[34][35][39] The Joker was written as a purely evil psychopath and anarchist who lacks reason, logic, and fear, and could test the moral and ethical limits of Batman, Dent, and Gordon. [be] The film has been referenced in a variety of media including television shows such as Robot Chicken, South Park, and The Simpsons. Howard and Zimmer composed the score without seeing the film because Christopher wanted them to be influenced by the characters and story rather than fitting specific on-screen elements. It was the first superhero film to gross over $1billion, the highest-grossing film of 2008 worldwide, the fourth film to earn more than $1billion, and the fourth-highest-grossing film of its time behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($1.066billion), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($1.119billion), and Titanic ($1.842billion). Analysts said its success would be influenced by the lengthy running time that limited the number of screenings per day, and counter-programming from the romantic comedy Mamma Mia!which surveyed well with womenand the family comedy Space Chimps. [102] The sequence continued on LaSalle Street, which was also used for the GCPD funeral procession, for a practical truck-flip stunt and helicopter sequence. ", "Ledger's Oscar Bid From Beyond The Grave", "Posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger's Joker Performance? During the interrogation scene, Ledger asked Bale to actually hit him, and although he declined, Ledger cracked and dented the walls by throwing himself around. According to English professor Daniel Boscaljon, Dent is not broken; he believes in a different form of justice in a seemingly unjust world, flipping a coin because it is "Unbiased. From, "Best Comic Book Movies and Superhero Movies", "We Ranked The 54 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time, From, "The 50 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time", "Best Superhero Movies: 30 Great Superhero Films To Watch Right Now", "The 30 Best Superhero Movies Since Blade", "The 100 Best Superhero Movies Of All Time", "The 32 Best Superhero Movies for a Movie Night ASAP", "100 Best Movies of All Time That You Should Watch Immediately", "Barry Norman's 100 Greatest Films of All Time", "The 25 Best Blockbuster Sequels Of All Time", "Revenge of the Movie: 15 Sequels That Are Way Better Than The Originals", "35 Sequels That Are Better Than The Original Movie", "17 Sequels That Are Better Than The Original, From, "Best Movies of the 2000s: 35 Best Films of the 2000s, Ranked", "Film Critics Pick The Best Movies of the Decade", "The 100 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century: 10 1", "Every Single Batman Movie, Ranked from Worst to Best", "Ranking the Batman Movies from Worst to Best", "Batman Movies Ranked from Worst to Best", "The Best of the Dark Knight: Every Batman Movie (Including, "What's The Best Batman Movie? "[57] In a November 2007 interview, Ledger said when committing himself to any role, he had difficulty sleeping because he could not relax his mind, and often slept only two hours a night during filming. All the Batman actors: ranked and in film order | Radio Times [ay] Roger Ebert said the Joker forces impossible ethical decisions on each character to test the limits of their morality. [ap] Eckhart's performance was generally well received; reviewers praised his portrayal of Dent as charismatic, and the character's subsequent transformation into a sad, bitter "monster", although Variety considered his subplot the film's weakest. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. [ax] A novelization written by Dennis O'Neil was released in 2008. [417], The Dark Knight was followed by The Dark Knight Rises (2012), the conclusion of The Dark Knight Trilogy. [at] Genre films such as those based on comic books were also generally ignored by Academy voters. [154][156], Zimmer wanted to use a single note for the Joker's theme; he said, "imagine one note that starts off slightly agitated and then goes to serious aggravation and finally rips your head off at the end". [154][156][157] The theme was influenced by electronic music innovators Kraftwerk and Zimmer's work with rock band The Damned. [e] Christopher and Goyer did not give their Joker an origin story or a narrative arc, believing it made the character scarier; Christopher described their film as the "rise of the Joker". Zimmer did not consider Batman to be strictly noble and wrote the theme to not seem "super". [311] Adlakha wrote Dent is framed as a religious icon, his campaign slogan being "I believe in Harvey Dent", and his eventual death leaves his arms spread wide like Jesus on the Cross. Unprejudiced. [f], With Christopher's help, his brother Jonathan spent six months developing the story into a draft screenplay. [325] The Joker aims to corrupt Dent to prove anyone, even symbols, can be broken. The Dark Knight - Wikipedia [310] According to historian Stephen Prince, The Dark Knight is about the consequences of civil and government authorities abandoning rules in the fight against terrorism. The Hollywood Reporter said Ledger received several ovations, and that during the after-party, Warner Bros. executives struggled to maintain a balance between celebrating the successful response and commemorating Ledger. The plot follows the vigilante Batman, police lieutenant James Gordon, and district attorney Harvey Dent, who form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City. For other uses, see, Zimmer based Joker's theme around two notes that would become increasingly "agitated as the track progressed. The Bat Bunker was based on 1960s Chicago building designs, and was integrated into existing concrete floor, and used the 200-foot (61m) long, 8ft (2.4m) tall ceiling to create a broad perspective. Christopher wanted several Rottweiler dogs in the scene but locating a dog-handler willing to simultaneously manage several dogs was difficult. [34], The first scene filmed was the bank heist, which was shot in the Old Chicago Main Post Office over five days. The release has a slipcover box-art that revealed a "Jokerized" version underneath, and contains featurettes on Batman's equipment, the psychology used in the film, six episodes of the fictional news program Gotham Tonight, and a gallery of concept art, posters, and Joker cards. [81][96] It was scheduled early to test the IMAX procedure, allowing it to be refilmed with traditional cameras if needed, and it was intended to be publicly released as part of the marketing campaign. [219], Several publications called The Dark Knight the best comic-book hero adaptation ever made. Their efforts are derailed by the Joker, an an Christian Bale, Batman Begins. Warner Bros. By Damion Damaske / Feb. 10, 2023 9:40 am EST. He flips his coin to decide their fates, but Batman tackles him to save Gordon's son, and Dent falls to his death. [101][106] The entire sequence was filmed in one day and involved 800 extras, who were moved through makeup and clothing departments in shifts. The bosses accept the Joker's offer, and he kills high-profile targets involved in the trial, including the judge and police commissioner. The score was recorded at Air Studios, London. [201][208] Its reissue in the run-up to the Oscars enabled the film to exceed $1billion in February,[209] and it ultimately earned $1.003billion. ", "The 50 Greatest Movie Villains Of All Time, Ranked", "50 Greatest Superhero Movie Performances of All Time", "The 15 Best Movie Villains of the 21St Century, Ranked", "50 Best Superhero Movie Performances of the Last 50 Years, From Ben Affleck To Zendaya", "The Secret to the Joker's Pencil Trick Is That There Is No Pencil", "11 Things You Never Knew About The Dark Knight", "Top Movie Movements: #95 "Why so serious? This, paired with the gritty realism not usually seen in superhero movies, is why many fans regard the Dark Knight trilogy as their favorite Batman movie adaptation. The DCU's Batman Is Breaking a Dark Knight Movie Trend Christian Bale Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Of this group, West is the only one to have also played Batman in It is often said that history repeats itself, and so it did when Ben Industry professionals considered the campaign innovative and successful. [145][146] Sculptor Julian Murray developed Dent's burnt-facial design, which is based on Christopher's request for a skeletal appearance. Warner Bros. considered its strategy a success, delaying the appearance of the first "poorly-lit" camcorder version until 3848 hours after its earliest global release in Australia. [101][104][105], Navy Pier, along the shore of Lake Michigan, served as Gotham Harbor in a climactic ferry scene. [bc] Its financial, critical, and cultural successes legitimized the genre with film studios at a time when recent films, such as Daredevil, Hulk (both 2003), Fantastic Four (2005), and Superman Returns (2006) had failed to meet expectations. HBO's Batman Spinoff Series Casts Clancy Brown As Crime Boss It is considered the "blueprint" for many modern superhero films, particularly for its rejection of a typical comic-book film style in favor of a crime film that features comic-book characters. He added a "punk" influence alongside inspirations from electronic and rock music. Ben Affleck Is Batman: 16 Actors Who Played the Dark Knight The very first live-action version of the Dark Knight came in the 1943 film serial and he was portrayed by Lewis Wilson. [bp], The Dark Knight remains popular with audiences in publicly voted rankings. [172][173], Compared to 2007's $9.7billion box-office take, in 2008, lower revenues were expected due to the large number of comedies competing against each other and the release of films with dark tones, such as The Dark Knight, during a period of rising living costs and election fatigue in the U.S. [122], The final nine days of production took place in Hong Kong and included aerial footage from atop the International Finance Centre, as well as filming at Central to Mid-Levels escalator, The Center, Central, The Peninsula Hong Kong, and Queen's Road; and a stunt involving Batman catching an in-flight C-130 aircraft. [48][49][50] Because the new Batsuit allowed him to be more agile, Bale did not increase his muscle mass as much as he had for Batman Begins. [80], Much of The Dark Knight was filmed using Panavision's Panaflex Millennium XL and Platinum cameras but Christopher wanted to film about 40 minutes with IMAX cameras, a high-resolution technology using 70 mm film rather than the more-commonly used format 35 mm; the finished film includes 1520% IMAX footage, running for about 28 minutes. Unlike Batman, the Joker is the same with or without makeup, having no identity to conceal and nothing to lose. [34][39] Writer Alan Moore's graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke (1988), did not influence the main narrative but Christopher believed his interpretation of the Joker as someone partially driven to prove anyone can become like him when pushed far enough helped the Nolans give purpose to an "inherently purposeless" character. Dent defers his decision-making to his half-scarred, two-headed coin, killing the corrupt officers and the mafia involved in Rachel's death. [220][310] Batman represents order to the Joker's chaos and is brought to his own limit but avoids completely compromising himself. ", "Huge Bat-Signals Projected Over NYC + Chicago", "Warner Bros. Moves Against Web Copies Of, "For Movies, A Summer That's Shy On Sequels", "Top Single Day Grosses By Day of the Week", "Top Single Day Non-opening Grosses By Day of the Week (Tuesday)", "Top Single Day Non-opening Grosses By Day of the Week (Wednesday)", "Warner Bros. Entertainment Wraps Record-Breaking Year", "Review: Heath Ledger's Joker Inflames A Despairing, "The Best Films Of 2008 And There Were A Lot Of Them", "Film Critics' Top 10 Lists All Over The Map", "Editor's Picks: The Ten Best Movies Of 2008", "Harry's Picks for the Top Ten Films Of 2008!!! DC Just Brought Batman Back to Life, With a Twist [61][131] Christopher added a dedication to Ledger and stuntman Conway Wickliffe, who died during rehearsals for a Tumbler (Batmobile) stunt. [bk], The Dark Knight remains popular with entertainment industry professionals, including directors, actors, critics, and stunt actors, being ranked 57th on The Hollywood Reporter's poll of the best films ever made,[357] 18th on Time Out's list of the best action films,[388] and 96th on the BBC's list of the 100 Greatest American Films. [249] A further four wins came at the 35th People's Choice Awards: Favorite Movie, Favorite Cast, Favorite Action Movie, and Favorite On-Screen Match-Up (Bale and Ledger),[250] as well as Best Action Movie and Best Supporting Actor (Ledger) at the 14th Critics' Choice Awards. The joker playing card scene in Batman Begins was intended to convey the fallacy of Batman's belief his war on crime would be temporary. This Time, It's Different", "Internet Meme: "Everyone Loses Their Minds" Meme (The Joker; The Dark Knight)", "Everyone Loses Their Minds The Joker Meme", "Empire's 500 Greatest Movies of All Time", "Readers' Poll: The 15 Greatest Superhero Movies", "The Flip Side Of Justice: The Two-faced Spirit Of The Dark Knight", "What Do You Believe In? [117][118], After returning to England in the middle of September, scenes were filmed for the ferry, hospital, and Gotham Prewitt building interiors. After submitting the draft to Warner Bros., Jonathan spent a further two months refining it until Christopher had finished directing The Prestige. [141][142] The unwieldy, wide-tired vehicle could only be ridden by stuntman Jean Pierre Goy after months of training. [af][ag] Rereleases have further raised its box-office take to $1.006billion. [o] According to Christopher, Eckhart had the all-American charm and "aura of a good man pushed too far". However, it was forgotten, and so was the actor who played Batman. Based on the DC Comics supervillain of the same name, the Joker is depicted as a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped, sadistic sense of humor. [89], Principal photography began on April 18, 2007, in Chicago on a $185million budget. [101][112] A scene of Batman surveying the city from a rooftop edge was filmed atop Willis Tower, Chicago's tallest building. [251] Howard and Zimmer were recognized for Best Motion Picture Score at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. [g], Comic-book influences included writer Frank Miller's 1980s works, which portray characters in a serious tone, and the limited series Batman: The Long Halloween (19961997), which explores the relationship between Batman, Dent, and Gordon. [191][192][193] The Dark Knight remained in the top-ten highest-grossing films for ten weeks, and became the film to surpass $400million soonest (18 days) and $500million (45 days). In 2008, Ebert wrote; "[The Dark Knight], and to a lesser degree Iron Man, redefine the possibilities of the 'comic-book movie'". [311][328] Wayne's butler Alfred also commits a noble lie, concealing Rachel's choice of Dent over Wayne to spare him the pain of her rejection. that led finders to a location. [34][148][149] The outfit consists of a purple coat, a green vest, an antique shirt, and a thin, 1960s-style tie that Ledger suggested. The Dark Knight was marketed with an innovative interactive viral campaign that initially focused on countering criticism of Ledger's casting by those who believed he was a poor choice to portray the Joker. "[342] Joker's appearance became a popular Halloween costume and also influenced the 2009 Barack Obama "Joker" poster. Wayne Enterprises accountant Coleman Reese deduces Batman's identity and attempts to expose it, but the Joker threatens to blow up a hospital unless Reese is killed. [327] Batman makes his own Christ-like sacrifice, taking on Dent's sins to preserve the city. Nico Sy on Instagram: 15th anniversary of The Dark Knight (2008 This conveys the protagonists' gradual abandonment of their principles when faced with an extreme foe. It broke several box-office records and became the highest-grossing 2008 film, the fourth-highest-grossing film of its time, and the highest-grossing superhero film. [34][52] Ledger said he had some trepidation in succeeding Nicholson in the role but that the challenge excited him. WebBatman Portrayed by: Aaron Eckhart Appearances: The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Rises (archive footage and picture only) "It's not about what I want, it's about what's fair! Since its release, The Dark Knight has been assessed as one of the greatest superhero films ever made, one of the best films of the 2000s, and one of the best films ever made. [89] Filming moved to England throughout May, returning to Chicago in June. [66] Dent's desire to work outside the law is seen in his support of Batman's vigilantism to accomplish what he cannot. A gang of masked criminals robs a mafia-owned bank in Gotham City, each betraying and killing each other until the sole survivor, the Joker, reveals himself as the mastermind and escapes with the money. Christopher and Batman Begins co-writer David S. Goyer developed the story elements, making Dent the central protagonist caught up in the battle between Batman and the Joker. At the police station, Batman interrogates the Joker, who says he finds Batman entertaining and has no intention of killing him. [2], The cast also features Joshua Harto as Wayne Enterprises employee Coleman Reese,[23] Anthony Michael Hall as news reporter Mike Engel,[24][25] Nstor Carbonell as mayor Anthony Garcia, William Fichtner as a bank manager, Nydia Rodriguez Terracina as Judge Surrillo,[2] Tom "Tiny" Lister Jr. as a prisoner, Beatrice Rosen as Wayne's Russian ballerina date, and David Dastmalchian as the Joker's paranoid schizophrenic henchman Thomas Schiff. The city mourns Dent as a hero, and the police launch a manhunt for Batman. [97] Pfister described it as a week of patience and learning because of the four-day wait for the IMAX footage to be processed. ", "The Joker Has Always Been A Controversial Character. A block in Broadway was closed for the event, which included a live performance of the film score by Howard and Zimmer. Batman subdues the Joker but refuses to kill him. [w] Christopher said no scenes were deleted because he believed every scene was essential, and that unnecessary material had been cut before filming. [ba] In 2020, the United States Library of Congress selected The Dark Knight to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". How Old Was Christian Bale's Batman in the Dark Knight Trilogy? [144], Hemming, Crowley, Christopher, and Jamie Rama re-designed the Batsuit to make it more comfortable and flexible, developing a costume made from a stretchy material covered in over 100 urethane armor pieces. [303][304] A video game adaptation, Batman: The Dark Knight, was canceled due to development problems. [au] This change is seen as responsible for the first Best Picture nomination of a comic book adaptation, Black Panther (2018). The production team considered placing it in the penthouse basement but believed it was too unrealistic a solution. [61][127] Christopher disputed a report that said a scene of Batman leaping into Victoria Harbour was canceled because of pollution concerns, saying it was a script decision. A U.S.-centric effort involved people recovering cellphones made by Nokiaa brand partner to the filmfrom a cake, which led to an early screening of the film's bank-heist prologue before its public release in December. As panic grips the city, the Joker reveals two evacuation ferries, one carrying civilians and the other prisoners, are rigged to explode at midnight unless one group sacrifices the other. In Batman vs. Robin #5, Damian and the other DC heroes still on Lazarus Island are given a major dilemma to weigh. Jen (The Dark Knight Rises [313] Writer Benjamin Kerstein said both viewpoints are valid, and that "The Dark Knight is a perfect mirror of the society which is watching it: a society so divided on the issues of terror and how to fight it that, for the first time in decades, an American mainstream no longer exists".