screen if need be.

“We saw quite a bit of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young rookie cop John Blake caught up in the war being waged by Bane, including a scene where he shows his shield to Selina, possibly trying to arrest her? We see lots of shots of the destruction of Gotham by Bane, as well as brief glimpses of the Batmobile, the Batpod and the new flying vehicle known as “The Bat,” throughout the carnage. There were quite a few shots of Selina and Bruce together, but we also see Bruce kissing Marion Cotillard’s character in another shot, leaving us to try to figure out what’s going on there.”

Well, if you have any head left on top of your neck, know then that you only have three months to go: The Dark Knight Rises opens on July 20, 2012.

Will you be in line to see The Dark Knight Rises in July?

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ New Trailer To Premiere With ‘The Avengers’

Travis Woods — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:25:32 +0000

Just in case the mysterious teaser trailer, the adrenalized full trailer, or eight minute preview of the opening scene weren’t enough, The Dark Knight Rises is getting a new full trailer—and it’s going to premiere and run with a new little flick called The Avengers.

That’s right—just in case you were thinking about skipping The Avengers until it came to Blu-Ray or Netflix, well, now you have another reason to go: the third (and, presumably, final) full trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises will be running before screening of The Avengers in America.

But don’t get too excited just yet—the information about the new trailer was discovered on an official Warner Bros. exhibitor services website, which noted that the new trailer was “In Can,” which is showbiz-ese for “we strongly suggest you run this trailer with The Avengers, but we can’t force you to do it.” Meaning, it’s up to the individual theaters to decide whether or not to run the trailer before The Avengers. As /Film notes, The Avengers is a Disney Film, The Dark Knight Rises is a Warner Bros. film, so only Disney film ads are guaranteed a spot before The Avengers.

That said, when The Dark Knight Rises preview of new footage ran in IMAX, it was attached to Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. So perhaps we’ll be seeing some more studio cross-pollination on May 4, when The Avengers hits theaters.

What do you think about The Dark Knight Rises new info? Will you go to The Avengers just to see the new ad?

Six New Images From ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Have Been Released!

Travis Woods — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:45:22 +0000

We’re ramping up into full on geek more here at ScreenCrave, as six—count ‘em, six—new images from The Dark Knight Rises have just been released via Entertainment Weekly. Want to see Batman playing on what looks like a high-tech iPad (a BatPat?… ugh, forgive me), Bane crashing a stock exchange, Bruce Wayne with graying hair (TDKR takes place eight years after the events in The Dark Knight), or Catwoman in full uniform? We’ve got ‘em all after the jump—same Bat time, same Bat ch—ugh, again, seriously, forgive me.

This week’s Entertainment Weekly is doing an entire feature on the new (and final) Christopher Nolan Batman film—in addition to the new pictures, the magazine also has interviews with cast and crew. In it, Nolan describes the villains Bane and Catwoman thusly:

[Bane] represents formidable physical strength, combined with absolute evil of intention. [Selina Kyle] has a very strong way of protecting herself and those she cares about, which implies an underlying darkness.

While much of the film’s plot remains a mystery (only the barest sketches of the storyline have been revealed—mysterious terrorist Bane arrives to destroy Gotham, driving Bruce Wayne to return as Batman after going into hiding eight years earlier, after the events of The Dark Knight), The Dark Knight Rises is shaping up to be audience-pleasing, critical darling blockbuster of the summer—seriously, with Nolan at the helm, what else could it be?

What do you think of the new images?

Source: Batman News

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Concept Artist Says Christopher Nolan Has Made It ‘A War Film’

Travis Woods — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:19:12 +0000

As the days continue to slowly, oh so slowly, crawl onward to the July 20, 2012 release date of Christopher Nolan’s third and final Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, will take any news leak we can get when it comes to the hyper-anticipated new film. Case in point: The Dark Knight Rises’ concept artist Tully Summers recently spoke out about the design of the new film, and how Nolan has crafted a movie that is not so much a comic book movie as it is “a war film.”

In a French interview with Cine Web Radio (considerately translated by Batman News), Summers discusses how Nolan impressed, essentially, a “practical military aesthetic” on the new film, to ensure both grittiness and realism (well, as much realism as a film about a man who dresses as a bat and fights a woman dressed as a cat and a terrorist who apparently likes to blow up football games can have, that is):

The difference for me was Christopher Nolan’s visual style. One of the things that makes his Batman movies so compelling is their tone of plausibility. He will often prefer a raw, grittier design over one that is very sleek and product design pretty. It’s sort of a practical military aesthetic. This stuff is made to work, not impress shoppers. The Dark Knight Rises is a war film.

Moreover, Summers asserted that the early, leaked photos of The Dark Knight Rises did not present the full picture of Christopher Nolan’s vision, and that the completed film will be far more, well, complete than those images implied:

Films like Batman are meticulously planned. Every shot is storyboarded, framed, lighted and choreographed to camera. Any photos taken that are not from the intended camera are out of context. In a sense it’s like judging Sesame Street or the Muppets from a set photo: “That’s ridiculous! There’s a whole guy hanging out that character!” Christopher Nolan is a consummate filmmaker. Consider his body of work and his first 2 Batman movies. I don’t think fans will be disappointed.

The Dark Knight Rises is a “war film”? Ugh, is it July yet?

ScreenCrave.com » Batman

Six New ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Banners Highlight Batman Versus Bane, Shoddy Photoshop

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