New Batman Posters – thread is potentially spoilery!

[Andrew]

Seb, I hope these are making you giddy – all the Dark Knight posters being released this week are lovely! Especially liking this one:

http://www.collider.com/uploads/imageGallery/Batman_The_Dark_Knight/the_dark_knight_movie_poster_harvey_dent.jpg

(It makes sense when you know he’s going to become Two Face.)

Viral fans are out on the streets tonight on a Joker mission. The marketing of this flick has been fab; so much smarter than Iron Man’s ‘clips ahoy’ system.

Topic

[Jonathan Capps]

I think it’s fair to say that the anticipation of this film is making me WET MY PANTS.

[Seb Patrick]

Oh, that is superb. The only one I’d seen so far was the excellent “fire in the building” one. The Joker one is great, too (although it’s kind of eerie seeing a “new” Heath poster). Well, in fact, they’re all great – it’s a nice theme (although I’m still not keen on the “Batpod”). It would seem to suggest that there’s going to be plenty of playing about with themes of duality and identity – which is good, because it’s one of the best things you can do with Batman.

Am I right in thinking there’s a new trailer due very soon?

I think this is going to kick the arse of every comic book movie since the second Spidey, frankly.

Incidentally, there’s a new deluxe edition of The Killing Joke just been released. While it’s far from Alan Moore’s best work, and not without its flaws, it’s pretty much essential reading if you want to get a handle (in advance) on the kind of Joker that Nolan is going for. I reviewed it here, but my basic prognosis was that while it’s well worth having, and the new recolouring job is lovely, it’s simply too short to justify an expensive hardback edition – so instead I’d recommend tracking down a copy of the original paperback, which you can get for around six or seven quid, I think…

[Seb Patrick]

Also, I REALLY like how it’s appearing more and more that Eckhart has a MUCH bigger role to play than we’d thought. I’m hoping it doesn’t go down the “too many villains” route so early in the franchise (I don’t think it will), but since we’re being introduced to the Joker after his “career” has already started (remember how Begins ended), it makes sense to do the Harvey transformation later in the film instead. But yeah, with all the publicity surrounding the Joker (even before Heath’s passing), it would seem that ol’ Harv is going to sneak up quietly.

And if he really does have a full-on transformation, and they really do manage to keep what he looks like quiet until shortly before the film is released, I’ll be even more impressed.

[Jonathan Capps]

As you say, I think all the focus on The Joker is hiding something massive. Personally, I don’t *fully* expect a transformation for Harvey in this movie and I’m hoping that all the noise The Joker stuff is generating will hide any surprise until people actually witness it in the cinema. I need to see this film AS SOON as it comes out.

[Andrew]

> Am I right in thinking there?s a new trailer due very soon?

It is suspected that THAT’S what everyone’s running around London for tonight… (Well, London and a dozen other places.)

> Incidentally, there?s a new deluxe edition of The Killing Joke just been released.

I was about to reply ‘I know’, then I realised – I knew cos I’d read your piece! (I have the old paperback, and I DO think it’s up to Moore’s standard – it’s just infinitely shorter, and thus less developed, than most. But brevity has its virtues.)

> I?m hoping it doesn?t go down the ?too many villains? route so early in the franchise

Ditto. I worried about this…until someone pointed out to me that BB has FOUR iconic/important villains, increasing in importance and scale as they go along (Joe Chill, Carmine Falcone, Scarecrow and Ra’s Al Ghul).

Plus there was room for a Victor Zsasz cameo. And they crammed Loeb and Flass in, too, despite having to set up Bruce, Alfred, Jim Gordon, Rachel Dawes and Lucius Fox. Man, has there been a more dense ‘opening chapter’ comic book movie?!

> it would seem that ol? Harv is going to sneak up quietly.

Did you see the rumours about how Eckhart’s Two Face role was shot? Because that sounds potentially veeeery interesting.

[pfm]

I don’t think it’s gonna suffer from too many villains. Surely Dent isn’t a villain at all in this installment?

I really want the Joker to die now that Heath Ledger won’t be around to reprise the role. They may have already had that planned, who knows, but originally I so wanted them to keep him alive, have him thrown in Arkham and then have some Arkham Asylum-inspired action in the third movie

As for how he’s gonna be portrayed in TDK, I seem to remember Nolan saying they were aiming more for the early ’40s Joker as opposed to The Killing Joke. Of course, they’ll have their own original take on him as well. What we can be sure of is we ain’t gonna get a toned-down played-for-laughs Joker. He is obviously the brutal, sadistic homicidal maniac he always should be!

[Mr Flibble]

Is that poster real? Hasn’t everything else had “DARK” centered over the shield?

[Somebody]

I’m sure I read that the plan was for Joker to get captured in movie 2, then have a relatively small role in movie 3 with Batman checking in to try and get info on Two-Face (who would be the main villain in movie 3), and possibly something bigger in movie 4 if they got that far.

With that all out of the window, who knows what they’ll do – I wouldn’t bet on them having the footage to do a Joker death scene, but I suppose it’s not impossible.

[Seb Patrick]

“Note : The Joker died on the way back to his home planet”

[Arlene Rimmer BSc SSc]

Is that the same planet Poochie came from?

[TheLeen]

The Harvey Dent poster is fab, but I still prefer the old “why so serious?” one.

http://www.startv.com/blog/vipaccess/images/news/why%20so%20serious.jpg

It’s so bloody brilliant in such a bloody obvious way hat it makes me ask myself why it took decades of Batman franchise to eventually come up with it.

[Andrew]

Trailer on its way:

http://www.whysoserious.com/happytrails

The trailer hunt seems to produced a genuinely bizarre result – copies of the trailer…literally:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/nutteronabus/P1030457.jpg

[Seb Patrick]

Yeah, a guy I work with went on it last night. They were given the reel and told to take it to the Odeon, where it was shown – and then raffled off to one person.

Marleen : I agree. One of the greatest movie posters ever, I think.

[Danny Stephenson]

http://www.whysoserious.com/happytrails

Wow they really have gone to town with the advertising, haven’t they?

Click on the “www.gothamtimes.com” in the corner and that takes you to a newspaper, you can click on the “Ha” in Gotham which brings up a Joker-vandalised version of the newspaper.

I wonder how deep the rabbit hole goes…

[Phil]

>?Note : The Joker died on the way back to his home planet?

I love you.

[Jonathan Capps]

I rewatched Batman Begins today and I was struck with just HOW much I love that film. I remember it being excellent, but I don’t remember enjoying it as much as I did today. I think a lot of that is to do with the fact I’ve caught up with Year One, Long Halloween and Dark Victory since my last viewing, so I had a much more solid grasp of the universe.

My anticipation of the new film has now reached fever pitch.

[Andrew]

> My anticipation of the new film has now reached fever pitch.

Which is ironic, because nobody had any sense of anticipation for the movie Fever Pitch.

[ChrisM]

There is a whole bunch of posters here.

I think you’ve probably seen most of them already, but there might be 1 or two you missed. I quite like the last one on the bottom right and the batbike/lawmaster scene bottom left.

[Ben Paddon]

Have you guys seen “The Dork Knight”?

YouTube it. You need to see it. A bunch of film reels of the trailer were raffled off, and when one of the winners played their copy… well, you need to see it.

[Seb Patrick]

That’s… fantastic.

God, this is just about the best movie marketing campaign in history, isn’t it?

[pfm]

I think what’s best about it is that we KNOW we’re gonna get a good movie at the end of it all. Nolan’s track record says it all really. Not to mention the fact that 99% of material we’ve seen from TDK so far has been pure gold. The opening 6 minute pre-titles scene, which I’m sure some of you have seen, is brilliant, it’s very much like a comic brought to the screen, particularly the dialogue.

I don’t listen to idiots banging on about the batsuit, it HAS to be how it is, get the fuck over it. Also, the Joker’s skin not chemically bleached – the problem with this is WHAT exactly? It’s much much better for his character that he chooses to paint his face than sticking with previous origins.

[Seb Patrick]

Yeah, I like the makeup idea – it means that the way it (apparently) deteriorates over the course of the film makes him look much fucking creepier. Although I do hope they keep in some element of there having been an accident that causes him to go nuts and become disfigured – which I think they are. They’re just taking away the “bleached skin” aspect. Which is fine.

[Andrew]

On the subject of comic book movies: STAY TO THE END OF THE CREDITS WHEN YOU SEE IRON MAN.

(Also, the film is great fun. Put down GTA IV for a few hours and see it.)

[Seb Patrick]

Yes, I’ve heard about the post-credits scene, and I will be sticking around for it tonight :-)

[ChrisM]

My only worry about post credits sequences in the cinema is others further in the queue wanting to get out while your sitting there… (That being said I managed it for X3 and noone else in the row was in a hurry to budge… suggesting maybe they knew about the little twist too. Or maybe they saw me watching and thought… “Hmmm what’s he waiting for?” Probably no that.)

Still I guess it’s still possible to move out for them and hang around until the end. Assuming you don’t get caught in the exodus crowd on the way out.

I’d love to see the film. And The Dark Knight. And the new Hulk film for that matter.

Darn my lack of funds, I really need to amp up my job-hunting.

[Mr Flibble]

What’s funniest is when you have a film that you think should have an end credit sequence, but doesn’t, so a few people wait around, obviously waiting for something more and… nothing.

But to be honest, except for things like the Simpsons, where everyone knew that there would be an end credits sequence after the other in credit sequence, after the first week, so few people stay for these things. PotC3 is an example – so few people watched that it was unreal.

[Ian Symes]

Am I the only person who likes to stick around to the end of the credits even if there *isn’t* a post-credits sequence?

[Phil]

I like to do that, too. It gives you a chance to reflect on what you’ve been through before returning to the “real” world. It’s kind of like leaving the film behind gradually, rather than immediately and all at once. A chance to linger a bit in the mood of the film.

[Andrew]

> Am I the only person who likes to stick around to the end of the credits even if there *isn?t* a post-credits sequence?

Not at all. I do if I’m with people, less often if I’m on my own.

We got our money back – well, free tickets to come again, anyway – on Pirates 3 because the projectionist cut the film just as the post-credits scene was appearing. Gimp.

[Jonathan Capps]

http://www.whysoserious.com/happytrails/trailer.htm

!

[Danny Stephenson]

GOD THAT LOOKS GOOD!!!

[Pete Part Three]

>PotC3 is an example – so few people watched that it was unreal.

I’d imagine they wanted to get out of the cinema as quickly as possible.

[Jonathan Capps]

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”.

Excellent. Also, it seems Harvey is lying half face down in some liquid which seems to be ignited. Has it been confirmed that he wont be getting his injuries during the Sal Maroni trial, then?

[pfm]

Nothing’s confirmed, apart from the fact that he IS Two-Face earlier in the movie than people first though. With Dent engaged to Rachel Dawes and The Joker rumoured (not confirmed) to kill her and burn Dent’s face, it seems both Batman and Two-Face are gonna be hunting The Joker at the end.

Which classic Batman characters would you like to see in the third film? I think Vicki Vale and Oswald Cobblepot(Penguin), even though they were both prominent in the Burton films. Barbara Gordon should maybe get a role too. Would they dare bring in Dick Grayson??

I still think Rachel should somehow have been Talia al Ghul!

[Dave]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Egghead_batman.jpg

[Jonathan Capps]

> and The Joker rumoured (not confirmed) to kill her and burn Dent?s face, it seems both Batman and Two-Face are gonna be hunting The Joker at the end.

This new trailer add some credence to that, since the Joker is talking about giving the city a villain. Looks like his ‘creation’ of Two-Face is going to be more pre-meditated than a random face burning.

[Danny Stephenson]

I have a feeling there will be a few dead herrings as to the origin of Two Face, I think the trailer is a little misleading, but it made me think the same thing.

[Ben Paddon]

Red Herring. It’s a Red Herring. There’s no such bloody thing as a “Dead” Herring.

Besides, y’know, herrings that are dead.

[Jonathan Capps]

You don’t know what a Blackadder is, do you?

[Ben Paddon]

I do. I’m just not as familiar with it as others might be.

Edit: Oh, ha ha.

[Andrew]

Vicki Vale would be okay, but there’s really only a place for her if Rachel’s gone. Penguin could be interestingly realised, given how Nolan’s handling the eccentricities.

I’m hoping Scarecrow will return (he’s still rumoured for Dark Knight, in fact). The Gordon family could certainly appear – again, it suits the style these films are going for. Robin, on the other hand, really doesn’t.

I’d love to see an adaptation of The Cult, myself (fat chance!).

[Seb Patrick]

Download the Quicktime version and pause it at 2.03… you don’t see much, but you see enough…

[Danny Stephenson]

oh yes, so you do!! I really am finding it very difficult to wait to see this film.

[Jonathan Capps]

Also, is that Two-Suit I spot?

[Seb Patrick]

Yeah, the mostly-hidden part of his suit is DEFINITELY a different pattern to the rest of it. Awesome stuff. I hope that’s as much as we see of him, but with so long to go until release, I’m sure there’ll be more shots on the way.

Note as well the moment shortly before that, where the Joker appears to be dropping someone off a building… could this be the other pivotal moment in Harvey’s transformation?

(incidentally, Andrew – since I can’t edit the first post in a thread, could you change the subject line of this at some point to say that the thread is potentially spoilery?)

[Andrew]

> where the Joker appears to be dropping someone off a building?

Seems to be going that way, doesn’t it. And if you see that shot as being the reason for the later image of Bruce, in the suit, blue-lit and brooding…it all starts to fit.

That Harvey shot at 2:02 a killer spoiler-wise, too. SUCH a smart campaign. I know a lot of the initial reaction was that this trailer didn’t show much more than we already knew – but that’s the surface ‘if you see it fly past at the cinema’ reaction. Those who want to get hardcore about it get rewarded with loads more info, Joe Bloggs gets a decent trailer that still lets the movie hold all sorts of surprises. Canny.

[TheLeen]

> That Harvey shot at 2:02 a killer spoiler-wise, too.

What!! Harvey Dent is Two-Face?!

Hmm, the entire “spoiler” thing doesn’t quite work for the Batman universe. :(

[TheLeen]

Has anyone had their “Joker” piccie taken yet, by the way?

[Seb Patrick]

What!! Harvey Dent is Two-Face?!

Hmm, the entire ?spoiler? thing doesn?t quite work for the Batman universe. :(

Yeah, but there’s a lot you can do with Harvey (see Year One) BEFORE turning him into Two-Face. The point is, while we all kinda knew what was happening because we’re following it, it’s largely been kept under wraps amid the publicity machine. This is the first time they’ve explicitly acknowledged to the public at large (at least, those with sharp eyes!) what’s going to happen…

[Andrew]

> Hmm, the entire ?spoiler? thing doesn?t quite work for the Batman universe. :(

Sure it does, because a) not everyone knows the comics (or the films, or shows; you may know he exists, you wouldn’t necessarily know his old name/alter-ego), and b) the spoiler part is that he transforms IN THIS FILM. The publicity has been very careful to avoid that fact, and I guarantee that the non-geek audience is going to be pretty shocked when it happens. People generally think they’re getting a Batman vs Joker flick.

[Author]

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