The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Poster from thedarkknightrises.com. Courtesy: Warner Brothers Entertainment
After Christian Bale’s final performance as Batman the Oscar winner will be the first Westerner to play a lead role in a Chinese movie.
After filming The Dark Knight Rises and Bale and Director Zhang Yimou talked with the Hollywood Reporter about their collaboration. The Flowers of War is the most expensive Chinese movie ever made.
Bale plays an American mortician in a Catholic cathedral and becomes caught in a war. The film is based on The Rape of Nanking when Japan invaded China in 1937.
“I like the adventure aspect of making movies, to the opportunity to work in China, not on an American movie, but on a Chinese movie appealed to me” Bale said and added this film “could be China’s Saving Private Ryan.”
For more of Bale’s interview and what this film could mean for the movie industry in China visit this link. Batman fans will learn more about The Dark Knight Rises when the 6 minute prologue debuts in IMAX later this month.
The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Poster from thedarkknightrises.com. Courtesy: Warner Brothers Entertainment
Is it just me? Warner Brothers seems very generous with Bane and Catwoman images. Anne Hathaway looks sexy and Tom Hardy looks scary as the infamous foes but are all those shots just a distraction from the real secret of the Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film?
We have seen nothing of Marion Cotillard who is playing Miranda Tate. This character is described as a Wayne Enterprises Board member helping Bruce Wayne with this father’s philanthropic legacy. Is she the biggest secret of The Dark Knight Rises? Is she Talia Al Ghul?
I know this rumor has been around from the beginning but it’s fun to put the clues together and theorize. Liam Neeson is listed in the cast as Ra’s Al Ghul. Josh Pence is listed as playing a younger version of Bruce Wayne’s mentor turned enemy. Fans have theorized that The Dark Knight Rises will bring everything full circle back to Batman Begins.
Tales of the Demon cover courtesy Amazon
In the comics Ra’s Al Ghul or The Demon’s Head is criminal mastermind with a daughter named Talia. Bane was chosen by Ra’s to be his daughter’s husband and his heir until Batman defeated the muscled assassin. Talia is so bad ass in the comics she not only takes over the League of Assassins but runs Lex Luthor’s Lexcorp too.
Could Bane and Catwoman be pawns of a criminal mastermind out to avenge the death of her father? All the photos and buzz over Bane and Catwoman are attractive distractions but I can’t get the thought of Cotillard as Talia of my geek brain!
Christian Bale is praising his The Dark Knight Rises co-star Anne Hathaway. Bale reportedly said that Hathaway “has the toughest job on the film because the Catwoman role has been defined previously.”
Catwoman: Nine Lives of Femme Fatale Poster by Brian Bolland courtesy DC Comics
Catwoman is one of the most iconic female characters in comic book history. I was inspired to collect some of Catwoman’s greatest cuts as the world waits to see how Christopher Nolan and Anne Hathaway will portray her in The Dark Knight Rises.
Television: As a little kid I raced off the school bus so I didn’t miss a moment of the Batman television show. I loved Julie Newmar as Catwoman. The dramatic purrs on words were part of the show’s camp but Newmar embodied the conflicted bad girl you hope would change her ways for Batman. Eartha Kitt only played Catwoman three times but what an impression. Kitt played Catwoman with a harder, dangerous edge. That cat would do a lot worse than scratch!
Movies: Michelle Pfeifer’s Catwoman was a deadly kitten with a whip in Batman Returns. Tim Burton’s origin for Selina was very different from the comic books but Pfeiffer made it work. This secretary turned feminist avenger was a deadly mix of empowerment and sex appeal.
Comics: Bob Kane created The Cat as a socialite turned catburglar villain for Batman. Selina Kyle developed into an antihero with love/hate romantic relationship with Batman. In the 1990’s writers took Selina’s character into dark territory. Modern creators interpretted her disguise and life of crime as a response to a history of abuse. Selina became an avenger of women on the streets of Gotham City.
Catwoman: The Dark End of the Street courtesy DC Comics
The Dark End of the Street, Crooked Little Town, Relentless, and Wild Ride show Catwoman as a vigilante antihero in modern crime noir tales. During this era Selina takes in an ex-hooker and junkie as a protogee in her war on crime. The look in these collections are similar to the style Anne Hathaway has in photos on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.
Trail of the Catwoman marked Selina’s return to her infamous persona after a long absence with a new costume. Selina hunts a serial killer targetting the streetwalkers of Gotham City.
When in Rome is Catwoman versus the Falcone crime family. This is a sexier colorful tale of the cat burglar on a mysterious adventure in Italy.
Hush is one of my all time favorite Batman epics. The Dark Knight and Catwoman’s twisted relationship is at this most romantic and intense during this year long mystery in which a new villian uses Batman’s greatest enemies as pawns in a mind twisting game. Jim Lee’s Catwoman is perfect.
Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes courtesy DC Comics
I have to give Adam Hughes praise for his portraits of Catwoman. Cover Run includes many of his iconic DC covers starring the femme fatale.
Yes, I left out the Catwoman movie starring Halle Berry. Great actress. Unique take on the character. Nuff said.
The Dark Knight Rises Teaser Poster from thedarkknightrises.com. Courtesy: Warner Brothers Entertainment
Christian Bale confirms he has put on the Batman mask for the final time. The star confirmed filming has wrapped on The Dark Knight Rises and told the Phillipine Daily Inquirer that this will be his last Batman film.
Bale talked praised his co-stars in the interview. Bale confirmed he was in Anne Hathaway’s screen test with director Christopher Nolan. Bale expressed that Anne Hathaway has “the toughest job because the Catwoman role has been defined previously.” Thanks to Digital Spy for the post.
The Dark Knight Rises 6 minute prologue debuts next month.
