Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a third film, but agreed after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note. Nolan drew inspiration from Bane's comic book debut in the 1993 "Knightfall" storyline, the 1986 seriesThe Dark Knight Returns, and the 1999 storyline "No Man's Land". Filming took place from May to November 2011 in locations includingJodhpur,London,Nottingham,Glasgow,Los Angeles,New York City,Newark, andPittsburgh. Nolan usedIMAX70 mm film cameras for much of the filming, including the first six minutes of the film, to optimize the quality of the picture. A vehicle variation of theBatplane andBatcopter termed the "Bat", an underground prison set, and a newBatcave set were created specially for the film. As withThe Dark Knight,viral marketing campaigns began early during production. When filming concluded, Warner Bros. refocused its campaign, developing promotional websites, releasing the first six minutes of the film, screening theatrical trailers, and sending out information regarding the film's plot.
Bane, a former member of theLeague of Shadows, leads an attack on aCIA plane overUzbekistan to abduct nuclear physicist Dr. Leonid Pavel and fake Pavel's death in the crash. Meanwhile, eight years after the death ofGotham City District AttorneyHarvey Dent and the arrest of theJoker,[b]organized crime has been eradicated in Gotham by the Dent Act, legislation that gives expanded powers to the police.Police commissioner James Gordon has kept Dent's killing spree a secret and allowed the blame for his crimes to fall onBatman. Bruce Wayne, still mourning the death ofRachel Dawes, has become a recluse, andWayne Enterprises has stagnated.
Bane conspires to help Wayne Enterprises board member John Daggett take over the company, and they begin by trying to buy Bruce's fingerprints. BurglarSelina "Catwoman" Kyle steals Bruce's prints fromWayne Manor for Daggett, but he double-crosses her, and she alerts the police, who pursue Bane and Daggett's henchmen into the sewers while Catwoman flees. The henchmen capture Gordon and take him to Bane, but he escapes and is found by Gotham City police officer John Blake, an orphan who has deduced Bruce's secret identity, and persuades Bruce to resume his vigilantism. Bane attacks the Gotham Stock Exchange and uses Bruce's fingerprints to verify a series of fraudulent transactions, leaving Bruce ousted from his company and bankrupt. Batman resurfaces to pursue Bane's henchmen. Fearing Bruce will get himself killed fighting Bane, his butler,Alfred Pennyworth, resigns in the hope of saving him after admitting to burning a letter that Rachel left for him saying she was going to marry Dent. Bane expands his operations and kills Daggett while Bruce and Wayne Enterprises' new CEO, Miranda Tate, become lovers.
Catwoman agrees to take Batman to Bane, but instead leads him into a trap under Wayne Tower. Bane gloats that he intends to fulfillRa's al Ghul's mission to destroy Gotham City before he brutally cripples Batman in combat. He then takes Bruce to an ancient underground prison in theMiddle East, where Bruce learns that Ra's al Ghul's child was born and raised there, but had a protector who aided the child in escaping, thought to be impossible. Back in Gotham, Bane detonates explosives to trap the police forces in the sewers, destroys all but one bridge surrounding the city, kills Gotham mayor Anthony Garcia at the Gotham City stadium, and forces Pavel to convert thefusion reactor core owned by Wayne Enterprises into a decayingneutron bomb before publicly killing him as well. He exposes Dent's crimes to the city and releases the prisoners ofBlackgate Penitentiary, taking over the city, and has Gotham's elite exiled and killed inproletariankangaroo courts presided over byJonathan Crane.[c]
Five months later, Bruce escapes captivity and returns to Gotham. As Batman, he frees the police, and together they clash with Bane's army in the streets. During the battle, Batman overpowers Bane, but Tate stabs Batman in theabdomen, revealing herself as Ra's al Ghul's daughterTalia al Ghul. Talia also reveals that Bane was her protector in the pit before activating the bomb's detonator, but it fails due to Gordon blocking the signal, so Talia leaves to find the bomb while entrusting Bane to finish off Batman. However, Catwoman returns, killing Bane and helping Batman pursue Talia, hoping to return the bomb to the reactor chamber where it can be stabilized. Talia's truck crashes, but she remotely floods and destroys the reactor chamber before dying. With no way to stop the detonation, Batman, after revealing his identity to Gordon, uses his aerial craft, theBat, to haul the bomb far over the bay, where it safely explodes.
In the aftermath, Batman is presumed dead and honored as a hero. Since Bruce is also presumed dead separately, Wayne Manor becomes an orphanage, and Bruce's estate is left to Alfred. Gordon finds theBat-Signal repaired, whileLucius Fox discovers that Bruce had fixed the Bat's malfunctioning autopilot. InFlorence, Alfred discovers that Bruce is alive and in a relationship with Selina, and they silently acknowledge each other before parting ways. Blake, whose legal first name is revealed asRobin, resigns from the GCPD and receives a package leading him to theBatcave.
Cast
Christian Bale asBruce Wayne / Batman: A billionaire socialite who dedicates himself to protectingGotham City from its criminal underworld, as a feared vigilante. Nolan has stated that, due to the eight-year gap betweenThe Dark Knight andThe Dark Knight Rises, "he's an older Bruce Wayne; he's not in a great state."[8] Bale employed a martial arts discipline called theKeysi Fighting Method, now modified for Wayne's current state and Bane's style.[9] Bale has stated thatThe Dark Knight Rises would be his final Batman film.[10] Bale acknowledged that Batman is "not a healthy individual, this is somebody that is doing good, but he's right on the verge of doing bad".[11] Bale clarifies that "He doesn't want to forget [his parents' deaths]. He wants to maintain that anger he felt at that injustice".[12] Bale felt bittersweet about leaving the franchise, saying that it was like "saying goodbye to an old friend."[13]
Michael Caine asAlfred Pennyworth:[14] Bruce's trusted butler and confidant, who acts as a father figure to Wayne but is unable to accept Wayne's desire to revive his Batman persona, even resigning from his position to impress the seriousness of his position upon him. Christopher Nolan emphasized the emotional bond between Pennyworth and Wayne, stressing its importance in the previous films and predicting that the relationship will be strained as it never has before.[9]
Gary Oldman asJames Gordon:[14] The Commissioner of theGotham City Police Department, and one of the city's few honest police officers. Oldman described the character's work in cleaning up Gotham City as having left him world-weary and slightly bored,[15] likening Gordon to a soldier who leaps at the chance to be on the front lines.[9] His life has taken a turn for the worse sinceThe Dark Knight; his wife has left him and taken their children, and the mayor is planning to dismiss him from his job. Gordon feels guilty over his role in covering up Harvey Dent's crimes and is prepared to resign from his position as Commissioner over it, but then senses that Gotham is about to come under threat.
Anne Hathaway asSelina Kyle / Catwoman:[16][17] A professional cat burglar, grifter, andfemme fatale who establishes a playful, teasing relationship with Wayne that "takes some of the somberness away from his character",[9] and pursues a "clean slate" (a computer program rumored to be able to erase a person's criminal history) when she crosses paths with both Wayne and Batman. Hathaway auditioned not knowing what role she was being considered for.[18]Jessica Biel andKate Mara were considered for the role.[19][20] Hathaway described the role as being the most physically demanding she had ever played, and confessed that while she thought of herself as being fit, she had to redouble her efforts in the gym to keep up with the demands of the role.[21][22] Hathaway trained extensively in martial arts for the role, and looked toHedy Lamarr—who was the initial inspiration for the comic book character—in developing her own performance.[23]Batman Begins andThe Dark Knight writerDavid S. Goyer had previously ruled out in 2008 including Catwoman in a third film for having alreadyappeared inTim Burton'sBatman Returns, portrayed byMichelle Pfeiffer.[24]
Tom Hardy asBane:[16] A mysterious and physically imposing villain who was excommunicated from theLeague of Shadows and portrays himself as a "liberator of pain" andrevolutionary. He is desperate to continue Ra's al Ghul's legacy by destroying Gotham. The character was chosen by Christopher Nolan because of his desire to see Batman tested on both a physical and mental level.[8][25] According tocostume designerLindy Hemming, the character wears a mask that supplies him with ananalgesic gas to relieve pain he suffers from an injury sustained "early in his story".[8] Hardy intended to portray the character as "more menacing" thanRobert Swenson's version of the character inJoel Schumacher'sBatman & Robin and that in order to do so, his portrayal entailed creating a contradiction between his voice and body. Hardy gained 30 pounds (14 kg) for the role,[26][27] increasing his weight to 200 pounds (90 kg).[26] Hardy later said training for the role probably damaged his body.[28] Hardy based Bane's voice on several influences, which includeBartley Gorman and the character'scomic book heritage.[29][30] Bane claims that his revolution's enemies are the rich and the corrupt, who he contends are oppressing "the people", when in reality this was a ruse in order to exploit the citizens of Gotham City for the League of Shadows' ultimate goal in destroying Gotham City.
Marion Cotillard asMiranda Tate / Talia al Ghul: The current CEO ofWayne Enterprises who encourages a still-grieving Bruce to rejoin society and continue his father's philanthropic works but is later revealed to be the daughter of Ra's al Ghul and Bane's accomplice. Cotillard also does her own dub-over voice in both the European and Canadian French dubs of the film.[31]
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake: A young police officer whose instincts lead him to believe that there is trouble on the horizon and is promoted to detective by Gordon when the elder cop saw something of himself within the younger.[31] Blake represents the idealism that Gordon and Bruce once held, but soon lost in their battle against crime in the city.[9] The film reveals his legal name to be Robin John Blake, a homage to Batman's sidekick in the comics,Robin.[33]
Morgan Freeman asLucius Fox:[14] The ex-CEO turned executive vice president of Wayne Enterprises, who runs the company on Wayne's behalf and serves as hisarmorer for theBatsuit, providing him with high-tech equipment and discreetly developing cutting-edge technology and weaponry, even as Wayne Enterprises starts losing money.
Matthew Modine as Peter Foley: Gordon's second-in-command who disdains Batman.[34]
Ben Mendelsohn asJohn Daggett: A rival billionaire socialite who employs Bane in his plan to take control of Wayne Enterprises.
Burn Gorman as Philip Stryver: Daggett's assistant and senior executive vice president of Daggett Industries.[35] Philip Stryver is named afterStryver fromA Tale of Two Cities, the novel thatThe Dark Knight Rises directly drew influence from.
Néstor Carbonell as Anthony Garcia: Gotham City's mayor. Carbonell reprises his role fromThe Dark Knight.[36]
Alon Aboutboul as Dr. Leonid Pavel: ARussian nuclear physicist who is kidnapped by Bane and the League of Shadows in order to convert a fusion reactor funded by Bruce Wayne and Miranda Tate into a weapon to be used for the destruction of Gotham City.[39]
Aidan Gillen as Bill Wilson:[40][41] A CIA operative who was tasked withextracting Pavel from Uzbekistan and tracking down Bane for terrorist activities before his appearance in Gotham City. (Bill is referred to solely as "CIA" in the film's dialogue; the character's name is revealed in the film's novelization.)[42]
Brett Cullen as Byron Gilley, a U.S. congressman who is kidnapped by Kyle.[43] Brett Cullen would go on to portrayThomas Wayne in the 2019 DC Comics adaptationJoker.[44]
Chris Ellis as Father Reilly, a priest at the orphanage in which Blake grew up.[43]
Tom Conti as Prisoner: An unnamed prisoner who serves as Bruce Wayne's caretaker in Bane's underground prison, The Pit.
Daniel Sunjata as Mark Jones, a U.S. Special Ops officer who leads a task force into Gotham to assist Gordon and the GCPD in freeing the city from Bane's rule.[35][45]
Liam Neeson asRa's al Ghul: Liam Neeson reprises his role fromBatman Begins in a cameo appearance; he also appears in a brief flashback.[46][47]
Josh Pence as young Ra's al Ghul. He appears in scenes set thirty years before the events ofBatman Begins.[48]
India Wadsworth as the wife of Ra's al Ghul and the mother of Talia al Ghul.[50]
John Nolan as Douglas Fredericks, a board member of Wayne Enterprises. John Nolan is Christopher Nolan's uncle and he reprises his role fromBatman Begins.
United States SenatorPatrick Leahy, who had made a cameo appearance inThe Dark Knight, returned inThe Dark Knight Rises,[52] as a Wayne Enterprises board member.
Aaron Eckhart expressed enthusiasm in returning for a sequel if asked, although he later stated Nolan verified that his character,Harvey Dent / Two-Face, was dead,[57] and only archive footage of Eckhart fromThe Dark Knight appears in the film.[58]
Zoë Kravitz attempted to audition for a role in the film, but she was rejected for being "too urban".[59] She would later go on to play Catwoman in the 2022 filmThe Batman.
Production
Development
"The key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story [...] rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story [...] Unlike the comics, these things don't go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful. Viewing it as an ending, that sets you very much on the right track about the appropriate conclusion."
In 2005,David S. Goyer confirmed that he wrote treatments for twoBatman Begins (2005) sequels involving theJoker; the first would involveBatman, Harvey Dent and Commissioner Gordon hunting the Joker, while the second would have the Joker scarring Dent and turning him intoTwo-Face during his trial. The third treatment ended in the same way as the final version ofThe Dark Knight Rises.[61] Other aspects of the third treatment were incorporated intoThe Dark Knight (2008).[62] However,Heath Ledger's family stated that he was planning on reprising his role as theJoker before his death,[63] a notion supported by Ledger's co-starAaron Eckhart, who portrayed Two-Face in that film.[57] A deleted subplot fromThe Dark Knight involvedMichael Jai White's Gambol surviving his encounter with the Joker to enable Jai White's character to return in a future film to try to takeGotham City over, but these plans were scrapped after Ledger's death and the film was edited to delete Gambol's subplot and have him killed off in the scene where the Joker originally simply mutilated him.[64] After Ledger's death, directorChristopher Nolan decided not to recast the role out of respect for his performance, and was initially hesitant to make a third film.[65]
Warner Bros. president of production Jeff Robinov had hoped a third film would be released in 2011 or 2012.[66] Nolan wanted the story for the third installment to keep him emotionally invested. "On a more superficial level, I have to ask the question," he reasoned, "how many good third movies in a franchise can people name?"[67] Nolan said that he never even thought a third film was possible in the foreword for his bookThe Art and Making of the Dark Knight Trilogy.[68] Nolan only agreed to a third film based on finding a worthwhile story, fearing that he would become bored halfway through production if he discovered the film to be unnecessary.[69] By December 2008, Nolan completed a rough story outline, before he committed himself toInception (2010).[70] Later in December,Alan F. Horn confirmed that while discussions with Nolan about a third film were ongoing, no casting had been done, and Horn denied all such rumors.[71] Before Nolan confirmed his involvement,Gary Oldman had said he was confident Nolan would return.[72]
Following the success of the Joker inThe Dark Knight, studio executives wished for theRiddler to be included as the primary villain as he was considered a similar character and encouraged the casting ofLeonardo DiCaprio, whileRobin Williams expressed interest.[73][74] However, Nolan wanted the antagonist to be vastly different from the previous incarnations and committed to usingBane instead,[73] citing the need for a character with a physical presence within the film.[75] He was initially unfamiliar with the character's backstory,[25] but pointed out the appeal of an archetype, labeling it as "the extreme of some type of villainy". When comparing the choice of Bane with the Joker, Nolan highlighted the Joker as an example of "diabolical, chaotic anarchy and has a devilish sense of humor", juxtaposing him against Bane, whom he likened to "a classic movie monster [...] with a terrific brain."[75] Nolan has said that his draft of the script was inspired byCharles Dickens's 1859 novelA Tale of Two Cities, which centers around theFrench Revolution.[76][77][78] This homage to Dickens was briefly illustrated by having Bane inconspicuously finger knitparacord in the film, symbolizingMadame Defarge, the villain ofA Tale of Two Cities, and more overtly by Commissioner Gordon's eulogy for Bruce Wayne, which is taken directly from Dickens's novel.[76]
On February 9, 2010, it was announced that Nolan had "cracked" the story and was committed to returning to the project.[79] Shortly afterward, it was announced David S. Goyer and Nolan's brotherJonathan were working on a screenplay.[80] Goyer would leave the project during pre-production to begin work onMan of Steel (2013); Jonathan continued writing the script based on the story by Christopher and Goyer.[14] Christopher Nolan said that Jonathan's original draft was about 400 pages.[81] The film's storyline was compared to theBatman comic book series' story arc "Knightfall" (1993), which showcases Bane; the miniseriesThe Dark Knight Returns (1986), in which Batman returns toGotham City after a ten-year absence; and the story arc "No Man's Land" (1999), which depicts a Gotham cut off from the rest of the world and overrun by gangs.[82][83] The nickname "the Dark Knight" was first applied to Batman inBatman #1 (1940), in a story written byBill Finger.[84][85]
Nolan confirmed the Joker would not return in the third film, and dismissed rumors that he considered using unused footage of Ledger fromThe Dark Knight.[86]The Dark Knight Rises reunited Nolan with many of his past collaborators, including cinematographerWally Pfister, production designerNathan Crowley, editorLee Smith, costume designer Lindy Hemming, special effects supervisors Paul Franklin andChris Corbould, and composerHans Zimmer.[87]
During location scouting in December 2010, Nolan began searching for locations such as India, Romania, and Michigan.[88][89][90] According to theRomania Insider, Nolan was interested inBucharest's historical centers, Edgar Quinet Street, thePalace of the Parliament, and theTurda salt mine.[88] The film had an estimated budget of $250–300 million, coming down to about $230 million after tax credits.[3] Nolan elected not to film in3-D, but instead stated that he intended to focus on improving image quality and scale using theIMAX format.[91]The Dark Knight Rises featured over an hour of footage shot in IMAX (by comparison,The Dark Knight contained 28 minutes).[92][93] Nolan had several meetings with IMAX Vice-president David Keighley to work on the logistics of projecting films in digital IMAX venues.[93]
Wally Pfister had expressed interest in shooting the film entirely in IMAX,[94] but because of the considerable noise made by IMAX cameras,35 mm and70 mm cameras had to be used for shooting the film's dialogue scenes,[93][95] as dialogue had to be dubbed when shot with IMAX cameras.[96] Chairman and president of theIMAX Corporation Greg Foster stated that IMAX planned to run the film in its theatres for two months, despite only being contractually committed to run the film for two weeks.[97] Nolan also bypassed the use of adigital intermediate for the film, resulting in less manipulation of the filmed image and higherfilm resolution.[98]
Filming was scheduled to start in May and conclude in November 2011.[99]Principal photography commenced on May 6, 2011, inJodhpur, India, at theMehrangarh Fort[100][101][102] before moving toPittsburgh, where it operated under the working titleMagnus Rex to reduce the visibility of the production.[103][104] Shooting locations within the city includedHeinz Field, the site of anAmerican football game,[105] with members of thePittsburgh Steelers playing the Gotham Rogues football team. More than 11,000 extras were used to depict the shot sequence.[9][53][54] Filming in Pittsburgh also took place at theMellon Institute andSoftware Engineering Institute atCarnegie Mellon University.[104] A letter sent out to residents and business owners detailing road closures revealed that the streets of the city would be featured "as the start of [the] film".[106]9-1-1 operators were told to expect an increase in calls related to gunshots and explosions in the film's production.[107]
The Pittsburgh leg of production wrapped after three weeks on August 21, 2011.[108] The next portion of the filming began in Los Angeles in late August and finished up on October 23 after nine weeks of filming. New York and New Jersey were the next places of filming. TheTrump Tower replaced theRichard J. Daley Center as the location for the headquarters ofWayne Enterprises.[109] In November 2011, shooting shifted toNewark, New Jersey.[110][111]Newark City Hall andMilitary Park were among the locations used for filming.[112] Other shooting locations include London andGlasgow, the latter of which was used for "additional exterior filming".[113] Principal photography concluded on November 14, 2011.[114] The external waterfall scene at the end of the film was shot atSgwd Henrhyd falls, on the edge of theBrecon Beacons National Park inWales.[115]
Production photos from filming in Pittsburgh showed a secondTumbler chassis after the first was destroyed, indicating that a new Batmobile would be in the film, following the destruction of the first inThe Dark Knight.[116] Further set photos revealed a "new vehicle" being transported toWabash Tunnel, prompting speculation as to its nature.[117] In June 2011, Autoblog confirmed the presence of the newLamborghini Aventador on the film set.[118]
Several accidents occurred during the production of the film. While filming atWollaton Hall,Nottingham, atractor-trailer crashed into the main entrance, though no one was injured.[119] A stuntmanparachutist later crashed through the roof of a home in Cairngorm Gliding Club, Feshiebridge inScotland, and became wedged there after a failed landing during a skydiving stunt; he was not seriously injured.[120] While filming scenes in Pittsburgh, Hathaway's stunt double crashed into an IMAX camera while filming a sequence that required her to ride aBatpod down a flight of stairs during a riot. There were no injuries, but the camera was destroyed.[121] A second accident took place in Pittsburgh when the truck carrying the then-unidentified vehicle later termed "the Bat" went off-course and crashed into a lighting array, damaging the model of the aircraft. Production was delayed while the model was repaired.[122]
Shortly before Christmas of 2011, Nolan invited several prominent directors, includingEdgar Wright,Michael Bay,Bryan Singer,Jon Favreau,Eli Roth,Duncan Jones andStephen Daldry, toUniversal CityWalk's IMAX theatre for a private screening of the first six minutes ofThe Dark Knight Rises, which had been shot on IMAX film and edited from theoriginal camera negative. Nolan, feeling that the use offilm stock in cinema was being phased out due to the introduction ofdigital cinematography and projection, used this screening to make a case for the continued use of film, which he asserts still offers superior image quality to any digital format, and warned the filmmakers that unless they continued to assert their choice to use film in their productions, they may eventually lose it as an option.[123][124] Nolan explained, "I wanted to give them a chance to see the potential, because I think IMAX is the best film format that was ever invented. It's the gold standard and what any other technology has to match up to, but none have, in my opinion. The message I wanted to put out there was that no one is taking anyone's digital cameras away. But if we want film to continue as an option, and someone is working on a big studio movie with the resources and the power to insist [on] film, they should say so. I felt as if I didn't say anything, and then we started to lose that option, it would be a shame. When I look at a digitally acquired and projected image, it looks inferior against an original negative anamorphic print or an IMAX one."[123]
Design
Costume design
A digitally mapped model of Tom Hardy's face and skull was used to design and construct Bane's mask.
Costume designerLindy Hemming explained that Bane uses a mask to inhale ananalgesic gas, which, in Nolan's words, "keeps his pain just below the threshold so he can function." In designing Bane's costume, Hemming needed it to look "like an amalgam of all sorts of bits and pieces he cobbled together, as he passed through some very remote places. We made parts of his vest, for example, from fragments of an old military tent. His clothes are militaristic, but are not in any way a uniform." Hemming also designed Bane's mask to look "animalistic".[9][125][126] Costume effects supervisor Graham Churchyard created a three-dimensional model of actor Tom Hardy's face and skull to design the mask, allowing the mask to perfectly conform to the contours of Hardy's face.[9] Hemming personally designed Bane's coat, which took two years to complete. Taking inspiration from aSwedish army jacket and afrock coat from the French Revolution, it was designed to make Bane look equal parts dictatorial and revolutionary.[9] The design was difficult as Hemming struggled to find a tailor in Los Angeles who could work withshearling.[127] The Indian filmJawan (2023) drew inspiration fromThe Dark Knight Rises, and one of the inspirations was from Bane's mask, creating the character Mr. D.[128]
TheBatsuit consisted of 110 separate pieces, each of which had to be replicated dozens of times over the course of the production. The base layer was made of apolyester mesh that is used by the military and high-tech sports manufacturers because of its breathability and moisture-wicking properties. Molded pieces of flexible urethane were then attached to the mesh, to form the overall body armor plating. Carbon fiber panels were placed inside the sections on the legs, chest and abdomen. The cowl was sculpted from a cast of Christian Bale's head to become a perfect fit for Bale. The suit remained unchanged for the film sinceThe Dark Knight.[9]
In creating Selina Kyle's catsuit, two layers of material were used, the outer layer beingpolyurethane-coated spandex embossed with a hexagonal pattern. The catsuit also consisted ofelbow-length gloves, autility belt, andthigh-high boots with spike heels.[9]
Production design
Concept artist Tully Summers commented on Nolan's style ofcinematography when asked about the difference between his designs for this film and fantasy-based designs forMen in Black 3 (2012): "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." ProducerEmma Thomas stated thatThe Dark Knight Rises has a different visual aesthetic from the first two Nolan-directed features, explaining that "it's meant to be winter in Gotham, so that right there is going to lend a whole different look to the film."[129]
The film introduces a vehicle that has been compared with theBatplane and theBatcopter, dubbed "the Bat". In designing the Bat, Nathan Crowley approached it as if it were an actual military project, emphasising the need for it to "fit into the same family" as the Tumbler and theBatpod. The final version of the Bat takes its design cues from theHarrier jump jet,Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey and theBoeing AH-64 Apache.[9] Chris Corbould described the Bat's size and shape as presenting a major challenge for filming given Christopher Nolan's emphasis on practical effects overcomputer-generated imagery. In order to make the Bat "fly", it was variously supported by wires, suspended from cranes and helicopters, and mounted on a purpose-built vehicle with hydraulic controls to simulate movement.[9][130][131]
When designing theBatcave set, Crowley and fellow production designer Kevin Kavanaugh hit upon the idea of flooding the Batcave and having Batman's equipment, theBatsuit and asupercomputer rise from the water.[9] Another set was designed atCardington as an "underground prison", a rough-hewn labyrinth of stone cells in a vast abyss with a 120 foot (37 m) vertical shaft leading to the surface. Exteriors above the prison were filmed inJodhpur,India, chosen because the "forbidding landscape added to the desolation".[9]
In an interview in October 2010, composerHans Zimmer confirmed that he would be returning to scoreThe Dark Knight Rises.James Newton Howard was offered to return and write the score with Zimmer as he did forBatman Begins andThe Dark Knight, but he chose not to because he noted that the chemistry established between Zimmer and Nolan during the making ofInception would make him seem like a "third wheel".[132] Zimmer included several cues from the earlier scores but explained that he wanted to go in a "completely different direction" for Bane's theme.[9]
The film features a prevalent chant of the phrase "Deshi Basara".[133][134] In November 2011, Zimmercrowdsourced online audio recordings of the chant to be used in the film's score.[135][136] When asked about the chant for clarification, Zimmer said, "The chant became a very complicated thing because I wanted hundreds of thousands of voices, and it's not so easy to get hundreds of thousands of voices. So, we tweeted and we posted on the internet, for people who wanted to be part of it. It seemed like an interesting thing. We've created this world, over these last two movies, and somehow I think the audience and the fans have been part of this world. We do keep them in mind."[137]
LikeBatman Begins andThe Dark Knight, the film's main theme consists of just two notes repeated, representing Batman's pain and guilt.[138] Many times is also reprised in small parts "Molossus", Batman's main action theme in the trilogy.[139]
Marketing
The official website launched in May 2011, introducing a viral marketing campaign similar to the one used to promoteThe Dark Knight. The website streamed an encrypted audio file described by users as chanting. Users decrypted the audio to the Twitter hashtag, "#TheFireRises". Warner Bros. removed a pixel from the webpage for every tweet using the hashtag. The website revealed the first official image of Bane.[140]
In July 2011, a teaser trailerleaked online before its official release withHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.[141] The studio released the teaser three days after the leak. The trailer received mixed responses; Stephen Spencer Davis ofSlate wrote that it successfully built hype,[141] while Kofi Outlaw ofScreen Rant showed disappointment, claiming it was more of an "announcement trailer" than an actual teaser trailer. Outlaw criticized the quality, writing that a scene depicting Commissioner Gordon in a hospital bed was overly dramatic, had "hammy" dialogue, and was difficult to understand due to Gordon's labored breathing. Outlaw wrote that the sweeping shot of Gotham City had poor CGI and was too reminiscent of theInception trailer.[142] The theatrical trailer leaked online, like the teaser trailer, before being released the following week attached to theatrical prints ofSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.[143][144][145] Critics noted political undertones with dialogue foreshadowing the theme ofincome inequality and an what they consider an "Occupy Gotham" campaign within the world of the story.[146][147][148] Receiving more than 12.5 million views in the first 24 hours after its release, the trailer set the record for most combined downloads fromiTunes, beating the previous record held byThe Avengers.[149] However, the second trailer forThe Avengers again set the record with 13.7 million downloads.[150] Warner Bros. attached a second theatrical trailer forThe Dark Knight Rises to theatrical prints ofThe Avengers. An "unnamed" Warner Brothers executive clarified that "We see this placement as a good strategic decision. We always want our trailers to be seen with films that people want to see—and a lot of people will be going toThe Avengers!" The executive also commented that the trailer will "provide the best potential exposure forTDKR."[151] Warner Bros. released the trailer online on April 30, 2012, approximately four days before they attached it to theatrical prints ofThe Avengers.[152]
Continuing a method used withThe Dark Knight whereby the opening sequence of the film was attached to IMAX prints ofI Am Legend (2007) seven months before release,[153] a six-minute prologue ofThe Dark Knight Rises was attached to 70mm IMAX prints ofMission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, again approximately seven months before release.[154] Critical reaction to the prologue was positive.[155][156][157] Addressing the issue in an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Nolan said "I think when people see the film, things will come into focus. Bane is very complex and very interesting and when people see the finished film people will be very entertained by him."[158]
Viral marketing campaigns for the film continued as magazine companiesEmpire andWired received "CIA documents" concerning a "Dr. Leonid Pavel", with its mugshot connected to actor Alon Abutbul. According to the first document, Pavel is a missing Russiannuclear physicist, while the second document appears to be an edited transcript of a conversation discussing the handover of Dr. Pavel to the CIA by Georgian separatists, but with most of the conversation redacted.[159] These were later shown to be plot elements of the six-minute prologue.[155] The official Twitter account later linked to another censored document, this time, referencing "Operation Early Bird". A website of the same name was discovered, revealing a countdown timer. When the countdown finished, the site presented a map showing all available theaters that would be screening the film's prologue earlier than its release.[160][161]
Various websites received a package that included a cylinder map of "strike zones", and a "fire rises"T-shirt.[162] In April 2012, the film's official website was updated with a "dossier" on a suspect named "John Doe" also known as "the Batman" for an arrest, with a list of several accusations. The premise of the campaign starts when the mayor of Gotham City "redoubles" the effort to capture Batman and anyone supporting his return in preparation for the upcoming "Harvey Dent Day". The site also includes an extensive list of real-world locations where "graffiti related to movement in support of the vigilante's return" is located. For each tweet of a specific location marked on the list, a frame of the second theatrical trailer for the film was released on a separate website.[163]
In January 2012, six months prior to the film's release, tickets for midnight IMAX showings in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles went on sale and sold out immediately. Purchased tickets surfaced for sale online for over $100, compared with their original price of $17.50.[164]
At theAmerican International Toy Fair,Mattel unveiled figures for Batman, Bane, Catwoman, and Batman's flying vehicle, the Bat. The Mattel figures were also released in the "Movie Masters" line, featuring more highly detailed and articulated presentation, and Quiktek versions that feature interchangeable accessories.Lego released building sets and mini-figures based on the film and incorporating other DC Comic characters. Additionally,Funko released a series ofplush toys,Mezco Toyz released vinyl figures, andHornby released the Batman Tumbler car.[165] Other partners includeJakks Pacific, who created novelty and large-scale figures and plush toys,[166] and PPW Toys, who created a Batman themedMr. Potato Head.[167] Various clothing items including shoes, T-shirts, hats and wallets were also produced.[168]
A video game of the same name was released on the same day as the release of the film for theiOS andAndroid devices for promoting the movie. It was made byGameloft. The game features anopen world with primary focus on stealth and combat. The combat system of the game is inspired fromBatman: Arkham Asylum (2009) andArkham City (2011). It takes place in Gotham City, with a somewhat similar but still significantly different plot from that of the movie.IGN gave it a mediocre score of 5.5/10.[169]
Two digital comic books entitledBatman Origins[176] andThe Dark Knight: Prologue[177] were released exclusively forNokia Lumia devices. A special movie application was also released, featuring trailers, wallpapers, movie schedules and Batman trivias.[178] Limited editions of theLumia 710,Lumia 800 andLumia 900 were also released featuring a laser-etched Batman logo.[179][180][181]
Release
On July 6, 2012,Warner Bros. held a specialIMAX screening ofThe Dark Knight Rises for more than one hundred reporters and critics. However, technical issues with the computer device synchronizing the sound and picture forced the studio to postpone the screening by a day.[182] The film later premiered on July 16 at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York City,[183] followed by a European premiere on July 18 atLeicester Square in London, England.[184] The film was released in Australia and New Zealand on July 19,[185] and was later released in North America and the United Kingdom on July 20.[186][187]
"I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie. I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me. Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families."
—Director Christopher Nolan's reaction to the theater shooting inAurora, Colorado.[188]
On July 20, 2012, during a midnight showing ofThe Dark Knight Rises at the Century 16 cinema inAurora, Colorado, a 24-year-old gunman wearing agas mask opened fire inside the theater,[189] killing 12 people and injuring 58 others.[190][191] Police responding to the shooting apprehended a suspect, later identified as 24-year-oldJames Eagan Holmes,[192] shortly after arriving on the scene.[193] Initial reports stated that Holmes identified himself as "theJoker" at the time of his arrest,[194][195] although this has been debunked.[196]
Warner Bros. cancelled the Paris, Mexico, and Japan premieres ofThe Dark Knight Rises,[197][198] and suspended the film's marketing campaign in Finland.[199] Several broadcast networks also suspended television ads for the film in the United States.[200] The trailer forGangster Squad, another Warner Bros. movie included in the screening ofThe Dark Knight Rises, was removed as it contains a scene which shows gangsters shooting submachine guns at moviegoers through the screen, similar to the shooting in Aurora.[201]
Nolan released a public statement calling the shooting "unbearably savage".[188] Other stars of the film released statements expressing their condolences, with Christian Bale paying a personal visit to the survivors and the memorial in Aurora.[202]
Home media
The Dark Knight Rises was released on November 28, 2012, in Hong Kong and New Zealand. On December 3, it was released in the United Kingdom, and on December 4, it was released in the United States. It is available onBlu-ray,DVD, and as adigital download.[203] Coinciding with the release of this film, a box set ofThe Dark Knight Trilogy was released.[204]The Dark Knight Rises film was released on4K UHD Blu-ray on December 19, 2017.[205]
Reception
Box office
Hours before the midnight release of the film, several box-office analysts suggested as much as a $198 million domestic opening weekend.[206][207][208] However, in the wake of themass shooting during a midnight screening of the film, Warner Bros. decided to not report further box-office figures for the movie until Monday, July 23, 2012.[209][210] As a result, other distributors also delayed the release of their official estimates as well.[211] The shooting is also speculated to have hurt the ticket sales asE! Online reported that aNorth Carolina audience member had stated that "this theater was kinda empty".[212] Some reports released on July 21, 2012, said that rival studios estimated that the film grossed $75 million to $77 million on its opening day.[213][214][215] Warner Bros. shortly after released a statement toABC News stating that they delayed the release of their estimates for the opening day total of the film "out of respect for the victims and their families," and added "Warner Bros. Pictures will not be reporting box office numbers forThe Dark Knight Rises throughout the weekend. Box office numbers will be released on Monday."[216]
The Dark Knight Rises earned $448.1 million in North America, and $632.9 million in other countries, summing up to a worldwide total of $1.081 billion.[4] Worldwide, it became theseventh-highest-grossing film of all time[217] and the third-highest-grossing film of 2012.[218] It had a worldwide opening weekend of $248.9 million.[219] The film set a worldwide IMAX opening-weekend record with $23.8 million (overtaken byAvengers: Age of Ultron in 2015)[220][221] and also broke the record for the fastest movie to make over $50 million in IMAX theatres. IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond explained this by claiming, "Audiences are clearly seeking out and embracing the film the way it was meant to be seen – in IMAX."[222] On the 2012 Labor Day weekend, it became the third film distributed by Warner Bros. and the thirteenth film in cinematic history to cross the $1 billion mark.[223] The film also became the second movie (afterAvatar) to reach $100 million in worldwide IMAX grosses.[224]
North America
The Dark Knight Rises opened on Friday, July 20, 2012. It earned an estimated $30.6 million in midnight showings, which was the second-highest midnight gross behindHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 ($43.5 million).[225][226] It did, however, set anIMAX midnight-gross record with $2.3 million (overtaken byAvengers: Age of Ultron).[227][228] The film made $75.8 million during its opening day, achieving, at the time, the third-highest single and opening day tally of all time.[229] On July 23, 2012, it was announced that the film grossed $160.9 million for its debut weekend, which was the third-highest opening weekend ever, at the time, behindThe Avengers ($207.4 million) andDeathly Hallows – Part 2 ($169.2 million).[230] However, it did set an opening-weekend record for a2D film (previously held byThe Dark Knight).[231] The film also held the top spot at the box office for its second and third weekends.[232][233] In North America, it is the thirteenth-highest-grossing film,[234] the third-highest-grossing 2012 film,[235] as well as the sixth-highest-grossing superhero film and film based on comics.[236][237]Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold more than 55 million tickets in the US.[238]
Other territories
Outside North America, the film opened with $88.0 million from 7,173 theaters in just 17 markets.[239] It was in first place at the box office outside North America for four consecutive weekends.[240][241] Its three largest markets are the UK, Ireland and Malta ($90.3 million), where it is the highest-grossing superhero film,[242] China ($52.8 million) and Australia ($44.2 million).[243]
Critical response
The Dark Knight Rises received positive reviews from critics.[244][245][246] In a Metacritic review of year-end lists from 133 critics, 17 placed the film in their top ten.[247] Film review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes gaveThe Dark Knight Rises an approval rating of 87% based on 382 reviews, and a rating average of 8/10. The web site's critical consensus reads, "The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan's franchise in spectacular fashion."[248]Metacritic, another review aggregator, assigned the film a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[249]CinemaScore reported that audiences gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[250]
Robbie Collin ofThe Daily Telegraph granted the film a maximum score of five stars, stating that it is "a superhero film without a superhero" and praising Hardy's performance as well as the film's intricate plot and narrative.[251]Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times thought the film was "potent, persuasive and hypnotic" and that it was "more than an exceptional superhero movie, it is masterful filmmaking by any standard."[252] Phil Villarreal fromOK! Magazine gave the film a rating of 1.5 out of 4, calling it "the series' version ofThe Matrix Revolutions,The Godfather Part III orCaddyshack 2."[253]The Playlists Todd Gilchrist wrote "A cinematic, cultural and personal triumph,The Dark Knight Rises is emotionally inspiring, aesthetically significant and critically important for America itself – as a mirror of both sober reflection and resilient hope."[254]IGN gave it a 9 out of 10, noting similarities in tone and theme toBatman Begins over the trilogy's second installment,The Dark Knight, but also describing Bane as "that bit less interesting to watch" than Ledger's Joker, despite praising his "menacing voice" and "body language-driven performance".[255]
Film criticRichard Roeper gave the film an "A", calling it "a majestic, gorgeous, brutal and richly satisfying epic", and citing the final scenes of the picture as "the best five minutes of any film this year."[256] The London Film Review gave the film a B and said "Nolan's film is a reminder that superheroes aren't merely a frivolous distraction, but an embodiment of our best selves."[257]
The Guardian scored the film four out of five stars, calling it a film of "granite, monolithic intensity", yet also calling it a "hammy, portentous affair".[258] Andrew O'Hehir ofSalon writes "ifThe Dark Knight Rises is a fascist film, it's a great fascist film, and arguably the biggest, darkest, most thrilling and disturbing and utterly balls-out spectacle ever created for the screen".[259]Roger Ebert of theChicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars, stating "the film begins slowly with a murky plot and too many new characters, but builds to a sensational climax."[260]
CNN's Tom Charity said the film was a "disappointingly clunky and bombastic conclusion to a superior series" and called it Nolan's worst film.[262] Anthony Lane ofThe New Yorker says that the "story is dense, overlong, and studded with references that will make sense only to those intimate with Nolan's previous excursions into Batmanhood".[263] In reaction to fan backlash to some of the negative reviews, Rotten Tomatoes chose to disable user commentary for the film leading up to its release.[264] Some fans had threatened violence against critics while others threatened to take down the websites of movie critics who had given the film a negative review.[265]
Analysis
Writing inSalon,David Sirota, aprogressive political commentator,[266] comparedThe Dark Knight Rises and the gameCall of Duty to 1980s popular culture reflecting the political period of the time, accusing them of perpetuating a conservative agenda: "Just as so many 1980s pop culture products reflected the spirit of theReagan Revolution's conservative backlash, we are now seeing two blockbuster, genre-shaping products not-so-subtly reflect theTea Party's rhetorical backlash to the powerfulOccupy Wall Street zeitgeist."[267] This supposed conservatism was also noted by Occupy Wall Street leaderDavid Graeber who stated that the film "really is a piece of anti-Occupy propaganda".[268] An article inVariety reported Chuck Dixon, the cocreator of the Bane character, as saying that Bane is "far more akin to an Occupy Wall Street type if you're looking to cast him politically."[269]
Catherine Shoard of the center-left British publicationThe Guardian said the film "is a quite audaciously capitalist vision, radically conservative, radically vigilante, that advances a serious, stirring proposal that the wish-fulfilment of the wealthy is to be championed if they say they want to do good."[270] In contrast, commentatorJonathan Chait opined inNew York that "What passes for a right-wing movie these days isThe Dark Knight Rises, which submits the rather modest premise that, irritating though the rich may be, actually killing them and taking all their stuff might be excessive."[271] Writing inUSA Today, Bryan Alexander called Bane "the ultimate occupier" and reported that Christian Bale was amazed that the script had "foreseen" the Occupy movement.[272]
Nolan has denied that the film criticizes the Occupy movement, and insists that none of his Batman films are intended to be political: "I've had as many conversations with people who have seen the film the other way round. We throw a lot of things against the wall to see if it sticks. We put a lot of interesting questions in the air, but that's simply a backdrop for the story. What we're really trying to do is show the cracks of society, show the conflicts that somebody would try to wedge open. We're going to get wildly different interpretations of what the film is supporting and not supporting, but it's not doing any of those things. It's just telling a story. If you're saying, 'Have you made a film that's supposed to be criticizing the Occupy Wall Street movement?' – well, obviously, that's not true."[273]
In 2011,Aidan Gillen's character in the film, CIA operative Bill Wilson, became the subject of anInternet meme popular among4chan users known as "Baneposting", which references the dialogue between Wilson and Bane in the film's opening plane scene.[275][276][277]
^Nobleman, Marc Tyler (July 1, 2012).Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. Watertown, Massachusetts: Charlesbridge Publishing.ISBN978-1580892896.
^Dodes, Rachel (April 19, 2012)."IMAX Strikes Back".The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company.Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2012.
^"'I'm the Joker': shooting suspect tells police".The Age. Australia:Fairfax Media. July 21, 2012.Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. RetrievedJuly 21, 2012.When Holmes was arrested outside the cinema, he told police: 'I'm the Joker.' Ray Kelly, the commissioner of New York police, who was kept updated by his colleagues in Colorado, said: 'It clearly looks like a deranged individual. He had his hair painted red, he said he was the Joker, obviously the enemy of Batman.'
^"12 killed at cinema in Colorado".News.com.au. July 21, 2012. Archived fromthe original on August 25, 2012. RetrievedJuly 21, 2012.In New York City, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said: 'It clearly looks like a deranged individual. He has his hair painted red. He said he was the Joker, obviously the enemy of Batman.'
^Sirota, David (June 4, 2008)."Book World: 'The Uprising'".Washington Post.Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2017.
