Daredevil, starring in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy from 2005 to 2012. The GCPD headquarters was rebuilt in the Farmiloe Building. [177], On July 18, 2008, The Dark Knight was widely released in the U.S. and Canada in a record 4,366 theaters on an estimated 9,200 screens. They are able to be grounded or fantastic, able to be prestigious or pure blockbuster entertainment, to be dark and gritty or light, to be character-driven or action-packed, or any variation in-between. [310] The scene in which Batman stands in the ruins of a destroyed building, having failed to prevent the Joker's plot, is reminiscent of the World Trade Center site after September 11. [ac] It retained the number-one position in its second weekend with a total gross of $75.2million, ahead of the debuting Step Brothers ($31million), giving it the highest-grossing second weekend. The vigilante Batman, district attorney Harvey Dent, and police lieutenant Jim Gordon ally to eliminate Gotham's organized crime. "[285], The Dark Knight is considered a blueprint for the modern superhero film that productions either attempt to closely emulate or deliberately counter. The lines became popular internet memes. [101][110], The Dark Knight includes Chicago locations such as Lake Michigan, which doubled as the Caribbean Sea where Wayne boards a seaplane;[107] Richard J. Daley Center (Wayne Enterprises exteriors and a courtroom);[101][111] The Berghoff restaurant (GCPD arresting mobsters);[101] Twin Anchors restaurant; the Sound Bar; McCormick Place (Wayne Enterprises interiors); and Chicago Theatre. He added a "punk" influence alongside inspirations from electronic and rock music. Michael B. Jordan cited the character as an inspiration for his character Erik Killmonger in Black Panther. [bi] It is also considered among the best films of the 2000s,[bj] and in a 2010 poll of thirty-seven critics by Metacritic regarding the decade's top films, The Dark Knight received the eighth most mentions, appearing on 7 lists. This, paired with the gritty realism not usually seen in superhero movies, is why many fans regard the Dark Knight trilogy as their favorite Batman movie adaptation. [35] Christopher described The Dark Knight as representative of his own "fear of anarchy" and Joker represents an "somebody who wants to just tear down the world around him. is among the film's most famous and oft-quoted pieces of dialog,[bo] alongside "everyone loses their minds," and Dent's line "you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain", as well as Pennyworth's line "some men just want to watch the world burn". Ledger died from an accidental drug overdose in January 2008, leading to widespread interest from the press and public regarding his performance. [157] Following Ledger's death, Zimmer considered discarding the theme for a more traditional one but he and Howard believed they should honor Ledger's performance. [bd] The MCU is seen as a successful continuation of what made The Dark Knight a success, combining genres and tones relevant to each respective film while treating the source material seriously, unlike the DC Extended Universe, which more closely emulated the tone of The Dark Knight but failed to replicate its success. [al], Ledger's performance received near-unanimous praise with the caveat that his death made the role both highly-anticipated and difficult to watch. [o] According to Christopher, Eckhart had the all-American charm and "aura of a good man pushed too far". [av] A separate, limited-edition Blu-ray disc set came with a Batpod figurine. Dent takes Gordon's family hostage, blaming his negligence for Rachel's death. While there wasnt anything gravely wrong with the portrayal, it was not memorable. [au] This change is seen as responsible for the first Best Picture nomination of a comic book adaptation, Black Panther (2018). [bc] Its financial, critical, and cultural successes legitimized the genre with film studios at a time when recent films, such as Daredevil, Hulk (both 2003), Fantastic Four (2005), and Superman Returns (2006) had failed to meet expectations. [47], Describing how his character had evolved from Batman Begins, Christian Bale said Wayne had changed from a young, naive, and angry man seeking purpose to a hero who is burdened by the realization his war against crime is seemingly endless. [144], Hemming, Crowley, Christopher, and Jamie Rama re-designed the Batsuit to make it more comfortable and flexible, developing a costume made from a stretchy material covered in over 100 urethane armor pieces. [418][419][420] The Dark Knight Rises was a financial success, surpassing the box office of The Dark Knight,[421] and was generally well received by critics but proved more divisive with audiences.[bq]. To avoid damaging the power station, a listed building, a false wall was built in front of it and lined with explosives. Some theater staff were given night-vision goggles to identify people recording The Dark Knight, and one person was caught in Kansas City. Jonathan Crane was a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who conducted experiments on inmates under the identity of Scarecrow. "[37], Although he was a fan of Batman (1989), starring Jack Nicholson as the Joker, Goyer did not consider Nicholson's portrayal scary and The Dark Knight's Joker to be an unknowable, already-formed character, similar to the shark in Jaws (1975), without a "clich" origin story. [h] He considered Dent as having a duality similar to Batman's, providing interesting dramatic potential. [az] Boscaljon wrote the residents and criminals believe in a form of order and rules that must be obeyed; the Joker deliberately upends this belief because he has no rules or limitations. The joker playing card scene in Batman Begins was intended to convey the fallacy of Batman's belief his war on crime would be temporary. Christopher said cameras that could be used on Mount Everest could be used for The Dark Knight, and had cinematographer Wally Pfister and his crew begin training to use the equipment in January 2007 to test its feasibility. [32] Although Batman Begins ends with a scene in which Batman is presented with a joker playing card, teasing the introduction of his archenemy, the Joker, Christopher Nolan did not intend to make a sequel and was unsure Batman Begins would be successful enough to warrant one. [32][34][35] Discussions between Warner Bros. Pictures and Christopher began shortly after Batman Begins's theatrical release, and development began following the production of Christopher's The Prestige (2006). He developed the character's voice by mixing a high-pitch and low-pitch, which was inspired by ventriloquist performances. The film, however, leaves open the option to dismiss his insights because his chaos ultimately leads to death and injustice. The 160-foot (49m) tall hangar was unsuitable for suspending the bunker roof, and an encompassing gantry was built to hold it and the lighting. [74], In October 2006, location scouting for Gotham City took place in the UK in Liverpool, Glasgow, London, and parts of Yorkshire, and in several cities in the U.S.[75][76] Christopher chose Chicago because he liked the area and believed it offered interesting architectural features without being as recognizable as locations in better-known cities such as New York City. [376] As of 2022, it remains the highest critically rated Batman film according to Rotten Tomatoes, and is often ranked as the best film featuring the character. WebPortrayed by Christian Bale, this version of Batman is arguably explored more in-depth compared to that of the previous film series by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, as the [234] Several reviewers regarded Gyllenhaal as an improvement over Holmes, although others said they found difficulty caring about the character and that Gyllenhaal, while more talented than her predecessor, was miscast. [99] A Randolph Street parking garage is where Batman captures Scarecrow and Batman impersonators. They felt the threat of cinematic villains such as Hannibal Lecter and Darth Vader had been undermined by subsequent films depicting their origins. Dent defers his decision-making to his half-scarred, two-headed coin, killing the corrupt officers and the mafia involved in Rachel's death. The Batman: Everyone Who Played The Dark Knight On The Big Screen, Ranked. The release has a slipcover box-art that revealed a "Jokerized" version underneath, and contains featurettes on Batman's equipment, the psychology used in the film, six episodes of the fictional news program Gotham Tonight, and a gallery of concept art, posters, and Joker cards. ", "Ledger's Oscar Bid From Beyond The Grave", "Posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger's Joker Performance? With the help of Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox, Batman finds Lau in Hong Kong and returns him to the custody of Gotham police. [x], The Dark Knight's marketing campaign was developed by alternate reality game (ARG) development company 42 Entertainment. [331], Before The Dark Knight, superhero films closely emulated their comic-book source material, and though the genre had seen significant successes such as Superman (1978), Batman (1989), X-Men (2000), and Spider-Man (2002), they were often considered disposable entertainment that did not garner much industry respect. The campaign concluded in July with displays of the Bat-Signal in Chicago and New York City that were eventually defaced by the Joker. [218] The film has a score of 84 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 39 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". But you were wrong. [323] The character can be considered an example of Friedrich Nietzsche's "Superman", who exists outside definitions such as good and evil, and follows his own indomitable will. Film studies professor Todd McGowan said Batman asserts authority over these copycats, telling them to stop because they do not have the same defensive equipment as himself, reaffirming his self-given authority to act as a vigilante. [123][124] The 127-day shoot concluded on November 15, on time and under budget. [122], The final nine days of production took place in Hong Kong and included aerial footage from atop the International Finance Centre, as well as filming at Central to Mid-Levels escalator, The Center, Central, The Peninsula Hong Kong, and Queen's Road; and a stunt involving Batman catching an in-flight C-130 aircraft. [102] The sequence continued on LaSalle Street, which was also used for the GCPD funeral procession, for a practical truck-flip stunt and helicopter sequence. He was influenced by Alex from the crime film A Clockwork Orange (1971), and British musicians Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious. [38][43] Dent was written as The Dark Knight's central character, serving as the center of the battle between Batman, who believes Dent is the hero the city needs, and the Joker, who wants to prove even the most righteous people can be corrupted. [k] Ledger's casting in August 2006 was criticized by some industry professionals and members of the public who considered him inappropriate for the role; executive producer Charles Roven said Ledger was the only person seriously considered, and that Batman Begins's positive reception would help alleviate any concerns. [251] Howard and Zimmer were recognized for Best Motion Picture Score at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. This Time, It's Different", "Internet Meme: "Everyone Loses Their Minds" Meme (The Joker; The Dark Knight)", "Everyone Loses Their Minds The Joker Meme", "Empire's 500 Greatest Movies of All Time", "Readers' Poll: The 15 Greatest Superhero Movies", "The Flip Side Of Justice: The Two-faced Spirit Of The Dark Knight", "What Do You Believe In? The crew was described as excited as this scene depicted the first meeting between Batman and the Joker. [310][318] According to writer David Chen, this demonstrates, individually, people cannot responsibly handle power but by sharing the responsibility, there is hope for a compassionate outcome. The Dark Knight Scenes That Mean More Than You Think. Believing Dent is the hero the city needs and the truth of his corruption will harm Gotham, Batman takes the blame for his death and actions and persuades Gordon to conceal the truth. But before he became the Batman, Affleck played a Marvel character, Matt Murdock a.k.a. [156][157] Howard wrote about ten minutes of music for Dent, wanting to portray him as an American who represents hope, but undergoes an emotional extreme and moral corruption. ", "The 50 Greatest Movie Villains Of All Time, Ranked", "50 Greatest Superhero Movie Performances of All Time", "The 15 Best Movie Villains of the 21St Century, Ranked", "50 Best Superhero Movie Performances of the Last 50 Years, From Ben Affleck To Zendaya", "The Secret to the Joker's Pencil Trick Is That There Is No Pencil", "11 Things You Never Knew About The Dark Knight", "Top Movie Movements: #95 "Why so serious? The Batman: Everyone Who Played The Dark Knight On The Big Screen, Ranked. In their desperation, Dent and Batman are forced to question their own limitations. [v] Christopher said editing the film became "tremendously emotional, right when he passed, having to go back in and look at him every day [during editing] but the truth is, I feel very lucky to have something productive to do, to have a performance that he was very, very proud of, and that he had entrusted to me to finish". You'll seeI'll show you when the chips are down, these civilized people they'll eat each other. Nezha got his hooks into Batman when Black Influence also came from the 1953 painting Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X by Francis Baconsuggested by Christopher and the character's comic-book appearances. Warner Bros. By Damion Damaske / Feb. 10, 2023 9:40 am EST. Only Michael Gough and Pat Hingle have done the same thing in the previous Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman franchise. Roger Ebert said it, alongside Iron Man, had redefined the potential of superhero films by combining comic-book tropes with real world events. [311][314] Klavan's interpretation was criticized by some publications that considered The Dark Knight anti-war, proposing society must not abandon the rule of law to combat lawlessness or risk creating the conditions for escalation. [399] In 2022, Variety listed him as the best superhero film performance of the preceding 50 years (Eckhart appears at number 22). [313] Author Andrew Klavan said Batman is a stand-in for then-U.S. president George W. Bush and justified the breaching of "boundaries of civil rights to deal with an emergency, certain that [Batman] will re-establish those boundaries when the emergency is past". Batman and Gordon apprehend the Joker, and Gordon is promoted to commissioner. & Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Bat-Manga! [35] They wanted to explore the theme of escalation and the idea that Batman's extraordinary efforts to combat common crimes would lead to an opposing escalation by criminals, attracting the Joker, who uses terrorism as a weapon. From, "Best Comic Book Movies and Superhero Movies", "We Ranked The 54 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time, From, "The 50 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time", "Best Superhero Movies: 30 Great Superhero Films To Watch Right Now", "The 30 Best Superhero Movies Since Blade", "The 100 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time", "The 32 Best Superhero Movies for a Movie Night ASAP", "100 Best Movies of All Time That You Should Watch Immediately", "Barry Norman's 100 Greatest Films of All Time", "The 25 Best Blockbuster Sequels Of All Time", "Revenge of the Movie: 15 Sequels That Are Way Better Than The Originals", "35 Sequels That Are Better Than The Original Movie", "17 Sequels That Are Better Than The Original, From, "Best Movies of the 2000s: 35 Best Films of the 2000s, Ranked", "Film Critics Pick The Best Movies of the Decade", "The 100 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century: 10 1", "Every Single Batman Movie, Ranked from Worst to Best", "Ranking the Batman Movies from Worst to Best", "Batman Movies Ranked from Worst to Best", "The Best of the Dark Knight: Every Batman Movie (Including, "What's The Best Batman Movie? [160][161], The ARG began in May 2007 with campaign posters for Dent and Joker playing cards bearing the phrase "I believe in Harvey Dent" were hidden inside comic books at stores around the U.S. [311][328] McGowan considered the act heroic because Batman's sacrifice will leave him hunted and despised without recognition, indicating he has learned from the Joker the established norms must sometimes be broken. Christian Bale Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Of this group, West is the only one to have also played Batman in [bl] In 2017, The Hollywood Reporter named Ledger's Joker the second-best cinematic superhero performance ever, behind Hugh Jackman as Wolverine,[398] and Collider listed him as the greatest villain of the 21st century. The Joker interrupts the meeting and offers to kill Batman for half of the fortune their accountant, Lau, concealed before fleeing to Hong Kong to avoid extradition. [272], Despite the success of The Dark Knight, the lack of a Best Picture nomination was criticized and described as a "snub" by some publications. [34], The first scene filmed was the bank heist, which was shot in the Old Chicago Main Post Office over five days. [ae] The Dark Knight was available in sixty-two countries by the end of August, although Warner Bros. decided not to release it in China, blaming "a number of pre-release conditions as well as cultural sensitivities to some elements of the film". [318] Although Batman holds to his morals and does not kill the Joker, he is forced to break his code by pushing Dent to his death to save an innocent person. [141][142] The unwieldy, wide-tired vehicle could only be ridden by stuntman Jean Pierre Goy after months of training. During the interrogation scene, Ledger asked Bale to actually hit him, and although he declined, Ledger cracked and dented the walls by throwing himself around. It was directed by Bruce Timm and includes veteran Batman actor Kevin Conroy reprising his role. This conveys the protagonists' gradual abandonment of their principles when faced with an extreme foe. He wanted to convey elements of the Joker's corrosion, recklessness, and "otherworldliness" by combining electronic and orchestral music, and modifying almost every note after recording to emulate sounds including thunder and razors. [35][41] Jonathan found the "poignant" ending the script's most interesting aspect; it had always depicted Batman fleeing from police but was changed from him leaping across rooftops to escaping on the Batpod, his motorcycle-like vehicle. [415] The Dark Knight was also voted the greatest superhero movie by readers of Rolling Stone (2014),[416] and as one of New Zealand's favorite films (2015). Caine said he forgot his lines during a scene involving one video because of Ledger's "stunning" performance. The new Joker is played by Irish actor Barry Keoghan, best known for his recent portrayal of Druig in Marvels Eternals. Burn is an actor, known for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022), The Dark Knight Rises Christopher said the title refers to Dent as equally as Batman. Goyer developed an outline for two sequels, but Christopher remained unsure how to continue the Batman Begins narrative while keeping it consistent and relevant, though he was interested in utilizing the Joker in Begins's grounded, realistic style. [an] Other reviews said Ledger outshone Nicholson's "magnificent" performance with macabre humor and malevolence. Bale likened the See More. [81][96] It was scheduled early to test the IMAX procedure, allowing it to be refilmed with traditional cameras if needed, and it was intended to be publicly released as part of the marketing campaign. His fighting style was designed to appear improvised and erratic. However, it was forgotten, and so was the actor who played Batman.