The Dark Knight Released July 25th
19 May 2008
I'm sure that there isn't anyone in the USA, UK or Australia who isn't already aware of
The Dark Knight as it is the last film that
Heath Ledger completed.
The Dark Knight is promising to be one of the biggest films of the year and will be released in the UK on
July 25th for our USA readers they will have the chance to see it a whole week earlier as it's release date is the
18th of July.
We now have a treat for all of you a
Teaser Trailer just click on the link below to catch a glimpse of
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight
For those of you who have been sojourning on another planet and know nothing of
The Dark Knight here's a run down of who's who in
The Dark Knight
The follow-up to the action hit
Batman Begins, The Dark Knight reunites director
Christopher Nolan and star
Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne. In the new film, Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.
The film also stars Academy Award winner
Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") as Alfred; Academy Award nominee
Heath Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain") as arch-villain The Joker;
Gary Oldman as Lieutenant Jim Gordon;
Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent, who becomes better known as another of Batman's arch-nemeses, Two-Face;
Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes; and Oscar winner
Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") as Lucius Fox.
"The Dark Knight" is being produced by
Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, with
Kevin De La Noy, Benjamin Melniker and
Michael E. Uslan serving as executive producers. Nolan is directing the film from a screenplay written by
Jonathan Nolan and
Christopher Nolan, story by
Christopher Nolan &
David Goyer.
The Dark Knight is based upon Batman characters created by
Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.
The Dark Knight is a ground breaking film as in an unprecedented move, director
Christopher Nolan filmed four sequences in this the next installment of
Warner Bros. Pictures' Batman franchise, The Dark Knight, with extremely high resolution IMAX® cameras using the giant 15/70 film format. The announcement was made on May 29th 2007 by
Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. While it is not unique for a feature lensed on traditional 35mm film to be re-mastered to screen in IMAX® theatres, this marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras, marking a revolutionary integration of the two film formats.
The marriage of footage filmed with IMAX and 35mm cameras in the final feature will have a major impact on the audience's viewing experience, whether seeing
The Dark Knight in an IMAX or traditional theatre. When the scenes shot on IMAX cameras are shown in IMAX theatres, the aspect ratio will morph to 1.43 to 1, expanding the image to fill the entire screen and magnifying the overall effect, both literally and figuratively.
In making the announcement,
Jeff Robinov stated,
"Warner Bros. has always been committed to advancing the art of filmmaking. The use of IMAX cameras to film select scenes in an action feature is a great step forward in big-screen entertainment, especially in the talented hands of
Christopher Nolan. We can't wait to see the results, and we think audiences will share our excitement when the movie opens on July 18, 2008."
The first of the scenes, including a prologue that introduces Batman's arch-nemesis The Joker, was shot in April, several weeks in advance of the actual start of principal photography. Additional selected scenes are being filmed with IMAX cameras during the course of production on
The Dark Knight.
Director
Christopher Nolan added, "In continuing the story of such a great icon I'm thrilled to be able to expand the scope of the film, not just in terms of its story, but in giving Batman and The Joker the largest possible canvas on which to face off. No existing technology compares with the IMAX format in terms of its ability to throw the audience into the action, and we're very proud and excited to use this technology in a way that no one has before."
Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution, offered, "Chris has been a huge fan of IMAX technology for a long time. It will be a groundbreaking event to see him incorporate the use of IMAX cameras into the 35mm presentation of
The Dark Knight when it opens nationwide on July 18, 2008, day-and-date with IMAX theatres."
"
Mr. Nolan's enthusiasm towards IMAX, combined with the success of 'Batman Begins' in IMAX theatres underscores the significant impact that The IMAX Experience® has on audiences and the role IMAX can play in providing filmmakers with innovative ways to deliver movies," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We are very excited to continue breaking new ground with
Warner Bros. Pictures, and we look forward to sharing
Mr. Nolan's new picture with our customers and their patrons next summer."
Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, added, "Chris shares our vision that the moviegoing experience should transport audiences into the action. His innovative use of IMAX cameras to film scenes in
The Dark Knight will allow our crystal clear images, 14 thousand watts of digital surround sound, and screens up to eight-stories tall to give Batman fans the most immersive cinematic experience in the world. It is entertainment in a big, big way."
This is not the first time that Warner Bros. Pictures has set a new standard in its association with IMAX.
Christopher Nolan's 2005 blockbuster
Batman Begins was the first action feature to play on IMAX screens in museums as well as multiplexes, after being digitally remastered for the IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR® technology.
In 2006,
Superman Returns became the world's first live-action feature to have selected segments converted from 2D into IMAX® 3D. Most recently, the mega-hit
300 obliterated all previous attendance records at IMAX theatres in its record-breaking opening weekend in March.
IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in digital and film-based motion picture technologies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event Hollywood films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR is the Company's groundbreaking digital remastering technology that allows it to transform digitally virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. IMAX's renowned projectors display crystal-clear images on the world's biggest screens, and the IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of September 30, 2006, there were 280 IMAX theatres operating in 40 countries. IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, IMAX MPX® and The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.
I have to say on a purely personal note - this is one film I can't wait to see. We'll be bringing you all the latest on
The Dark Knight between now and it's release date in July.
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