15 years ago this day, Christopher Nolan's second Batman film in "The Dark Knight" was released by Warner Bros. Pictures in US theaters. It would be the sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" and the second instalment of "The Dark Knight Trilogy" - seeing actor Christian Bale reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/ Batman as he continued to wage his vigilante war against crime and corruption in Gotham City. He allies himself with GCPD cop James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to take down the mob once and for all. Unfortunately for them they fail to recognise the growing threat of a criminal mastermind known as The Joker (the late Heath Ledger) as he systematically takes down everything in Gotham through anarchy and chaos.
The Dark Knight - Original Theatrical Trailer
Considered a masterpiece and one of the greatest films ever made, The Dark Knight broke the mold in several levels - and ushered in a new perception for superhero movies thanks to its grounded crime film approach as well as Heath Ledger as The Joker - which would ultimately be one of his last performances prior to tragically passing away in January 2008. The actor would post-humously win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Clown Prince of Crime, and TDK would go on to win big in the Box Office and further heighten Nolan's status as a bigtime filmmaker - especially with his pioneering use of the IMAX format for big blockbuster films.
The success of The Dark Knight would lead to a third and final film in Nolan's Batman trilogy in "The Dark Knight Rises" - ending Bruce Wayne's story and journey as Gotham's vigilante hero and defender.
Why So Serious? Welcome To A World Without Rules. Happy 15 years, TDK!
Hitting theaters this week and already set to bring the hammer down in international territories, Marvel Studios has unleashed a new featurette for "Thor: Love and Thunder" that shows off that it is definitely a Taika Waititi adventure - with the director interacting with stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and the rest of the cast and crew as they deliver a pretty ambitious Thor adventure yet!
Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder | A Taika Waititi Adventure
And for a bonus, here's the "Legacy" featurette that's making the rounds online as well.
Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder | Legacy Of Thor
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters this July 6 in the Philippines, and on July 8 in the US!
Just like that, it's been a decade and a half since Warner Bros. and director Christopher Nolan took a stab at the Batman film franchise - when prospects looked bleak moving forward for DC Comics' flagship character after 1997's "Batman and Robin" - and literally brought the character back to his roots and reinvigorated the franchise with 2005's "BATMAN BEGINS" a grounded realism and telling the definite origin story of the future Dark Knight - who he is and how he came to be.
Just with the release of the very first teaser trailer in 2004 - we already knew we were going to be in for a wild ride and a Batman story that would be a superhero movie yet have none of the camp and comedy that featured heavily in the past movies - putting the franchise into a bit of a hiatus before finally getting its second wind as a brand to take very seriously.
Batman Begins - Teaser Trailer
Nolan, then known for films "Memento" and "Insomnia", was a big Batman fan himself and looked to tell the definitive Bruce Wayne story - an aspect of the character that was briefly touched on but never explored in full detail in a Batman movie save for the death of his parents. The journey and training of Wayne as well as the influences and experiences he received were the focal points of "Batman Begins" that drove us, the viewers and fans, to see Bruce Wayne's rise from a traumatized individual into the vigilante hero who adopts the persona of his childhood fear - turning it into a symbol to strike fear into the hearts and minds of criminals that plague his hometown of Gotham City.
Batman Begins (2005) Official Trailer #1
Featuring an ensemble cast lead by Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/ Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow, Ken Watanabe as Ra's Al Ghul, and Rutger Hauer as Hauer William Earle, Batman Begins was poised to be a blockbuster and triumphant return for the Caped Crusader and cinema - and sure enough it was. It spawned two sequel in 2008's "The Dark Knight" and 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises" - completing Bruce Wayne's story and crusade with a "beginning, middle, and end" structure that collectively went on to be known as "The Dark Knight Trilogy", and solidifying Christopher Nolan's place as one of Hollywood's film prodigies and innovators.
On this week 10 years ago, the long awaited sequel to Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" was released and forever changed the landscape of superhero films as a genre in Hollywood (alongside the release of the very first Marvel Cinematic Universe film in "Iron Man" on May of the same year). The aptly titled movie called "The Dark Knight" became more than just another Batman movie and follow-up - it was considered "The Godfather" of superhero movies and dared to challenge the perception of the Caped Crusader and his world by grounding them into a very realistic tale where a man working outside the law as a vigilante is challenged by an agent of chaos.
Christian Bale of course returned as Batman - more experienced and savvy in his role as Gotham's protector following his victory against the League of Shadows. He partners with his steadfast cop friend Lt. James Gordon and new ally in District Attorney Harvey Dent in trying to eliminate crime and the mob from every corner of the city. Unfortunately it's the unpredictable arrival of a crazed criminal mastermind known as "The Joker" - played by the late Heath Ledger - that backs everyone in Gotham to a wall, pushing Batman to his very limits and challenging his fight against injustice by threatening everything he loves and has worked for.
Of course the impact of The Dark Knight in pop culture and movies cannot be overstated. It changed how films of its type are perceived and considered for the Academy Awards - with Ledger's Joker winning posthumously a "Best Supporting Actor" award that is well deserved. It is indeed the film that we needed and deserved, and it also helped popularize the use of IMAX cameras in filming - which is why it is being brought back (according to Variety) to celebrate a decade of the superhero film's mark in film history.
Coming this October and giving a much different and darker take on Rudyard Kipling's classic story "The Jungle Book", Warner Bros. Pictures and actor/ director and motion capture master Andy Serkis present "Mowgli" - the human child who was raised by a pack of wolves and mentored by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther who ultimately has to come face to face with his origins and the terror of the fearsome tiger known as Shere Khan.
Starring a stellar cast of Hollywood talents like Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Harris, and even Andy Serkis himself who lend their voices to the awe inspiring characters of the story, Mowgli will be played by young child actor Rohan Chand. Check out the trailer below:
MOWGLI - Official 1st Trailer
Mowgli will be released in theaters in the Philippines on October 18 c/o Warner Bros. Philippines.
Exactly 8 years ago this day, Christopher Nolan unleashed the second chapter of what would ultimately be his Batman Trilogy of films in "The Dark Knight" - the sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" and featuring Christian Bale returning to the role of Bruce Wayne/ Batman as he sets out to confront a new and unrelenting criminal mastermind known as The Joker. The film would go on to become one of the most popular superhero films of all time, grossing a billion in the box office and also winning an award in the Academy Awards - namely for the late Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker.
The Dark Knight - Original Theatrical Trailer
While 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises" wrapped up Nolan's take on the character and finished Bruce Wayne's story in those three movies, The Dark Knight Trilogy would inspire and influence how Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment would approach their future superhero movies - namely their "DC Extended Universe" of films that includes this year's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and the upcoming "Suicide Squad". Ben Affleck may be the new Batman in town now, but Christian Bale's time in the Batsuit will be remembered - especially in this film where the stakes were placed against him by Ledger's Clown Prince of Crime. This movie definitely deserves a rewatch.
We all know that Christopher Nolan's Batman films that make up "The Dark Knight Trilogy" were masterpieces and blockbusters that have entertained and presented a version of the Caped Crusader that was grounded on reality. Christian Bale embodied a more realistic interpretation of Bruce Wayne and Batman, and it was a self-contained set of films that wrapped up a journey of a man who wanted to inspire people to make a difference and fight injustice.
However,Spinoff Online (via CBR) has also compiled a list where The Dark Knight has made some pretty bad decisions... 9 of them in fact. You can read 'em here, starting from the ones seen in Batman Begins all the way to The Dark Knight and finally for The Dark Knight Rises.
He may have finished his tenure as The Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan's epic Batman film trilogy, but today marks a grand occasion still, as Christian Bale celebrates his birthday today!
Playing the part of Bruce Wayne/ Batman in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, Bale would also be seen in films like The Fighter (where he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), American Hustle, and most recently in Exodus: Gods and Kings. However, it's his role in The Dark Knight Trilogy that people will fondly remember him by, as he embodied a more realistic and grounded Batman for a generation to see!
Short Feature: The Journey of Bruce Wayne
While the world prepares for Ben Affleck's tenure as Bats for the DC Cinematic Universe, today is a celebration of his predecessor's nameday!
Many were surprised a few months ago by the announcement that Argo director and actor Ben Affleck had been cast as the new Batman/ Bruce Wayne for Zack Snyder's as of yet untitled "Batman Vs Superman" film that acts as a sequel to this year's Man Of Steel, and a wave of mixed emotion still reverberates around the interwebz over the news.
However, the actor has responded to those reactions, following an interview with Playboy Magazine, which was featured inLatino Review and posted in Slash Film:
"I understand I’m at a disadvantage with the internet. If I thought the result would be another Daredevil, I’d be out there picketing myself. [laughs] Why would I make the movie if I didn’t think it was going to be good and that I can be good in it?"
Speaking on Daredevil, the actor went on to say it was the "Biggest Regret of his career".
"The only movie I actually regret is Daredevil. It just kills me. I love that story, that character, and the fact that it got fucked up the way it did stays with me. Maybe that’s part of the motivation to do Batman."
And while pre-production has begun for the 2015 film, there has yet to be any official stills or footage showing Ben in the Batsuit, or his persona as Billionaire Bruce Wayne. Affleck went on to assure that playing the new Batman is to "redefine him", and "will not compete with the Bale and Chris Nolan Batman but still exists in the Batman canon". This collaborates with rumors that the Batman Affleck will be play will wear a "Black and Grey" color scheme like the comics, and will be a "40 year old plus" hero who encounters Henry Cavill's Superman.
It's hard to imagine that it's been over a year already since the final installment of Christopher Nolan's epic Dark Knight Trilogy "The Dark Knight Rises" was released, signifying the end of an awesome film series based on DC Comics' Dark Knight that clearly chronicled the life and journey of Bruce Wayne into becoming a symbol of justice and hope for Gotham City and his fellowman.
Now, fans who want to add the entire collected saga to their line-up if they didn't start already will be ready to spend big, as Warner Bros. is gearing up for the official release of "The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector's Edition" this month.
More than just a repackaging of content that was made available with the standard releases of each individual film, this new re-release features some collectibles, memorabilia, and new special features added to give Batman fans a reason to look twice and see what this collected masterpiece of cinema can offer.
To promote the upcoming release, some clips of those actual new content have made their way online.
It's Batman and Defendor, in a new thriller that'll see lots of big names in Hollywood converging.
Via USA Today and Bleeding Cool, here's one of the post-Batman films that Christian Bale, star of Christopher Nolan's epic Dark Knight Trilogy, will be appearing.
Called "Out of the Furnace", it's an American thriller that's directed by Scott Cooper and also stars an ensemble cast which includes, in addition to Cheers' actor Woody Harrelson, Forest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, and Willem Dafoe (So in addition to Bats and Defendor, you have Star Trek's Uhura and the Green Goblin as well). That's quite an impressive line-up of actors, and definitely a flick to look forward to before the year ends. For more information, visit the source post at Bleeding Cool.
Out of the Furnace sees release later this year on late November/ early December.
After rumors, reports, and then unconfirmed information popped up online of a new collector's edition of Christopher Nolan's epic Dark Knight Trilogy was on the way, Warner Bros. has officially announced that the set known as "The Dark Knight Trilogy: The Ultimate Collector's Edition" is indeed real, and will be arriving in stores this September with a whole lot of goodies that Batman fans new and old may want to get!
Priced at $99.97 and aimed for a September release, The Ultimate Collector's Edition of "The Dark Knight Trilogy" contains all the movies and features that ran with the previous releases of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, plus a new disc containing new Bonus disc with New special features, including "The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy" and "Christopher Nolan and Richard Donner: A Conversation". The set also includes memorabilia Mattel Hot Wheels Batmobile/ Tumbler, Batpod, and The Bat, as well as Mondo commissioned art cards and a 48-page hardcover production and art book.
For more information on this newly announced set by Warner Bros. as well as the official press release, visit the source post at Coming Soon!
On a related side note, Christian Bale also confirmed with an interview with Entertainment Weeklythat he's NOT coming back as Batman on a potential Justice League film. Still, his epic run on all three Dark Knight films collaborating with Nolan was self-contained and enough, and he gives his blessing to pass the mantle of The Bat to someone else in a shared DC Movie Universe. For more on that story, read about it on the source post at EW and here.
The Dark Knight Trilogy: The Ultimate Collector's Edition sees release on September 24, 2013.
Looks like the wheels are turning down for the potential return of Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale, as Batman-News has reported that the director of The Dark Knight Trilogy and the Batman actor himself may not likely return to work on "Justice League". This marks a sign of setbacks for the big superhero team up flick featuring DC Comics popular roster of heroes, and how Warner Bros. will approach things after and however "Man Of Steel" performs when its released this June.
If you happen to be one of the lucky people living in or visiting Los Angeles, then maybe you should take a trip down to L.A Live's Event Deck to visit Warner Bros. FREE EXHIBIT based on Christopher Nolan's epic Batman saga - The Dark Knight Legend L.A Exhbit! To celebrate the release of The Dark Knight Rises on home media, WB is showcasing everything used in the Nolan movies, as well as the numerous Batmobiles used in the various Batman shows and films over the years.
In what is undoubtedly a noble and honorable gesture coming from the heart, Batman star and British actor Christian Bale was spotted visiting the victims of the recent Aurora Colorado theater shooting at the Medical Center of Aurora. The Denver Post reports that the man who played Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy was seen visiting the hospital this Tuesday afternoon, staying for 2 1/2 hours and meeting five people still being treated for their injuries. He wasn't representing Warner Bros., and he was just doing this on his own, as this video report from ENTV reports:
Christian Bale Visits Aurora, Colorado Shooting Victims: ENTV
Truly, I tip my hat off to Christian Bale for doing such a wonderful thing and making a difference in his own right for the victims of this horrible incident that occurred during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises". He really is THE Batman, and a true hero for doing what he can to bring smiles and cheers to those fans hospitalized. For more on this story, visit the source post at The Denver Post
Via Batman-On-Film and Movie Web, a new international poster featuring Batman and Catwoman has been released for Warner Bros. and Christopher Nolan's final chapter in the Dark Knight legend, The Dark Knight Rises. While looking like a fanmade piece, the poster features Christian Bale as Batman and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, suited up and ready to face what lies ahead in the battle for Gotham City. For more info on this one sheet, visit the source post at BOF and Movie Web.
The Dark Knight Rises in theaters worldwide on July 20.
The fire continues to rise with the marketing for The Dark Knight Rises, as Warner Bros. unveils not just two additional banner posters for the film, but a new and femme fatale looking poster featuring Catwoman! Via Batman-News, the new one sheet, which was released through clever viral marketing, features Anne Hathaway's as Selina Kyle's alter ego, wherein her heel crushes one of Batman's signature Batarangs and leaves a playful kiss at the title logo!
Also getting released are these two intense looking banner posters, the first one tweeted by Warner Bros. India and featuring Christian Bale as Batman as he covers himself with his cape which is under fire, with a broken looking Gotham City in the background.
The next one shows as intense square off between The Dark Knight and Tom Hardy's Bane, which doesn't look so good for Batman after his nemesis catches his punch! For more info, check out the source post here and here at Comic Book Movie!
The Dark Knight Rises in theaters worldwide on July 20!
After yesterday's reveal of a brand new theatrical poster that received some mixed reactions from the fanbase, Warner Bros. has released a slew of awesome new character posters for Christopher Nolan's final chapter in his Batman film saga, The Dark Knight Rises! There are six of these posters, two of each featuring Batman (Christian Bale), Bane (Tom Hardy), and Catwoman (Anne Hathaway)!
Now that's what I'm talking about! For more info for these posters, check out the source post at SuperHeroHype and Yahoo! Movies!
The Dark Knight Rises shows the legend end and rise on July 20!
Warner Bros. has released a brand new poster for Christopher Nolan's final entry into his Batman film saga, The Dark Knight Rises. With the tagline "A Fire Will Rise", the poster shows a determined looking Batman (Christian Bale), as he stands in front of a city of falling debris with a Bat-shaped logo, which was the same background seen in the first teaser poster. Released via the official Facebook page of the movie, check out more details there.
Entertainment Weekly's cover to their latest issue has gone online, spotlighting Warner Bros. and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises"! On the front of the mag are Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway, all suited up and ready for action as Batman and Catwoman! The issue also contains more sneak peek and preview info, including three scans showcasing Batman using an iPad like device, Catwoman cracking a safe, and Bane in an all new get up! The images are still low-res though, but if you're curious to see (with potential SPOILERS of course) you can check them out via Comic Book Movie! For more info on the cover, visit the source post at EW and CBM!
The Dark Knight Rises soars into theaters on July 20!
