Welcome to a World Without Rules

The marketing campaign for The Dark Knight has hit it out of the park yet again.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

With less than three months until release the marketing for The Dark Knight is really starting to heat up. The unveiling of a new trailer is imminent, viral campaigns are going stronger than ever, and photos and press from the flick are being spread all over the net. Today Warner Bros upped the ante, revealing a new poster for the public to feast on. Check it out below.



The art of the one-sheet, or movie poster, is easily one of my favourite parts of the cinema experience. It's the perfect piece of film memorabilia, providing a window into the movie it portrays. This new poster for The Dark Knight is no exception. It's visual and symbolic but is able to stay open for interpretation. Christian Bale's Batman looks badass as always, especially in the new suit, as the blazing emblem above menacingly glares down at him. And, while there's no trace of The Joker in this poster just seeing the signal aflame is enough to bring him to mind.

The Dark Knight has really made its mark when it comes to quality posters. The marketing team has continued to one-up previous posters with each new release, something to be proud of considering the excellence of the initial teaser sheet. It's incredibly hard to pick a favourite out of the lot and I'll probably end up buying them all.

What do you guys think of the new poster for The Dark Knight? Which TDK poster have you named as your favourite? Post a comment and let us know what you think.

The Dark Knight hits theatres on July 18th. Are you ready for a world without rules?

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Controversial Joker Scene in TDK Being Cut?

Rumours claim Warner Bros. intends to cut a controversial Joker scene from this summer's The Dark Knight.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

This was bound to happen. Test screenings for The Dark Knight have been taking place all across the United States as of late and the film has been very well received. However, many test audiences have shown disgust towards a scene which, due to the recent death of Heath Ledger, has been labeled quite controversial. Warner Bros. is pondering whether or not they should snip the footage out of the film.



The scene in question features Ledger playing possum in a body bag.

It's easy to understand where these test audiences are coming from. Nobody wants to be reminded of Ledger's death while watching The Dark Knight and seeing the deceased actor in a body bag is sure to cause some moans. However, this is Christopher Nolan's vision and arguably Ledger's biggest performance, let the scene stand. The role of the Joker has always meant to be a controversial one and it would be a disservice to Ledger to tame the character due the Aussie's recent passing.

Hopefully Warner Bros. decides against cutting the scene from the film. However, if it is cut, the scene could easily be restored once The Dark Knight hits DVD. Also, keep in mind these are simply rumours and that Warner may simply leave the footage alone.

What are your guys' thoughts? Should a scene featuring Heath Ledger's Joker in a body bag be cut from TDK? Post a comment and share your thoughts.

The Dark Knight hits theatres on July 18th. Keep posted to MediaZEALOT as we'll keep you up to date on the film leading up until its release.

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Conroy to Voice Batman in Gotham Knight

The Batman veteran will once again lend his voice to the Dark Knight.

MediaZEALOT ran an article a week ago about the confirmation Christian Bale may not voice The Bat in the upcoming Batman: Gotham Knight. Well, today DC and Warner Home Entertainment have revealed Kevin Conroy will once again be the man behind the voice of Batman.



As much as I love Kevin Conroy's Batman I am disappointed by this announcement. Bale should be the one doing this project. Gotham Knight is about Batman in Christopher Nolan's universe, not the one found in Batman: The Animated Series. Bringing Conroy into the mix just blurs the line between what has come before and what is now.

I'm still enthusiastic about Batman: Gotham Knight. However, quite a bit of my excitement has been lost due to Bale not taking part.

Batman: Gotham Knight hits DVD and Blu-ray disc on July 8th.

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Harley Quinn in TDK?

Soap Opera star's agent lists The Dark Knight as one of her current productions.

RDF Management, a talent agency based out of London, has listed the role of Harley Quinn in The Dark Knight on one of its client's pages. Click HERE to check it out. According to the agency Sarah Jayne Dunn will play the supervillainess in this summer's Batman film. Christopher Nolan has denied the character's involvement in the film up to this point but has not yet commented on today's recent discovery.



I doubt that Dunn will be showing off the red and black tights in TDK. Nolan wouldn't introduce a third villain into the mix and I doubt that it would be kept secret for this long if he had done so. I can see the British actress playing a small role as one of The Joker's accomplices in the film but not in traditional Harley Quinn form.

Then again, Sarah Jayne Dunn is a soap opera star. It's hard to believe someone from mid-afternoon TV would have a chance at coming out on top in an audition for Chris Nolan.

We'll find out soon enough whether or not Harley Quinn will be a part of The Dark Knight. MediaZEALOT will keep you posted on all things TDK up until its release in July.

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Gotham Knight DVD Release Date Announced

Batman: Gotham Knight will hit DVD shops on July 8th.

DC and Warner Home Video have announced that their The Dark Knight anime tie-in DVD will arrive in July just over a week before the feature film hits theatres. There will be three versions available come the 8th. A standard one-disc affair, a two-disc special edition, and a Blu-ray version featuring all the content from the special edition. There was no mention of the release of the previously speculated deluxe-edition of Batman Begins.



Unfortunately, it appears that Christian Bale may not voice Batman in Gotham Knight as originally speculated. Apparently it was only a rumour that he was attached to the project and someone else will lend their voice to the character. Let's hope Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) is the one voicing the Bat. In an ideal world it would be Bale but Conroy comes a close second.

MediaZEALOT ran a sneak-preview of Gotham Knight earlier this month, click HERE to check it out. Stay tuned as we'll be keeping tabs on this DVD release and will review it come July.

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Two-Face Revealed?

Is this what Two-Face will look like in Nolan's Batman Begins sequel?

Pictures of Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face in The Dark Knight have surfaced on the net. Whether or not the photos are real is up for debate but they look fairly authentic. The character looks deformed yet menacing but also quite different than he does in the comics. Nolan and his team have definitely created a more realistic Two-Face if these two pics are indeed real.



The Dark Knight releases worldwide on July 18th. Check back to MediaZEALOT for updates on the film leading up until its release.



UPDATE: These are confirmed Photoshop fakes. Although, to tell the truth, I'm a fan of how the character looks in these pics. Exaggerate the deformation a little bit more and it'd be perfect. However, Two-Face in the film could look completely different as these are just fan mock-ups. Sorry for the the misinformation guys.

UPDATE 2: Pictures of the Mattel Two-Face toy from The Dark Knight have appeared online. The toy was shown during a restricted press event at Toy Fair over the weekend. Photos of the figure were prohibited and as a result the pictures are extremely blurry as they had to be taken without detection. The toy should be a good indication of what Two-Face will look like in the film. Scroll down for the sharpest (while still super blurry) picture of the toy.



The toy looks great and hopefully Two-Face looks just as good in the film. The left side of his face looks great and very rough. I'm also glad they used purple instead of a more subtle colour for the disfigurement. What do you guys think of the toy and the character's look?

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Batman: Gotham Knight Sneak Peak

A sneak peak at the Batman: Gotham Knight DVD has hit the net.

Batman: Gotham Knight is an anime anthology DVD which will be released in the weeks prior to The Dark Knight hitting cinemas. There will be six interlocking stories on the DVD from creators such as Josh Olsen (A History of Violence), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics), Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series), and Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets). Christian Bale will, naturally, lend his voice to the project as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Check out the sneak peak below:



Warner Bros has also confirmed that a deluxe edition of Batman Begins will be released at the same time as Batman: Gotham Knight on both DVD and Blu-ray. An uber-deluxe edition will also be released combining the two. Click HERE to pre-order your copy over at Amazon.

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FILM: Aaron Eckhart IS Harvey Dent

After months of speculation, director Christopher Nolan finally has his District Attorney for the upcoming The Dark Knight.

People all over the net have been speculating for months who will play Harvey Dent and his alter ego Two-Face in the upcoming Batman Begins sequel. Edward Norton had his name tossed around, so did Jamie Foxx and Josh Lucas, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was even a contender at one point, but neither one of these gentlemen were able to snag the part. Today it was announced that Aaron Eckhart (Thank You For Smoking, Erin Brockovich) has taken the role and will star alongside Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, and recently announced Maggie Gyllenhaal in the upcoming The Dark Knight.



I REALLY like this casting choice. Ekhart has proven he can play straight roles as well as comedic characters and I feel that he'll be a great fit. Hopefully he'll be able to capture the role of the determined and passionate Harvey Dent yet be able to twist full circle and play the relentless villain Two-Face. Like Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eckhart must really capture the relationship that Harvey Dent shares with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) in the film. The two are friends, and both fight crime their own way, hopefully that comes across well in the picture.

Now, it's not clear whether or not Dent will transform into Two-Face during the course of the sequel or if it will be left open for a third film. It may likely occur as a cliff-hanger setting up the next film, but that's just speculation.

What do you guys think of this casting choice for Harvey Dent? Are WB and Christopher Nolan on to something with Eckhart or is he completely miscast? Post a comment and let me know your opinion.

Check for more news on The Dark Knight leading up to its release in the summer of 2008.

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FILM: Maggie Gyllenhaal IS Rachel Dawes

We knew Katie Holmes wouldn't be reprising her role as Rachel Dawes in the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, but who was WB going to cast in her place? Maggie Gyllenhaal of course.

While Warner Bros. hasn't yet publicly announced the casting of Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes in the upcoming The Dark Knight, sources say she has won the part. The studio understandably didn't ask Katie Holmes back for the sequel and her part has been recast.

Gyllenhaal's has quite a reputation when it comes to the indie circuit but hasn't yet made her mark in the mainstream. She's been in such films as Stranger Than Fiction, World Trade Center, Secretary, Donnie Darko (in which she played alongside her brother Jake), and the upcoming Paris, je t'aime (which I am uber pumped for).



I'm a fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal's work and I can see her playing a great Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight. Some say she doesn't have the looks to play a leading love interest but I think she has her own nuances and high grade acting chops that will help her continue the character yet re-create Dawes for herself. Another thing I notice about Gyllenhaal is that she is great at creating chemistry with her co-stars who act alongside her. I thought the relationship she shared with Will Ferrell in Stranger Than Fiction was very believable and hopefully she can capture that same feeling with actor Christian Bale.

I look forward to seeing Maggie Gyllenhaal in The Dark Knight when it hits theatres summer 2008.

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FILM: The Dark Knight - Who is Harvey Dent?

Shooting has started on Warner Bros' sequel to Batman Begins. Who will play Harvey Dent?

Earlier this week Warner Bros. announced that Katie Holmes will not be returning for the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, instead her character will be re-cast. It was also leaked that the film has begun production. One thing is still uncertain though, who will play Harvey Dent? Here are some actors who have been rumoured for the part along with my opinions on how they'd benefit the character.

Josh Lucas:

Josh Lucas has been pretty vocal about wanting in on The Dark Knight production, stating on talk shows that he's interested in the part and would love to play a character in the upcoming film. While he does resemble the Harvey Dent found in the comics, at least more so than some of the rumoured "Dents", I don't think he'd work. First off, Josh Lucas just doesn't seem to have the grit and power needed for the role in my opinion. He might have worked if he was cast in one of Joel Schumacher's one-liner driven Batman movies, but I don't think he fits in a much darker Batman movie. I've also heard that WB is trying to acquire a household name to play the character, I don't think Josh Lucas is quite there yet.



Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson:

Rumours have surfaced that the man made famous by the WWF (now WWE) may be in the running for the role of Harvey Dent. Some may consider this possibility to be completely out of left-field but I think it could work, if done right. The Rock has the physical presence to play a powerful Two-Face and could seem to be a menace as District Attorney of Gotham City. He also resembles Harvey Dent as seen in the Batman Animated Series that ran in the early 90's. Personally I'd prefer to see someone else in the role, but Dwayne Johnson could turn out to be a surprise hit in The Dark Knight. Then again, this could all be a complete rumour.

Edward Norton:

Another actor who has been rumoured to appear alongside Christian Bale in The Dark Knight is Edward Norton. Now, I'm a fairly big Ed Norton fan and I've enjoyed a lot of his previous work (Fight Club, American History X) and I'm sure he'd be a great choice. Norton definitely has the acting chops, would be able to show a darker side of Harvey Dent/Two Face, and often disappears into his characters. Ed Norton also often manages to have great chemistry with the other actors on-screen, something that would really benefit the friendship of Dent and Bruce Wayne. I think he'd be perfect.

Jamie Foxx:

Jamie Foxx is another actor being considered for the role who I think would do an excellent job. Foxx has portrayed characters of authority and power in the past and has shown audiences that he has the ability to twist himself into characters that may seem unorthodox. He also has a an emotional quality to him that, as with Edward Norton, would help with show his connection to Bruce Wayne and his assistant, Rachel Dawes. Jamie Foxx has also won an Oscar, something that would benefit the film's sales.



Aaron Eckhart:

Aaron Eckhart has also recently been rumoured to play Dent and I think he'd do a fairly good job. Eckhart has proven he can play both comedic and serious roles and I thoroughly enjoyed Thank You For Smoking. Eckhart has the charm needed to play a charasmatic district attorney but how well would he play the twisted character of Two-Face. I'm not sure if I like this choice when compared to Norton or Foxx, but I do think Eckhart would give the role a run for its money.

I'm sure there are other actors in the running for the role of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight that haven't been announced. I'm sure that in the end Christopher Nolan and WB will make the right choice. Batman Begins was very well cast and I'm sure we'll be able to say the same about it's sequel.

Cheers.

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