Batman carries on beginning in ... The Dark Knight

http://www.metal-experience.com/images/bands/kreator2007/watain10032007-12.jpg

http://blogs.amctv.com/monsterfest/images/2007/07/10/ichi_killer.gif

Huh. Trailer is pretty okay. They seem to be combining Nicholson's Joker with DeVito's Penguin somehow, maybe with a dash of Hannibal Lecter. I can dig it. Batguy looks more like Tom Cruise in every thing I see.

Mostly Nicholson though. Wow.

Yeah, it's definitely a Nicholson-influenced take but not a clone. I've got no problem with that!

Christopher Nolan's IMDB pic is kind of creepy:

http://ia.imdb.com/media/imdb/01/I/21/07/12m.jpg

Sounds like Cesar Romero's j-laugh.

Whoo! I do kind of feel from that trailer like I've already seen the whole movie, but I'll watch the full-length just to have more time to gaze at Christian Bale.

I don't see Nicholson there at all -- whereas Jack's Joker was a sadistic, but ultimately aloof, refined villain whose violence was mediated by henchmen or circus-type gadgetry. THIS Joker seems like the type to actually pop out your eyes with his thumbs.

nichelson's joker wanted you to take the toast and put it between your knees

also, not sure the characterization is going to hold up for the whole movie, but I'm really impressed at Ledger's transformation as seen here, especially in the physicality & vocal range. that chirpy "like me!" bit gave me a chill.

contrast: jack nicholson doing a jack nicholson voice

Jack Nicholson is apparently "disgusted" by all of this.

I am apparently apathetic about what Jack Nicholson thinks of anything. You made "Anger Management," Jacko, and it can't have been for the money at this late stage in the game. Ergo your opinion means precisely shit.

See also: "The Bucket List."

Anyone seen the trailer? I normally don't like Hollywood-type movies, especially comic book movies. But this -- this looks good.

WhySoSerious?

At first, I thought Ledger was a bad choice for the Joker. I might have been wrong.

That full length trailer is pretty special - I love Ledger's take on the Joker, it really feels like he is bringing something different to it which is an achievement in itself. Am very much into his weird intonation and emphasis on words eg. "to them, you're just a freeeek". The tech and action side of things looks like it's been given a mighty shot too, terrific looking Batpod etc.

The first 70 minutes or so of Batman Begins was my favourite part of any film that year, so I have high expectations of Nolan this time round. On this basis he may have pulled it off!

The thing Batman Begins lacked -- despite being a really well-made film -- was a compelling villan at the center of it. The Scarecrow character was great, and very creepy, but there just wasn't enough of him in the film. From this trailer, it appears they've solved that problem.

There were several lesser villains working in association in Batman Begins -- Raz al Ghul, Dr. Crane / Scarecrow, and Falconi -- but yeah, I'm really interested to see if Ledger's Joker will steal this movie like I think he might.

Totally agree about the lack of a compelling villain in BB - it was once the plot creaked into the climax that I felt it lost its way (a bit, still head and shoulders above most other recent comic adaptations).

There's about 6 minutes of the opening heist here:

http://theluis.com/2007/12/video-dark-knight-6-minute-prologe.html

Quality is a bit bob, but the film itself looks *great*. Also has a superb old-school John Carpenter-esque musical theme running in the background, which I hope will make it to the final cut.

can't... stop... watching... trailer...

joker costume design A+

Haha. I've watched it too many times, too.

http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/onesheet.jpg

That is one hell of a poster.

I still don't like the tag line much, but its incorporated a lot better in that poster that the one posted a while back.

The only things I don't like about the trailer are his transportation devices (do they have to be so blocky and unstylish? The car still looks like a charcoal brisquet) and that Bale appears to still be making a raspy "Batman" voice different than his Bruce Wayne voice.

than the one posted a while back

Totally with you on raspy voice and vehicles, although my main concern is the bright shiny chi-town standing in for Gotham. R.I.P., Anton Furst.

people who hate on the nu-batmobile are hella fired.

nu-bat vehicles are too compensaty

The Burton Batman movies aren't very good in retrospect but they got the design stuff right. The Batmobile in those two films is still the best screen incarnation to date, IMO.

That said, I think the Nolan Batmobile looks appropriate for what he's doing with these films.

i.e. the utilitarian, quasi-"realistic" approach to Batman

that prologue is so awesomely 70s French heist flick! I'm glad that Nolan has decided that Batman movies can be genre movies other than superhero genre movies.
Also, is Michael Caine the only non-American who doesn't have to fake an accent (though I think he does anyway) in this movie?

or was it in the Prestige where Michael Caine tutors Christian Bale in a cockney accent?

The Prestige (btw) totally counts as a Batman movie, as does I'm Not There, since it has Bale vs. Ledger.

Totally OTM about heist flicks and genre swapping, all of which I love it in theory. Just miss the atmosphere.

yeah, but Burton Batflicks were nothing but atmosphere (which is totally a valid reason to love them) and Michelle Pfeiffer ushering me through puberty in 126 minutes.

That's the only about "Returns" that still holds up.

Walken's "unlimited poontang" line was the only other reason.

those little penguins with rockets were cute

omg new trailer!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iHufrsP9XMA

Hahah, nice.

Oh man, I hadn't seen that 6-minute clip until just now. I can barely wait!!

Spoilerish:
http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=21791

Worrisome. The problem with the first movie (as good as it was) is that it lacked a charismatic central villain to chew up scenery. Scarecrow would have been great, but -- apparently like the Joker here -- didn't get enough screentime to be that compelling central antagonist.

Still, the first film was great in spite of this flaw, and the promo for the new one looks even better.

Still, as they say in the piece, it's a neat peice of promotional slieght-of-hand. And the last time Bats fought the Joker on the big screen, the resulting film was terribly thinly-plotted.

Oh, I spelt 'Piece' two different ways there.

Two-Face is definitely better dramatic story arc fodder - I think its a good call to make him the focus, always loved the character (TLJ's performance/role was just a horrible disservice)

I watched the Burton Batman for the first time in years around xmas. Really charmed me. Almost every line felt like a nonsequitur! Jack Palance hissing anything >>>>>> Tom Wilkinson saying "you've never tasted desperate."

the first Burton movie is so awful. second one is much better

For the first half of the movie Batman doesn't really do anything other than flap his cape and harass (but not detain) criminals! Not sure how that's supposed to "stop crime" any more than a street mime does.

Not really a fan of the "utilitarian, quasi-'realistic'" man-in-tights film, but I'm still psyched to see this.

The second has a far more interesting set-up, but it kind of fluffs it in the second half. Wonderful art direction, though (duh, it's Burton).