Fans eagerly awaiting the final installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises,” were recently given another small glimpse of the highly anticipated film.
The first official promotional poster went viral on Monday, and fans were in a frenzy attempting to interpret any symbols that may lie within it.
The poster is dark and ominous, as the title implies, and illustrates what appears to be a post-apocalyptic Gotham City. The iconic bat symbol is outlined in white amid rubble, indicating that the hero will rise above it to save the destroyed city.
The cast of “The Dark Knight Rises” includes both old and new faces. Academy Award-winner Christain Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Michael Caine plays Batman’s voice of reason, Alfred Pennyworth. Veteran actors Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman star as Lucius Fox and Commissioner Gordon, respectively.
The flick also has some new additions to the A-list cast, such as the beautiful Anne Hathaway, who will play the iconic villain Catwoman. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who worked with Nolan in his most recent film, “Inception,” rounds out the high-profile cast, playing detective John Blake.
The hype surrounding the film has produced a fair amount of rumors, and the most recent speculation circulating around the web is that Liam Neeson will reprise the role of the evil Ra’s al Ghul from the first film of the series, “Batman Begins.” That character’s ambiguous “death” has left fans curious about his possible return.
Nolan is doing his best to keep details of the film as private as possible, however, refusing to comment on recent speculation. The notoriously stern director reportedly became very angry with Michael Caine for revealing too much about the movie in one recent interview. After the incident, Caine steered clear of revealing any details when he spoke to Britain’s Daily Express last week. “I’m lucky to mention the title,” he said. “I’ve already got in trouble for mention I’m working on it and that we’re filming.”
Fans who were thrilled with the promotional poster may get an even bigger treat if they head to the movie theater this weekend. The first official trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” is rumored to hit the big screen before the equally anticipated “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which premieres Friday.
Though fans will see hints in trailers and posters, they will have to wait a year for answers. The final “Batman” flick won’t hit theaters until July 20, 2012.