The Dark Knight Rises Viral Marketing Begins

Back in 2007, months before "The Dark Knight" was released in theaters on July 2008, Warner Bros. and Christopher Nolan took teasing and fan interaction to the next level by introducing various "viral marketing campaigns". Every one of them, while fictional, purposely served as a cryptic clues and lead ons to the actual movie, ranging from mini online games to actual puzzles and scavenger hunts that sent fans on a solving frenzy, rewarding them in return with scribbles and downright amusing stuff (one reward in particular being the first official image of the late Heath Ledger as The Joker). Now, the legacy continues, as Nolan's next and final Batman film preps up to do the same!

As of today, "The Dark Knight Rises" has now officially started its viral marketing campaign, beginning with a CIA Bulletin that was posted on Wired and features the profile of one Dr. Leonid Pavel (played by Alon Abutbul), and then another on Empire featuring a document that has a transcript of a conversation between a Militia man and a mysterious CIA Staff member.

What these mean and how it relates to the overall plot of TDKR is anybody's guess. More clues are surely on the way... so let the speculation begin for now. In the meantime, look forward to the 6 minute prologue that's going to be attached with IMAX screenings of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol next week, as well as the new trailer coming before the year ends! For more information on the viral marketing campaign pics you see here, visi the source posts at Wired, Empire, and Superherohype!

The Dark Knight Rises glides into theaters worldwide on July 20, 2012!