I agree with you Loeff about the "I'm a man of my word" line. Listening to Ledger speak and hearing him follow it up with that laugh puts a real on my face. I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WAIT to see this film. {[]
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
You know, my SAT tutor brought up the possibility that only the laugh is Joker's, because he believes the other lines, such as I'm a Man of my Word, are said by Aaron Eckhart, who he believes could end up being Two Face in the film. Afterall, isn't Dent's campaign that he is a man of his word?
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
You know, my SAT tutor brought up the possibility that only the laugh is Joker's, because he believes the other lines, such as I'm a Man of my Word, are said by Aaron Eckhart, who he believes could end up being Two Face in the film. Afterall, isn't Dent's campaign that he is a man of his word?
That's an interesting theory because I had heard the same thing from a buddy of mine the other day. He staunchly believes that it is Eckhart talking/Joker laughing.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited July 2007
My take on this theory: If Eckhart/Dent's campaign slogan is "I'm a man of my word," it seems perfectly natural that The Joker would co-opt it in a given situation---using it as a twisted kind of derisive homage...
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
It could be either of them - it is a weird enough voice for me not to be able to distinguish between them.
It could be either of them - it is a weird enough voice for me not to be able to distinguish between them.
I replayed the teaser over and over. It sounds like two different voices to me. They sound similar, but listening to it over and over, there's slight differences. I guess we have to wait for a better trailer or the movie. I can't wait for this to come out.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Do other people really think it could be Eckhart speaking? I've listened to it several times and IMO it's pretty obvious that it's Ledger both talking and laughing. I don't think that Eckhart sounds like that.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
WhySoSerious.com Changes Again
Source: Superhero Hype! July 31, 2007
We're not sure why, as people were using the site to watch the new teaser trailer, but The Dark Knight viral site WhySoSerious.com has changed again. Now it redirects to Rent-A-Clown.com, where you can see the people that participated in the Friday event at Comic-Con.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Just when I get addicted to the new theme this happens...
Exclusive: Batman Gets a New Theme!
Source: Edward Douglas July 31, 2007
Comic book movie fans the world over were thrilled with Christopher Nolan's 2005 relaunch Batman Begins and a large part of that--not to disparage the talented Danny Elfman--was due to Hans Zimmer's fantastic score. ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! recently had a rare opportunity to talk to the musical maestro about his score for The Simpsons Movie, and we asked him how things were progressing on the musical end of the Batman sequel The Dark Knight.
The biggest news from Mr. Zimmer, who told us that he's "playing around" and "getting some ideas" is the fact that he's crafting a new Batman theme for the second movie in the relaunched franchise. "It's going to evolve," He told us. "There is a big Batman theme which I was playing with for the last one, but I always felt the character hadn't earned it yet, so I just want to go and play around, and I now want to go and complete that theme, so that's part of the idea. I felt I had a good start, and now it would be really nice to develop that world a little further."
The Dark Knight opens on July 18, while The Simpsons Movie is now playing in theatres and its soundtrack is available in record stores everywhere. You can read our full interview with Mr. Zimmer on ComingSoon.net very soon. (It's one not to miss for anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of "The Spider-Pig Contata" or some of Mr. Zimmer's other exciting plans, some of them involving "pirates.")
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
You know, the musical soundtrack was one area where I thought BB was really lacking. The themes to Batman and even Batman Forever were really memorable and stayed with you; in fact, I'll even go so far as to say Elfman's score for the 1989 movie was one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard - right up there with John Williams's Superman and Ennio Morricone's Sergio Leone Western scores. I can't say the same for Batman Begins. I missed the bombastic Elfman and Goldenthal scores. Zimmer's music was too amorphous and somber for my tastes and I hope he comes up with a stronger score and some more memorable themes that stay with you this time around.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Perhaps Loeff and Barry have already seen these being from the area so I thought I might put these up for everyone else to check out. B-)
More Dark Knight Behind-the-Scenes Clips
Source: Superhero Hype! August 3, 2007
myFoxChicago.com has posted new behind-the-scenes footage from the ongoing production of The Dark Knight in Chicago. The following clips were taken last night into this morning. In these clips, you can see Heath Ledger dressed as The Joker preparing for a scene, and in the link after that, video of the scene being produced:
Interesting vids of Ledger clowning around (pardon the pun); he does seem to be able to move well. Here's a couple of Joker pics I came across by way of Batman on Film from the vids Rogue posted above:
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Interesting vids of Ledger clowning around (pardon the pun); he does seem to be able to move well. Here's a couple of Joker pics I came across by way of Batman on Film from the vids Rogue posted above:
I'm still sort of torn by Ledger's look in some of his shots but it would appear from his movements in the clip that he may have done his homework on the J-Man.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm very disappointed with the newer,"real world" look the Nolan brothers have imposed on The Joker.In my opinion there's no imagination in evidence with that appearance;it's remarkably ordinary.Something much more closely approaching the image of the leering Gwynplaine would've been more suitable.Just a slightly longer chin and nose (by way of facial appliances) distorting Ledger's face would've been an improvement.This Joker looks like a cheap thug--maybe one of The Joker's minions, but not the real thing.
My favorite Batman villain is Two-Face.I hope he resembles the character as originally depicted in the comics--although Nolan could always have a deranged Harvey Dent just think that half of his face was destroyed by acid.
I'm very disappointed with the newer,"real world" look the Nolan brothers have imposed on The Joker.In my opinion there's no imagination in evidence with that appearance;it's remarkably ordinary.Something much more closely approaching the image of the leering Gwynplaine would've been more suitable.Just a slightly longer chin and nose (by way of facial appliances) distorting Ledger's face would've been an improvement.This Joker looks like a thug--maybe one of The Joker's minions, but not the real thing.
My favorite Batman villain is Two-Face.I hope he resembles the character as originally depicted in the comics--although Nolan could always have a deranged Harvey Dent just think that half of his face was destroyed by acid.
It is a very oridinary depiction and I'm not wild about it myself. But then again, so were Ras Al Gul and the Scarecrow in BB. And while we're at it, I can't say much for the Nolan edition of the batsuit.
For better or worse, this is the direction Nolan is going and I would expect a similarly low key Two-Face as well; I'm betting on a simple two tone outfit and very mild scarring makeup. Hopefully the storytelling, action and hardware will compensate for the ordinary character appearances as they did in the first film.
I just hope it doesn't backfire at the box office. The studio and fans were alienated by Burton's radical changes for Batman Returns and this could end up the same way if Nolan veers too far off the path.
I'm very disappointed with the newer,"real world" look the Nolan brothers have imposed on The Joker.In my opinion there's no imagination in evidence with that appearance;it's remarkably ordinary.Something much more closely approaching the image of the leering Gwynplaine would've been more suitable.Just a slightly longer chin and nose (by way of facial appliances) distorting Ledger's face would've been an improvement.This Joker looks like a cheap thug--maybe one of The Joker's minions, but not the real thing.
My favorite Batman villain is Two-Face.I hope he resembles the character as originally depicted in the comics--although Nolan could always have a deranged Harvey Dent just think that half of his face was destroyed by acid.
It is a very oridinary depiction and I'm not wild about it myself. But then again, so were Ras Al Gul and the Scarecrow in BB. And while we're at it, I can't say much for the Nolan edition of the batsuit.
For better or worse, this is the direction Nolan is going and I would expect a similarly low key Two-Face as well; I'm betting on a simple two tone outfit and very mild scarring makeup. Hopefully the storytelling, action and hardware will compensate for the ordinary character appearances as they did in the first film.
I just hope it doesn't backfire at the box office. The studio and fans were alienated by Burton's radical changes for Batman Returns and this could end up the same way if Nolan veers too far off the path.
I'm not at all surprised at what Nolan's doing but I'm disappointed nonetheless.With all of the advances in makeup artistry that exist today,THIS was the very best image Nolan could come up with for The Joker?Of course not.
It's my own theory that Nolan is slightly embarassed about being associated with making films about a comic book character, so he's trying to "elevate" such material by making it all seem "real" instead--give it a greater air of importance,like Shakespeare.
If there was every a character who was unrealistic, it's Batman.Really...a handsome billionaire who emulates Zorro and fights crime dressed up to look like a giant bat.In a "real" world Batman would probably wear a black jumpsuit and ski mask and shoot anyone he thought was a criminal.
I don't think for an instant that Nicholson was just so perfect as The Joker that Nolan can claim that Jack's performance was the final word on that type of interpretation,and making this new Joker an ordinary looking street-smart thug instead, was the only possible option.That's nonsense.
And I'll agree with you about what Nolan might do with Two Face--maybe two minor scars on the left side of Dent's face, but Harvey now thinks that he looks like a horrific creature.
Oddly enough I didn't much mind the bag-over-the- head look given the Scarecrow in Batman Begins.I wasn't overly impressed by the way Ras Al Ghul was presented either, but rationalized that as being an essential part of the twist in the film's storyline.I did like the story itself because no one had ever shown the effort Bruce Wayne went through in order to become Batman.And I really liked the dead on casting of Gary Oldman as Gordon.
I didn't much like Batman Returns because of the miscasting of Keaton and the bizarre take on The Penguin.And the story wandered around until it stopped.I thought Michelle Pfeifer was terrific as The Catwoman,however.
All too often it seems as though once a filmmaker comes up with images that kinda sorta maybe resemble the established comic book characters their movies are supposed to be about, they then pay less attention to the storyline itself.To their credit,Marvel doesn't do that anymore(only with their 80s TV shows), but DC certainly does.What a shame.Happily, the "Batman:The Animated Series" chose to put an equel emphasis on looks and story alike.It's still the finest, truest depiction of Batman and his world--at least in my opinion.Why the live action filmmakers don't look to that series as a source of inspiration is beyond me--unless they think that all cartoons are for little kids and are absolutely inferior to "real" live- action motion pictures.If that's the case,then these people simply aren't doing enough research to be given the reins of a comic book based movie to begin with.Do the homework-don't just try to remake what came before or intentionally go against the grain in an effort to be seen as "innovative".
While I wouldn't go so far as to say Nolan is embarrassed by being associated with Batman, I do think it's fair to say that he isn't in love with comic book art like Zack Snyder for example (who went out of his way to make 300 look like the source material). In Batman Begins it wasn't just the villains that looked nothing like their 4 color counterparts, even the Gotham landmarks like Arkham Asylum lost their gothic vibe.
I remember an interview in which Nolan claimed he was a big James Bond fan and his take on Batman was inspired to some degree by Bond, especially his penchant for gadgets - clearly the interview came before CR was released - thus the participation of Lucius Fox and the pleothora of hardware in the movie. The rogues gallery of villains and even the look of Batman and Gotham always seemed to be a secondary consideration.
It will be interesting to see how Batman fares against Iron Man and Hulk next summer. John Favreau seems to have completely embraced the look of the Iron Man books, much to the giddy delight of the fanboys at the recent San Diego Comic Con. And all signs point to Hulk also more closely resembling his comics counterpart (no more 20 foot monster). If those movies end up out-performing Batman, WB would be well advised to rethink who they entrust their franchises to.
And of course, we could all be barking up the wrong tree and absolutely love The Dark Knight. Only time will tell.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
While I wouldn't go so far as to say Nolan is embarrassed by being associated with Batman, I do think it's fair to say that he isn't in love with comic book art like Zack Snyder for example (who went out of his way to make 300 look like the source material). In Batman Begins it wasn't just the villains that looked nothing like their 4 color counterparts, even the Gotham landmarks like Arkham Asylum lost their gothic vibe.
I remember an interview in which Nolan claimed he was a big James Bond fan and his take on Batman was inspired to some degree by Bond, especially his penchant for gadgets - clearly the interview came before CR was released - thus the participation of Lucius Fox and the pleothora of hardware in the movie. The rogues gallery of villains and even the look of Batman and Gotham always seemed to be a secondary consideration.
It will be interesting to see how Batman fares against Iron Man and Hulk next summer. John Favreau seems to have completely embraced the look of the Iron Man books, much to the giddy delight of the fanboys at the recent San Diego Comic Con. And all signs point to Hulk also more closely resembling his comics counterpart (no more 20 foot monster). If those movies end up out-performing Batman, WB would be well advised to rethink who they entrust their franchises to.
And of course, we could all be barking up the wrong tree and absolutely love The Dark Knight. Only time will tell.
Hey, you know I share all of your concerns in how Nolan has conveyed my most cherished comic book hero EVER. Probably even more than any of you and yes, I'll probably agonizingly be on pins and needles for an entire year until I take my seat and actually watch this new segment. None of us that actually cares for Batman wants this to be a dud film.
Can't speak for you guys but I vividly remember cursing the television screen at the early tv spots and trailers for BEGINS; it had appeared to me at the time that Nolan was stripping everything that I held dear about Bats. I wasn't sure about Bale being cast, I wasn't a supporter of the Batmobile's look at all, the costume didn't look well thought out(I still have issues with that cowl), I mean I went on and on...
Then I actually saw what the man had to offer and was seriously hooked. Begins is arguably one of the best comic book adaptations ever; it's up there with the first Batman & Superman films and at this point doesn't appear it will be knocked off it's lofty perch any time soon in my eyes.
You have to understand, where else was there to go with the character and not **** people off along the way? I can end up being angry with Nolan but if there's someone to blame, blame Warner Brothers for not expanding there deep arsenal. I mean Warner seems very reluctant to take chances on other comic entities such as Tony's guy Green Lantern or the more on the shelf than off Wonder Woman project. They just recycle the Big 2 over and over and that's fatiguing enough...
That being said, THE DARK KNIGHT will OWN next summer for nothing else than it's track record and I don't just mean a healthy box office take but for the quality that Nolan has already shown us. I'll be the first to admit it if it doesn't in passionate fashion as always...."I'm a man of my wuuuurrrrd..."
Iron Man is fresh and will do very well but for all we know, Hulk may be a better film than both. Sorry, gotta soft spot for the green guy...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Warner Bros. is definitely their own worst enemy when it comes to these comics adaptations. Even their treatment of the big two boggles the mind. They turned Batman into a walking toy commercial (B&R) then let the property languish in limbo for seven years. It took them almost twenty years to get a handle on doing a Superman movie and the end result was .. well ... you know. And along the way they graced us with other memorable accomplishments like Catwoman and Steel. It is sad that they're sitting on a goldmine of fantastic characters and have zero idea about what to do with them.
As for The Dark Knight, Nolan could easily pull another BB; we've seen far too little to form an educated opinion and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt for now. He can tell a good story and can entice some great actors; but frankly, I don't like the look he brings to Batman, his villains, or his world all that much. Other than the neon explosion that was Batman & Robin, I'd rank Begins below the other three movies in terms of art direction and costume design and it looks like TDK will give us more of that same look.
Will it be enough to catapult it to the top of the box office? I don't know. There's still a long way to go till summer of 2008. We'll just have to see what kind of a buzz it creates with mainstream audiences, which is where the real money will come from.
As for The Dark Knight, Nolan could easily pull another BB; we've seen far too little to form an educated opinion and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt for now. He can tell a good story and can entice some great actors; but frankly, I don't like the look he brings to Batman, his villains, or his world all that much. Other than the neon explosion that was Batman & Robin, I'd rank Begins below the other three movies in terms of art direction and costume design and it looks like TDK will give us more of that same look.
Yeah; I agree. I actually think that harms the film a bit- because it's less clear that this is a fantasy world it becomes harder to buy Batman as a character: when he was fantasy in the stylised-looking Burtons I could support him; in a realistic world I worry for him because he's not right in the head!
Plus I just like my Bat films to look pretty! Begins does have a nice orange colour palette, though.
While I wouldn't go so far as to say Nolan is embarrassed by being associated with Batman, I do think it's fair to say that he isn't in love with comic book art like Zack Snyder for example (who went out of his way to make 300 look like the source material). In Batman Begins it wasn't just the villains that looked nothing like their 4 color counterparts, even the Gotham landmarks like Arkham Asylum lost their gothic vibe.
I remember an interview in which Nolan claimed he was a big James Bond fan and his take on Batman was inspired to some degree by Bond, especially his penchant for gadgets - clearly the interview came before CR was released - thus the participation of Lucius Fox and the pleothora of hardware in the movie. The rogues gallery of villains and even the look of Batman and Gotham always seemed to be a secondary consideration.
It will be interesting to see how Batman fares against Iron Man and Hulk next summer. John Favreau seems to have completely embraced the look of the Iron Man books, much to the giddy delight of the fanboys at the recent San Diego Comic Con. And all signs point to Hulk also more closely resembling his comics counterpart (no more 20 foot monster). If those movies end up out-performing Batman, WB would be well advised to rethink who they entrust their franchises to.
And of course, we could all be barking up the wrong tree and absolutely love The Dark Knight. Only time will tell.
I can say with certainty that I do not like what Nolan's done with The Joker's appearance.Frankly,I don't care how much critical acclaim Nolan may have received in the past or looks forward to getting in the future, he's still made an incredible error in altering The Joker's classic features.Nothing about the cheap thug with the powered face and kinda green hair,slashed mouth and painted grin(Ooooh scary...) and kinda purple coat says, "this The Joker" to me.These touches do not make Ledger look anything like the real thing,no matter how much the actor and his makeup man and the filmmakers may claim otherwise.The Joker could still retain his unique appearance and theatrical behavior and still be extremely frightening--but it looks like Nolan really doesn't care,and that's very disappointing.Nothing about this Joker's face (and wardrobe) has the twisted elegance and the fear quotient of the original design.It's not a particularly creative look,and it probably took about a minute(or less) to devise.
In my opinion,Batman was never James Bond--he's Zorro crossed with The Shadow and The Spider and The Black Bat(that's where the costume came from),plus some of Doc Savage's gadgets(that's where the utility belt came from) and a Rogue's Gallery inspired by and exceeding that of Dick Tracy's.Bob Kane was a big fan of Chester Gould's comic strip.
I think that overall,the screenplay for Batman Begins is excellent, and happily contains certain comics characters like Lucius Fox.It's probably good to remember that Nolan didn't write the first or even the second drafts:those were by a screenwriter--David S.Goyer-- who loves comics(even writes them occasionally) and he knows their history.He's a huge Batman fan. Aside from bag-over-the-head Scarecrow,it's a film that's reasonably faithful to it's source material.
I have no idea if the Nolan Brothers' screenplay will be anything as well written as the first film's was--I hope so,but this whole "we must make everything look REAL" mantra gives me pause, and frankly,it makes me concerned.If I were a WB suit,I'd be VERY anxious about this rather dubious approach.Nolan's going to make Batman movies that aren't really much like Batman?Hmmm....At least this time around the actor playing Bruce Wayne actually looks like Bruce Wayne--so that's something,and the actor playing Gordon looks like Gordon.But more is needed.Embrace Batman's distinctive world--don't run from it.And I'm not talking about infusing more Batman films with uncharacteristic self-conscious campy humor.These films should be straightforward adventure stories and mysteries.How hard are those to write?
Jeez...First Superman is returned in a half-hearted effort that no doubt meant well but didn't quite succeed,and now Batman's bizarre world of grotesque criminality threatens to become a banal one.And let's not forget that Wonder Woman movie Joel Silver will never make(even though there's now a perfectly fine and highly acclaimed WW screenplay in existence,all ready to film--it's only apparent sin being that it's a period piece).
Why WB just signs off the rights to their classic DC Comics characters is astonishing to me.Evidently they don't really care about them, and their only concern is about the money to be made from the ancillary products.Joel Schumacher was probably right and sadly may even be correct today, when he once explained that with the comic book films(in this case his Batman flicks),that it's all about selling toys--quality isn't important.
It's nice to see that Marvel--after having once been treated like so much refuse--protects the general content of the many movies based on their characters.Maybe the casting isn't always perfect, but the general look and spirit and style and content are retained-even in the intentionally arty films like Ang Lee's Hulk.Marvel seems to really give a damn about their movies in a way that should be instructive to DC.
I look forward to Iron Man--yes,Robert Downey Jr.,isn't the young Errol Flynn/Timothy Dalton lookalike of the comics, but he's an excellent actor, and more closely resembles Tony Stark than Michael Keaton did Bruce Wayne or Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger do The Joker.Some serious thought went into the entire casting of this film.And rather than completely reinvent Iron Man's armor into something completely unrecognizable,it looks like the filmmakers are making an effort to go with a look that really resembles what appears in the comics.
Wow,what a fresh concept--fidelity to the source material.
I think that Jon Favreau is doing the right thing with Iron Man.So is Sam Raimi with Spider-Man.I'm no fan of Kirsten Dunst and I'm usually indifferent to Tobey Maguire,but those Spider-Man movies still work for me(I haven't seen the 3rd film).How sad WB doesn't have directors and writers for their DC Comics based movies who appreciate the source material--and this includes the all important look of the characters--making their comic book movies.
It's one thing to be such a fanboy director that you decide to remake another person's films(as Singer seems to be doing with Donner's Superman movies),or to be so inspired by the success of the James Bond character to try and superimpose it onto another very different character(like Nolan with Batman).But I'm not at all sure that such things are truly helpful when making films that are supposed to be about Superman and Batman.
More than anything else,it looks to me as if the directors in question are doing their level best to avoid dealing with these particular characters head-on.In their efforts at reshaping these characters,all too often they only wind up sticking square pegs into round holes.And if that's really the case, then what's happening to the DC characters is absolutely wrong and in no way represents anything I consider creative.Sometimes its wise to respect your source material--especially when it's visual.To reinterpret merely for the sake of reinterpreting,is avoiding what came before and what made these characters unique and popular to begin with.I'm not sure about directors who intentionally make big changes in the status quo in order to leave their mark on something.After all,dogs leave their marks on things,too.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited August 2007
Good post, W.G. I guess I'm just trying to stay positive about TDK; there are things about Nolan's tampering that makes me want to gag uncontollably but like I said before, Warner Brothers should be held accountable for their lack of insight. Do you realize how many other comic book franchises under their umbrella that can be cashcows?
Green Lantern (It would be wise if they portrayed Hal Jordan to avoid repercussions from the oldheads such as ourselves)
Green Arrow (If done right, easily a 100 plus million film)
The Flash (I honestly don't know what's taking them to get this one going)
The Question (Just my personal request. )
Wonder Woman ( I have a Lynda Carter bias but if done right, I'm so there)
All these that I've listed are viable franchises; even Hawkman would bring in decent coin if some exec would just pull the trigger.
V For Vendetta and Constantine are pretty much one trick ponies so to me they don't count. The upcoming Watchmen movie falls under this category as well. I call these pretty much experiments or filler to appease only a fraction of the fan populace.
Like you, W.G., I am cringing at Ledger's look. It's not Romero nor Nicholson for that matter but still... when you recycle the same two characters over and over, you know that eventually someone will want to put a different spin on them sooner or later. You all know I detested Superman Returns. Making Supes a dad has to be one of the stupidest ideas ever in this genre. Begins was at least weighty enough for me to overlook everything else that I felt was wrong with it. Blame the W.B.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I share Mr. Garvin's disappointment in what they've apparently done with the Joker As Rogue will remember, I was gleefully self-deluded enough to conclude that it was merely the latest in a long line of internet 'red herrings.' If only...
Despite that, Nolan and Co. have banked enough goodwill with me (from BB) that I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm fervently hoping that Ledger's performance---and the script---will compensate. Unconventional or unexpected isn't always bad...but it can be... |)
I'm not wild about Batman's armor-plating look, either, but at least the cowl seems improved Gotta look for that silver lining...
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Oh. My. God. It's the anti-freeze Batsuit from Batman & Robin all over again. Jeez Louise, you can't even see the freakin' bat symbol on his chest.
I think I'm going to abstain from visiting this thread for a while. In fact, I think I'm going to just begin following a self-imposed a moratorium on B:TDK until further notice. We hardly have any solid info on the movie, but pictures like that just sink my expectations lower and lower. The best thing to do at this point is to try to forget about it and not dwell on it too much.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I'm not wild about Batman's armor-plating look, either, but at least the cowl seems improved Gotta look for that silver lining...
Look a little harder for it, Loeff... 8-)
Flashes of Clooney!
He looks like Tron.
You're bringing me down, man!
Wow...sorry, but that sucks it hard X-( ...Okay...must...be...positive...
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Sorry, guys...I found it on the net and thought I should share it. Mattell is putting this thing out prior to the release of TDK and it is homely.
Who at Warner ok'ed this? It looks just awful. Anyone want to make a bet that the Iron Man movie figure will outsell this one?
Oh, God,I can't believe I'm even saying that...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Sorry, guys...I found it on the net and thought I should share it. Mattell is putting this thing out prior to the release of TDK and it is homely.
Who at Warner ok'ed this? It looks just awful. Anyone want to make a bet that the Iron Man movie figure will outsell this one?
I'll take that bet.I'm a lifelong Batman fan(since age 4),but I predict that at least in the United States, Iron Man will do better business than The Dark Knight.
Why?Iron Man will be viewed as having a fresher and more original look and style than anything with Batman.And IM's overall concept, with it's bigger and bolder storyline, will be more appealing to mass audiences than a movie featuring a man running around in a bat-suit chasing some remarkably subdued street thugs in Chicago.
The Dark Knight will do okay business, and it'll make it's money back,but Batman's familiarity (coupled with some highly questionable creative decisions involved the interpretations of it's famous villains) will hurt it, in contrast to the newer and more dynamic Iron Man.
Marvel is actually producing Iron Man and they're sinking a truckload of dinero into this movie.It'll get a HUGE ad campaign.That this film will make every effort to honor and resemble it's source material will be one of it's many major selling points.
Of course it goes without saying--but I'll say it anyway-- that diehard Marvel fans will see this film several times.I'm not at all sure that The Dark Knight will enjoy that type of repeat business.
Sorry, guys...I found it on the net and thought I should share it. Mattell is putting this thing out prior to the release of TDK and it is homely.
Who at Warner ok'ed this? It looks just awful. Anyone want to make a bet that the Iron Man movie figure will outsell this one?
I'll take that bet.I'm a lifelong Batman fan(since age 4),but I predict that at least in the United States, Iron Man will do better business than The Dark Knight.
Why?Iron Man will be viewed as having a fresher and more original look style and storyline than anything with Batman.And IM's concept, with it's potentially bigger and bolder plotline, will be more appealing to mass audiences, than a movie featuring a man running around in a bat-suit chasing some remarkably subdued street thugs in Chicago.Been there-done that.The IM FX will be state of the art.
The Dark Knight will do okay business, and it'll make it's money back,but Batman's overall familiarity (coupled with some highly questionable creative decisions involving the interpretations of it's famous villains) will hurt it, in contrast to the more dynamic Iron Man.
Marvel is actually producing Iron Man and they're sinking a truckload of dinero into this movie.It'll get a HUGE ad campaign.That this film will also make every effort to honor and resemble it's source material will be one of it's many major selling points.
Of course it goes without saying--so I'll say it anyway-- that diehard Marvel fans will see this film several times.I'm not at all sure that The Dark Knight will enjoy that type of repeat business.
Comments
That's an interesting theory because I had heard the same thing from a buddy of mine the other day. He staunchly believes that it is Eckhart talking/Joker laughing.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I replayed the teaser over and over. It sounds like two different voices to me. They sound similar, but listening to it over and over, there's slight differences. I guess we have to wait for a better trailer or the movie. I can't wait for this to come out.
Source: Superhero Hype! July 31, 2007
We're not sure why, as people were using the site to watch the new teaser trailer, but The Dark Knight viral site WhySoSerious.com has changed again. Now it redirects to Rent-A-Clown.com, where you can see the people that participated in the Friday event at Comic-Con.
http://www.rent-a-clown.com/
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Exclusive: Batman Gets a New Theme!
Source: Edward Douglas July 31, 2007
Comic book movie fans the world over were thrilled with Christopher Nolan's 2005 relaunch Batman Begins and a large part of that--not to disparage the talented Danny Elfman--was due to Hans Zimmer's fantastic score. ComingSoon.net/Superhero Hype! recently had a rare opportunity to talk to the musical maestro about his score for The Simpsons Movie, and we asked him how things were progressing on the musical end of the Batman sequel The Dark Knight.
The biggest news from Mr. Zimmer, who told us that he's "playing around" and "getting some ideas" is the fact that he's crafting a new Batman theme for the second movie in the relaunched franchise. "It's going to evolve," He told us. "There is a big Batman theme which I was playing with for the last one, but I always felt the character hadn't earned it yet, so I just want to go and play around, and I now want to go and complete that theme, so that's part of the idea. I felt I had a good start, and now it would be really nice to develop that world a little further."
The Dark Knight opens on July 18, while The Simpsons Movie is now playing in theatres and its soundtrack is available in record stores everywhere. You can read our full interview with Mr. Zimmer on ComingSoon.net very soon. (It's one not to miss for anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of "The Spider-Pig Contata" or some of Mr. Zimmer's other exciting plans, some of them involving "pirates.")
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
More Dark Knight Behind-the-Scenes Clips
Source: Superhero Hype! August 3, 2007
myFoxChicago.com has posted new behind-the-scenes footage from the ongoing production of The Dark Knight in Chicago. The following clips were taken last night into this morning. In these clips, you can see Heath Ledger dressed as The Joker preparing for a scene, and in the link after that, video of the scene being produced:
Video of The Joker
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=9D554F99610B012D9819BB0F16B97617?contentId=3964124&version=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1
Scene being produced
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=3963917&version=1&locale=EN-US
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm still sort of torn by Ledger's look in some of his shots but it would appear from his movements in the clip that he may have done his homework on the J-Man.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
My favorite Batman villain is Two-Face.I hope he resembles the character as originally depicted in the comics--although Nolan could always have a deranged Harvey Dent just think that half of his face was destroyed by acid.
It is a very oridinary depiction and I'm not wild about it myself. But then again, so were Ras Al Gul and the Scarecrow in BB. And while we're at it, I can't say much for the Nolan edition of the batsuit.
For better or worse, this is the direction Nolan is going and I would expect a similarly low key Two-Face as well; I'm betting on a simple two tone outfit and very mild scarring makeup. Hopefully the storytelling, action and hardware will compensate for the ordinary character appearances as they did in the first film.
I just hope it doesn't backfire at the box office. The studio and fans were alienated by Burton's radical changes for Batman Returns and this could end up the same way if Nolan veers too far off the path.
I'm not at all surprised at what Nolan's doing but I'm disappointed nonetheless.With all of the advances in makeup artistry that exist today,THIS was the very best image Nolan could come up with for The Joker?Of course not.
It's my own theory that Nolan is slightly embarassed about being associated with making films about a comic book character, so he's trying to "elevate" such material by making it all seem "real" instead--give it a greater air of importance,like Shakespeare.
If there was every a character who was unrealistic, it's Batman.Really...a handsome billionaire who emulates Zorro and fights crime dressed up to look like a giant bat.In a "real" world Batman would probably wear a black jumpsuit and ski mask and shoot anyone he thought was a criminal.
I don't think for an instant that Nicholson was just so perfect as The Joker that Nolan can claim that Jack's performance was the final word on that type of interpretation,and making this new Joker an ordinary looking street-smart thug instead, was the only possible option.That's nonsense.
And I'll agree with you about what Nolan might do with Two Face--maybe two minor scars on the left side of Dent's face, but Harvey now thinks that he looks like a horrific creature.
Oddly enough I didn't much mind the bag-over-the- head look given the Scarecrow in Batman Begins.I wasn't overly impressed by the way Ras Al Ghul was presented either, but rationalized that as being an essential part of the twist in the film's storyline.I did like the story itself because no one had ever shown the effort Bruce Wayne went through in order to become Batman.And I really liked the dead on casting of Gary Oldman as Gordon.
I didn't much like Batman Returns because of the miscasting of Keaton and the bizarre take on The Penguin.And the story wandered around until it stopped.I thought Michelle Pfeifer was terrific as The Catwoman,however.
All too often it seems as though once a filmmaker comes up with images that kinda sorta maybe resemble the established comic book characters their movies are supposed to be about, they then pay less attention to the storyline itself.To their credit,Marvel doesn't do that anymore(only with their 80s TV shows), but DC certainly does.What a shame.Happily, the "Batman:The Animated Series" chose to put an equel emphasis on looks and story alike.It's still the finest, truest depiction of Batman and his world--at least in my opinion.Why the live action filmmakers don't look to that series as a source of inspiration is beyond me--unless they think that all cartoons are for little kids and are absolutely inferior to "real" live- action motion pictures.If that's the case,then these people simply aren't doing enough research to be given the reins of a comic book based movie to begin with.Do the homework-don't just try to remake what came before or intentionally go against the grain in an effort to be seen as "innovative".
I remember an interview in which Nolan claimed he was a big James Bond fan and his take on Batman was inspired to some degree by Bond, especially his penchant for gadgets - clearly the interview came before CR was released - thus the participation of Lucius Fox and the pleothora of hardware in the movie. The rogues gallery of villains and even the look of Batman and Gotham always seemed to be a secondary consideration.
It will be interesting to see how Batman fares against Iron Man and Hulk next summer. John Favreau seems to have completely embraced the look of the Iron Man books, much to the giddy delight of the fanboys at the recent San Diego Comic Con. And all signs point to Hulk also more closely resembling his comics counterpart (no more 20 foot monster). If those movies end up out-performing Batman, WB would be well advised to rethink who they entrust their franchises to.
And of course, we could all be barking up the wrong tree and absolutely love The Dark Knight. Only time will tell.
Hey, you know I share all of your concerns in how Nolan has conveyed my most cherished comic book hero EVER. Probably even more than any of you and yes, I'll probably agonizingly be on pins and needles for an entire year until I take my seat and actually watch this new segment. None of us that actually cares for Batman wants this to be a dud film.
Can't speak for you guys but I vividly remember cursing the television screen at the early tv spots and trailers for BEGINS; it had appeared to me at the time that Nolan was stripping everything that I held dear about Bats. I wasn't sure about Bale being cast, I wasn't a supporter of the Batmobile's look at all, the costume didn't look well thought out(I still have issues with that cowl), I mean I went on and on...
Then I actually saw what the man had to offer and was seriously hooked. Begins is arguably one of the best comic book adaptations ever; it's up there with the first Batman & Superman films and at this point doesn't appear it will be knocked off it's lofty perch any time soon in my eyes.
You have to understand, where else was there to go with the character and not **** people off along the way? I can end up being angry with Nolan but if there's someone to blame, blame Warner Brothers for not expanding there deep arsenal. I mean Warner seems very reluctant to take chances on other comic entities such as Tony's guy Green Lantern or the more on the shelf than off Wonder Woman project. They just recycle the Big 2 over and over and that's fatiguing enough...
That being said, THE DARK KNIGHT will OWN next summer for nothing else than it's track record and I don't just mean a healthy box office take but for the quality that Nolan has already shown us. I'll be the first to admit it if it doesn't in passionate fashion as always...."I'm a man of my wuuuurrrrd..."
Iron Man is fresh and will do very well but for all we know, Hulk may be a better film than both. Sorry, gotta soft spot for the green guy...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
As for The Dark Knight, Nolan could easily pull another BB; we've seen far too little to form an educated opinion and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt for now. He can tell a good story and can entice some great actors; but frankly, I don't like the look he brings to Batman, his villains, or his world all that much. Other than the neon explosion that was Batman & Robin, I'd rank Begins below the other three movies in terms of art direction and costume design and it looks like TDK will give us more of that same look.
Will it be enough to catapult it to the top of the box office? I don't know. There's still a long way to go till summer of 2008. We'll just have to see what kind of a buzz it creates with mainstream audiences, which is where the real money will come from.
Yeah; I agree. I actually think that harms the film a bit- because it's less clear that this is a fantasy world it becomes harder to buy Batman as a character: when he was fantasy in the stylised-looking Burtons I could support him; in a realistic world I worry for him because he's not right in the head!
Plus I just like my Bat films to look pretty!
I can say with certainty that I do not like what Nolan's done with The Joker's appearance.Frankly,I don't care how much critical acclaim Nolan may have received in the past or looks forward to getting in the future, he's still made an incredible error in altering The Joker's classic features.Nothing about the cheap thug with the powered face and kinda green hair,slashed mouth and painted grin(Ooooh scary...) and kinda purple coat says, "this The Joker" to me.These touches do not make Ledger look anything like the real thing,no matter how much the actor and his makeup man and the filmmakers may claim otherwise.The Joker could still retain his unique appearance and theatrical behavior and still be extremely frightening--but it looks like Nolan really doesn't care,and that's very disappointing.Nothing about this Joker's face (and wardrobe) has the twisted elegance and the fear quotient of the original design.It's not a particularly creative look,and it probably took about a minute(or less) to devise.
In my opinion,Batman was never James Bond--he's Zorro crossed with The Shadow and The Spider and The Black Bat(that's where the costume came from),plus some of Doc Savage's gadgets(that's where the utility belt came from) and a Rogue's Gallery inspired by and exceeding that of Dick Tracy's.Bob Kane was a big fan of Chester Gould's comic strip.
I think that overall,the screenplay for Batman Begins is excellent, and happily contains certain comics characters like Lucius Fox.It's probably good to remember that Nolan didn't write the first or even the second drafts:those were by a screenwriter--David S.Goyer-- who loves comics(even writes them occasionally) and he knows their history.He's a huge Batman fan. Aside from bag-over-the-head Scarecrow,it's a film that's reasonably faithful to it's source material.
I have no idea if the Nolan Brothers' screenplay will be anything as well written as the first film's was--I hope so,but this whole "we must make everything look REAL" mantra gives me pause, and frankly,it makes me concerned.If I were a WB suit,I'd be VERY anxious about this rather dubious approach.Nolan's going to make Batman movies that aren't really much like Batman?Hmmm....At least this time around the actor playing Bruce Wayne actually looks like Bruce Wayne--so that's something,and the actor playing Gordon looks like Gordon.But more is needed.Embrace Batman's distinctive world--don't run from it.And I'm not talking about infusing more Batman films with uncharacteristic self-conscious campy humor.These films should be straightforward adventure stories and mysteries.How hard are those to write?
Jeez...First Superman is returned in a half-hearted effort that no doubt meant well but didn't quite succeed,and now Batman's bizarre world of grotesque criminality threatens to become a banal one.And let's not forget that Wonder Woman movie Joel Silver will never make(even though there's now a perfectly fine and highly acclaimed WW screenplay in existence,all ready to film--it's only apparent sin being that it's a period piece).
Why WB just signs off the rights to their classic DC Comics characters is astonishing to me.Evidently they don't really care about them, and their only concern is about the money to be made from the ancillary products.Joel Schumacher was probably right and sadly may even be correct today, when he once explained that with the comic book films(in this case his Batman flicks),that it's all about selling toys--quality isn't important.
It's nice to see that Marvel--after having once been treated like so much refuse--protects the general content of the many movies based on their characters.Maybe the casting isn't always perfect, but the general look and spirit and style and content are retained-even in the intentionally arty films like Ang Lee's Hulk.Marvel seems to really give a damn about their movies in a way that should be instructive to DC.
I look forward to Iron Man--yes,Robert Downey Jr.,isn't the young Errol Flynn/Timothy Dalton lookalike of the comics, but he's an excellent actor, and more closely resembles Tony Stark than Michael Keaton did Bruce Wayne or Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger do The Joker.Some serious thought went into the entire casting of this film.And rather than completely reinvent Iron Man's armor into something completely unrecognizable,it looks like the filmmakers are making an effort to go with a look that really resembles what appears in the comics.
Wow,what a fresh concept--fidelity to the source material.
I think that Jon Favreau is doing the right thing with Iron Man.So is Sam Raimi with Spider-Man.I'm no fan of Kirsten Dunst and I'm usually indifferent to Tobey Maguire,but those Spider-Man movies still work for me(I haven't seen the 3rd film).How sad WB doesn't have directors and writers for their DC Comics based movies who appreciate the source material--and this includes the all important look of the characters--making their comic book movies.
It's one thing to be such a fanboy director that you decide to remake another person's films(as Singer seems to be doing with Donner's Superman movies),or to be so inspired by the success of the James Bond character to try and superimpose it onto another very different character(like Nolan with Batman).But I'm not at all sure that such things are truly helpful when making films that are supposed to be about Superman and Batman.
More than anything else,it looks to me as if the directors in question are doing their level best to avoid dealing with these particular characters head-on.In their efforts at reshaping these characters,all too often they only wind up sticking square pegs into round holes.And if that's really the case, then what's happening to the DC characters is absolutely wrong and in no way represents anything I consider creative.Sometimes its wise to respect your source material--especially when it's visual.To reinterpret merely for the sake of reinterpreting,is avoiding what came before and what made these characters unique and popular to begin with.I'm not sure about directors who intentionally make big changes in the status quo in order to leave their mark on something.After all,dogs leave their marks on things,too.
Green Lantern (It would be wise if they portrayed Hal Jordan to avoid repercussions from the oldheads such as ourselves)
Green Arrow (If done right, easily a 100 plus million film)
The Flash (I honestly don't know what's taking them to get this one going)
The Question (Just my personal request.
Wonder Woman ( I have a Lynda Carter bias but if done right, I'm so there)
All these that I've listed are viable franchises; even Hawkman would bring in decent coin if some exec would just pull the trigger.
V For Vendetta and Constantine are pretty much one trick ponies so to me they don't count. The upcoming Watchmen movie falls under this category as well. I call these pretty much experiments or filler to appease only a fraction of the fan populace.
Like you, W.G., I am cringing at Ledger's look. It's not Romero nor Nicholson for that matter but still... when you recycle the same two characters over and over, you know that eventually someone will want to put a different spin on them sooner or later. You all know I detested Superman Returns. Making Supes a dad has to be one of the stupidest ideas ever in this genre. Begins was at least weighty enough for me to overlook everything else that I felt was wrong with it. Blame the W.B.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Despite that, Nolan and Co. have banked enough goodwill with me (from BB) that I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm fervently hoping that Ledger's performance---and the script---will compensate. Unconventional or unexpected isn't always bad...but it can be...
I'm not wild about Batman's armor-plating look, either, but at least the cowl seems improved
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Look a little harder for it, Loeff... 8-)
Flashes of Clooney!
He looks like Tron.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I think I'm going to abstain from visiting this thread for a while. In fact, I think I'm going to just begin following a self-imposed a moratorium on B:TDK until further notice. We hardly have any solid info on the movie, but pictures like that just sink my expectations lower and lower. The best thing to do at this point is to try to forget about it and not dwell on it too much.
You're bringing me down, man!
Wow...sorry, but that sucks it hard X-( ...Okay...must...be...positive...
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Who at Warner ok'ed this? It looks just awful. Anyone want to make a bet that the Iron Man movie figure will outsell this one?
Oh, God,I can't believe I'm even saying that...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'll take that bet.I'm a lifelong Batman fan(since age 4),but I predict that at least in the United States, Iron Man will do better business than The Dark Knight.
Why?Iron Man will be viewed as having a fresher and more original look and style than anything with Batman.And IM's overall concept, with it's bigger and bolder storyline, will be more appealing to mass audiences than a movie featuring a man running around in a bat-suit chasing some remarkably subdued street thugs in Chicago.
The Dark Knight will do okay business, and it'll make it's money back,but Batman's familiarity (coupled with some highly questionable creative decisions involved the interpretations of it's famous villains) will hurt it, in contrast to the newer and more dynamic Iron Man.
Marvel is actually producing Iron Man and they're sinking a truckload of dinero into this movie.It'll get a HUGE ad campaign.That this film will make every effort to honor and resemble it's source material will be one of it's many major selling points.
Of course it goes without saying--but I'll say it anyway-- that diehard Marvel fans will see this film several times.I'm not at all sure that The Dark Knight will enjoy that type of repeat business.
I'll take that bet.I'm a lifelong Batman fan(since age 4),but I predict that at least in the United States, Iron Man will do better business than The Dark Knight.
Why?Iron Man will be viewed as having a fresher and more original look style and storyline than anything with Batman.And IM's concept, with it's potentially bigger and bolder plotline, will be more appealing to mass audiences, than a movie featuring a man running around in a bat-suit chasing some remarkably subdued street thugs in Chicago.Been there-done that.The IM FX will be state of the art.
The Dark Knight will do okay business, and it'll make it's money back,but Batman's overall familiarity (coupled with some highly questionable creative decisions involving the interpretations of it's famous villains) will hurt it, in contrast to the more dynamic Iron Man.
Marvel is actually producing Iron Man and they're sinking a truckload of dinero into this movie.It'll get a HUGE ad campaign.That this film will also make every effort to honor and resemble it's source material will be one of it's many major selling points.
Of course it goes without saying--so I'll say it anyway-- that diehard Marvel fans will see this film several times.I'm not at all sure that The Dark Knight will enjoy that type of repeat business.