New ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ TV Spots … We’re Getting Closer To The End …

Posted on May 30, 2012 by David

Here are two new TV Spots for ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ which premiers in theaters on July 20, 2012. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing this film, I can’t help but wonder what DC/Warner Brothers Entertainment plans on doing after the completion of Nolan’s Dark Knight Saga. The trailers would have you believe that this is the final installment, but as we all know, comic book characters never die. Who will be the next director to take the helm?

-Synopsis: Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar(R) winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar(R) winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar(R) winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar(R) winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

The screenplay is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.

OK “Avengers” Move Over – Time For “The Dark Knight” to “Rise” !!!!!

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Graeme McMillan

Yes, yes, Avengers: You’ve had your day, being much-beloved and breaking box office records and everything. But this summer superhero movie showdown is only getting started, as Warner Bros. is patiently reminding everyone with two new television spots and a host of still images showcasing Christopher Nolan’s final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.

Both spots premiered last night, giving American Idol audiences the chance they’d all been waiting for to see Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle flirt a little more before she steals his car (Like we’d expect anything less from Gotham’s favorite cat burglar). Not so much new footage in these spots, but just enough to remind us this’ll be the movie where Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne and friends try their hand at witty banter in an awkward fashion.

In addition to the new mini-trailers, Warner Bros. has also released new banners and promotional images for the movie offering an idea of the scale of the carnage that awaits us when the movie opens July 20.

[Click Banners to Enlarge]

Tags: Batman – Christian Bale – ChristianBale – Christopher Nolan – ChristopherNolan – Gotham Central Casting – GothamCentralCasting – The Dark Knight – The Dark Knight Rises – TheDarkKnight – TheDarkKnightRises – Warner Bros – WarnerBros

Robocop IS Batman !!!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Graeme McMillan

It’s the Robocop/Batman crossover that you never expected, as the original Officer Murphy, Peter Weller, takes on the cowl and cape as the voice of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in the upcoming animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

Weller’s Batman will join Modern Family‘s Ariel Winter (She plays Alex, middle child of the Dumphies) in the animated feature, with Winter taking on the role of Carrie Kelly, the new Robin. Rounding out the voice cast of the movie are actors David Shelby, Wade Williams and Michael McKean as Dr. Wolper, the psychiatrist responsible for the Joker’s release back into society.

Warners is going all out on the adaptation, with animation veterans Bob Goodman and Jay Oliva taking the writing and directing chores respectively of this two-part version of the classic story (The first installment will be released this year, with the second appearing early 2013). According to executive producer Bruce Timm, “Dark Knight Returns is the granddaddy of beloved comics properties that we’ve ever attempted. There is definitely the imperative to get it right.” Wondering how close they’ll get? Here are some pics to help you decide…

The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 will be released on DVD and BluRay this fall.

[Via THR]

Tags: Ariel Winter – ArielWinter – Batman – David Shelby – DavidShelby – DC Animated – DcAnimated – Michael McKean – MichaelMckean – Peter Weller – PeterWeller – Robocop – The Dark Knight Returns – The Dark Knight Returns movie – TheDarkKnightReturns – TheDarkKnightReturnsMovie – Wade Williams – WadeWilliams

Mountain Dew – Dark Knight Rises – Tie-In ….

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Chris Sims

As you may already be aware, there’s a movie about Batman called The Dark Knight Rises coming out this summer, and as is the case with any big-budget super-hero flick, that means we’re going to get some product tie-ins. Who can forget how Dominos Pizza reflected the complex themes of morality and sacrifice in 2008′s The Dark Knight by offering a pizza with double the pepperoni?! I assure you, my arteries will never forget.

This time around, it’s Mountain Dew, and not only is there a new flavor that’s allegedly inspired by Batman, there’s also a website and, more importantly, an in-store display that looks like the Saddest Batman Ever. Check out more info, and my theories on how this just might tie into the film, after the cut!

The centerpiece of the promotion is undoubtedly the life-sized Batman display that’s sure to be protecting your local gas station from thematic crime:

This is just a computer-generated mock-up of the actual product — which explains why, as CA’s Caleb Goellner put it, “it looks worse than those Taiwanese news cartoons” — but I sincerely hope that the version we actually get in real life looks exactly like this. Batman’s gaunt glumness and unblinking, shell-shocked eyes are pretty much exactly what I think the World’s Greatest Detective would look like if he woke up to find that his legs had been replaced with a barrel of Mountain Dew that he had to wheel around selling to impressionable teens.

The promotion also involves a website that you can go to where you are invited to “Rule the Streets With Dew,” which actually sounds like a pretty pleasant thing to do:

As for the products themselves, they’re rolling out Batman-themed cans, as well as a new flavor called Dark Berry, because apparently “Caped Crusadew” didn’t test well:

Now, this is where things get interesting. The reference to ruling the streets, and the fact that the Mountain Dew campaign seems to be selling itself on providing access to information about the movie itself gives me the idea that maybe, just maybe, this stuff might actually be part of the plot.

After all, Christopher Nolan’s films have nudged a few elements of the Batman mythos to be slightly more realistic. So what if, what if, Bane didn’t get his powers from the super-steroid Venom, but instead was just a big tough dude who was jacked up on Mountain Dew?

If nothing else, it’s something the audience could relate to.

[Via SuperHeroHype]

Tags: Batman – Mountain Dew – MountainDew – Sad Batman – SadBatman – The Dark Knight Rises – TheDarkKnightRises

Azrael, Ra’s Al Ghul and More Coming in DC Direct’s Third ‘Batman: Arkham City’ Series

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Caleb Goellner

DC Direct Collectibles will expand its line of Batman: Arkham City action figures on September 19, with brand new versions of Azrael, Ra’s al Ghul, the Penguin, two clown thugs (one with a knife, the other with a baseball bat) and Batman himself. As usual, the toys will stand around 6.75″, with the diminutive Penguin keeping in scale at just 5.25″ tall, as seen during NYCC this past fall. Interestingly, the line features the most basic of the Arkham City Batman figures from DCC thus far, following an unmasked version and a “Detective Mode” outfit. Series three is also the first not to feature any female figures (Talia al Ghul and Oracle are possibilities), with Harley Quinn and Catwoman included in previous rollouts. Accessory information is a little light right now, but product images indicate clown thugs will be armed and Ra’s will come equipped with a sword and Azrael probably will too if that scabbard is any indication. You can check out more images of Batman: Arkham City series three action figures after the jump.

[Via TNI]

Tags: action figures – ActionFigures – Azrael – Batman – Batman Arkham City – BatmanArkhamCity – DC Direct – DcDirect – Penguin – Ras Al Ghul – RasAlGhul

Kinetix Releases a ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ T-Shirt Collection …..

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Bethany Fong

With the release of The Dark Knight Rises this summer, LA-based design company KINETIX has come out with a collection of T-shirts designed in collaboration with the Warner Bros. Exclusively sold on kitson, the T-shirt collection features imagery of Catwoman and Bane from The Dark Knight Rises, as well as classic Batman logos and DC Comics art (including Dustin Nguyen’s artwork for Heart of Hush).

Check out the KINETIX x The Dark Knight Rises collection after the jump!

Although the tees are a tad pricy at $38-48 a pop, these designer fashions are made out of high quality Pima cotton, which is softer and more long-lasting than your standard superhero tee.

Social Climber Tee, $48 [link]

Despite the flattering cut of this top and the stylish graphic of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, I’m not too jazzed about the “Social Climber” text scribbled on top of this graphic. I get it, it’s a Catwoman joke, and it’s possible the phrase is used in the film and the specific context has yet to reveal itself, but as this is the only women’s top available in the collection… yeah.

Shattered Batwings Tee, $48 [link]

White Fire Rises Tee, $48 [link]

Batman Watercolor Tee, $48 [link]

Although the product description for this tee describes this design as “Batman watercolor art from The Dark Knight Rises,” this is actually Dustin Nguyen’s artwork for Heart of Hush. Regardless of kitson’s labeling mistake, a designer shirt featuring Dustin Nguyen’s beautiful artwork is pretty stellar.

Black Bat Stencil Tee, $48 [link]

Bane Lightning Bolts Tank, $38 [link]

Grey Batman Classic Logo Tee, $48 [link]

Batman Swinging Tee, $48 [link]

Tags: anne hathaway – AnneHathaway – batman – catwoman – dustin nguyen – DustinNguyen – fashion – kinetix – kitson – the dark knight rises – TheDarkKnightRises

Young Justice “Happy New Year” Season 2 Premier Review ……

Posted on April 28, 2012 by David

“That’s right, Gamma Squad rules!

Do you ever have those moments when you try to put into words just how incredible something is, and whatever you end up saying comes out in a jumbled mess? Well, this is me trying to describe to you how fantastic the season two premier of Young Justice was. I’m not trying to say that this series is the greatest ever made, but I do think that it’s the strongest in a long line of excellent Warner Brothers/DC collaborations. Greg Weisman and his team are doing a marvelous job by giving us action and character development in equal measurements. I’m trying hard not to “geek-out” right now, but how cool was it to see Batgirl, Wonder Girl, Lobo, and Nightwing all in the same episode? What’s more interesting are the characters we didn’t see, like Red Arrow, Aqualad, Artimes, and Kid Flash. Where were they?

Okay, so enough about the high amounts of “fan-service” that this episode shelled out, time to talk about the story. Just last week during the season one finale, Vandal Savage was in control of the Justice League. Six of these members were mysteriously absent for several hours, and no one knows what transpired during this time lapse. Jump five years into the future, and it appears that the entire JL are wanted criminals in several planetary systems. Whatever they did under Savage’s control, it wasn’t good. With this five year leap into the future, the Young Justice group we knew has changed dramatically. Looks like Miss Martian’s relationship with Conner didn’t work out, and it was cool to see Tim Drake as Robin and Dick as Nightwing. My only problem with this transition is that it seems too sudden. While I was thrilled to see all of these new characters, I felt like five years was too big a gap between season one and season two. I hope that the writers give us a deeper backstory on what our favorite heroes have been up to these last five years.

I’m interested in what you thought of all this marvelous madness that transpired in “Happy New Year.” Being bombarded with new characters can be overwhelming at times, but I found this episode to be highly entertaining. Were any of you pleased with the new additions to season two, or in the words of Dick Grayson, “were you just whelmed?” Also, who was your favorite new character?

Young Justice “Auld Acquaintance” Season Finale Review …..

Posted on April 21, 2012 by David

After nearly a year and a half, ‘Young Justice’ season one has finally come to end with a thrilling finale that sets the stage for season 2, which premiers next week on the Cartoon Network. Although not all is revealed, it seems like Vandal Savage is not only trying to conquer earth, but desires for our planet to be the most powerful in the universe. For a man who is 50,000 years-old, who knows what that plan might entail? According to Savage, phase two of his scheme has not yet begun. Before we delve into the final minutes of “Auld Acquaintance,” let’s take a look at how this season has progressed.

As a whole, I thought this was an excellent first season, and what made it so compelling was how the team at Warner Brothers Animation took the time to develop its main characters. One of my favorite moments from this season was in the episode entitled “Downtime,” where Aqualad returns to Atlantis only to discover that his best friend is currently dating his old girlfriend. I loved how that moment came full circle in the finale as Red Arrow asks Aqualad to tell him when his heart was broken. It’s those small, yet intimate moments between the teammates that make this show special. The action is fantastic as well, but without characters to care about, what’s the point in watching the show?

Looking back at the finale, I’m curious to see what you all thought of Vandal Savage leading this villainous group, with Lex Luthor and Ra’s al Ghul following close behind. I can’t imagine those two are going to let Savage rule the galaxy without having an ulterior motive of their own. Something I’d like to see in season 2, would be a deeper exploration of the villains. I like how they kept them shrouded in mystery for most of the season, but now that they’re exposed, I’m interested to see what parts they’ll play as the story unfolds.

The end of this episode had some of the best action we’ve seen all season, with duels between Superboy and Superman, and a highly anticipated matchup featuring Batman and Robin. It was nice to see Robin admitting that they couldn’t take down the Justice League one-on-one, as Superboy violently launches Robin into an oncoming Batman. As usual, the fight choreography is superb, making the final minutes of this season a joy to behold. Another of my favorite moments was watching the interaction between Clark and Connor, as Superman finally gives Superboy some words of encouragement, and approves of his decision to carry on the Kent name. As with most finales, the questions about what we’re going to witness next season are endless. Personally, I’m anxious to discover more about Red Arrow/Roy/Speedy, and how his discovery of finding out he’s a clone will affect him. What were your thoughts on this season, and what are you most looking forward to seeing as the show moves forward?

Check Out ‘Holy Musical B@man!’

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Chris Sims

Over the past week, my inbox has blown up with people alerting me to the existence of Holy Musical B@man!, and it’s easy to see why. Not since Bring It On was adapted for the stage has there been a piece of musical theater so carefully crafted to appeal to my tastes. This time around, it’s a surprisingly catchy parody of the Caped Crusader produced by Team Starkid, the same people who brought you the similarly copyright-defying A Very Potter Musical back in 2009. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend, so check it out after the cut — but watch out for a bit of NSFW language.

One of the things you might notice right from the start is that Starkid’s version of Batman is a little, ah… off model from the Caped Crusader that you may be more familiar with, what with, you know, all the bitterness and self-aggrandizing and killing people from an airplane. When you consider that Holy Musical is at least partially informed by Tim Burton’s 1989 movie, however, it’s pretty accurate to the character presented there.

Even though the whole thing is pretty obviously goofing on the very idea of Batman, the love that the creators have for the character is evident in how deep they go for bringing stuff to the screen. Obscure rogues like Calendar Man and Egghead make appearances, and while that’s to be expected, a guest starring shot for the entire Justice League — including a dead accurate portrayal of Green Lantern — added a whole new dimension to what they were doing. It goes on for two hours and keeps dropping new stuff at every turn.

There’s even the hint of a crossover, if I’m right in thinking that the young lady playing the pizza delivery girl is secretly (though inexplicably) cosplaying as Pokémon‘s Ash Ketchum:

But maybe that’s just a coincidence.

Either way, it’s a good time, and I’m particularly fond of the villains’ number in Act I (again, watch out for the swears) that segues into a bizarre Seinfeldian treatment of Two-Face and then a seriously clever bit with the Candy Themed villain who has the bright idea to actually try killing Batman.

Also, I’m not gonna lie, there is some pretty amazing Michael Caine-ing going on here.

The whole show is available to watch on YouTube, and if you want to check out the soundtrack, Starkid’s set up on Bandcamp too, where you can download it for any price you feel like paying. Give it a listen!

[Via Topless Robot]

Tags: Batman- Fan Films – FanFilms – Musicals- Secret Ash Ketchum Appearances – SecretAshKetchumAppearances- Starkid

Cartoon Network’s ‘Beware the Batman’ Teaser Video …..

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Caleb Goellner

The first official teaser footage of Cartoon Network’s upcoming CG animated Beware the Batman series has arrived, and it brings the wrath. The clip focuses solely on the Caped Crusader rather than his gun-toting ally Alfred and his new crimefighting partner Katana, and gives the distinct impression that villains like Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie aren’t going to be dealing with a kinder, gentler Batman. The show, which is staffed by executive producer Sam Register, and producers Glen Murakami (Batman Beyond) and Mitch Watson (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated), still doesn’t have a concrete release date, but is expected to drop in 2013. Check out the new Beware the Batman teaser after the jump.

Tags: Batman – Beware the Batman – BewareTheBatman – Cartoon Network – CartoonNetwork

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