The Dark Knight
YouTube - Batman - The Dark Knight Trailer HD
The Dark Knight is a 2008 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film is a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins, which rebooted the Batman film series after an eight-year hiatus. Christopher Nolan returns as the director, and Christian Bale reprises the lead role. Batman's primary conflicts in the film include his fight against the Joker (Heath Ledger) and his strained friendship with district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart).
For his conception of the film, Nolan was inspired by the Joker's first two appearances in the comics and Batman: The Long Halloween. The Dark Knight was filmed primarily in Chicago (as was Batman Begins), as well as in several other locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. The director used an IMAX camera to film six major action sequences, including the Joker's first appearance in the film. The Batsuit was redesigned, with a cowl allowing Bale to move his head. The film also introduces a recreation of the Batcycle, known as the Batpod.
Warner Bros. created an aggressive viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight, developing promotional websites and trailers highlighting screenshots of Heath Ledger as the Joker. After Ledger's death in January 2008, however, the studio refocused its promotional campaign. The film will be released on July 16, 2008 in Australia, on July 18, 2008 in North America, and on July 25, 2008 in the United Kingdom.
After the death of Heath Ledger, on January 22, 2008, Warner Bros. adjusted its promotional focus on the Joker. It revised some of its websites dedicated to promoting the film, posting a memorial tribute to Ledger on the film's official website and overlaying a black memorial ribbon on the photo collage in WhySoSerious.com. On February 29, 2008, I Believe in Harvey Dent was updated to enable fans to send their e-mail addresses and phone numbers. In March 2008, Harvey Dent's fictional campaign informed fans that actual campaign buses nicknamed "Dentmobiles" would tour various cities to promote Dent's candidacy for district attorney.
In 2008, Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Great Adventure theme parks will open The Dark Knight roller coaster; costing $7.5 million to develop, the ride simulates the feeling of being stalked by the Joker. Mattel is producing toys and games for The Dark Knight, action figures, role play costumes, board games, puzzles, and a special-edition UNO card game for commercial distribution in June 2008. Leading up to the film's opening, the studio will release Batman: Gotham Knight, a direct-to-DVD animated film, set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight and featuring six original stories, directed by Bruce Timm, co-creator and producer of Batman: The Animated Series. Each of these segments, written by Josh Olson, David S. Goyer, Brian Azzarello, Greg Rucka, Jordan Goldberg, and Alan Burnett, presents its own distinctive artistic style, paralleling numerous artists collaborating in the same DC Universe.
The Dark Knight has been met with wide critical acclaim. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave The Dark Knight 3.5 out of 4 stars, calling the film "haunting and visionary" and commenting that it "soars on the wings of untamed imagination". He particularly praised Nolan and Ledger, who he suggested could get a posthumous Academy Award nomination. Larry Carroll, a film news writer for MTV Networks, praised the cinematography and described it as "the best Batman movie ever made. Emanuel Levy gave the film an A, stating the film is "nothing short of brilliant" and "the best and scariest comic hero adaptation you are likely to see this summer season, and perhaps during the whole year." Film director Kevin Smith was astounded by the film, declaring it "an epic", "The Godfather II of comic book movies", and "close to a masterpiece". Todd Gilchrist of IGN gave the film a 10/10 and 5 stars stating that "Nolan's sequel surpasses the original with an intense, disturbing masterpiece".
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