First up is a new banner poster for the film, showcasing Tom Hardy's formidable Bane. The marketing has long promised that a fire will rise and by the looks of Gotham's skyline, they are not speaking in metaphors. With all images posted, CLICK TO ENLARGE.
A series of stills have been released with a mix of foreboding, urban carnage and character interaction. Fairly standard stuff, though I remain deeply intrigued by the imagery of Bane attacking the stock exchange, the politics of this movie may make The Dark Knight's 9/11 allegory look positively obtuse.
The viral marketing for The Dark Knight Rises has been more subdued than its predecessor, likely because it has a lot less to prove and the dedicated fan base already exists, but they are still rolling out some interesting material to help enrich the movie's world.
First up is the signing of the Dent Act, a measure to close off loopholes that allow criminal organisations to flourish in Gotham. Click to enlarge, but here are some choice cuts from the press release:
"Harvey Dent was a hero in the true sense of the word," says Mayor Garcia in the release. "His courage in taking on the criminal empire that ruled our streets saved our city. It would be inappropriate for us not to honour his sacrifice."
"Fifteen minutes ago, I signed a Bill, suitably named the Dent Act, that allows us to pick up where Harvey Dent left off. The legislation gives Police Commissioner Jim Gordon the tools needed to deal the final blow to the criminal and the corrupt that remain active within our city."
"To those who claim this legislation creates a police state," he continues, "my answer is very simple. Before the Dent Act, our city was so desperate that we placed our trust behind a masked vigilante who ultimately murdered the man who was truly Gotham's shining hope. Luckily for us, the hope has endured. This bill is Harvey Dent's legacy and I intend to protect it."
Next is an excerpt from the Gotham Observer (a good read, but it's no Daily Planet), detailing the cities plans to celebrate the life of Harvey Dent, appropriately called Harvey Dent Day.
The paper also reports on a series of daring burglaries (cat burglaries, no doubt), the good fortunes of Gotham's local football team, some Mountain Dew product placement (Rises will be getting its own Dew flavour), a series of mysterious thefts from construction sites around the city.
Also spotted in the paper is an ad for Rykin Data. The official site for Rykin Data includes a patent receipt that describes the service as a program that allows a person to delete their digital fingerprint; likely a convenient piece of tech for criminals and vigilantes all.
Finally, a TV spot. I've lost count of the real number but most places seem to think this is the 10th official spot. I can buy that. It's a good one. Whereas early spots sold the doom and gloom, more recent pieces pushed the action and spectacle, this one is playing up the playful back and forth between Batman and Catwoman. The chemistry between the two is one of the best aspects of Catwoman's character, you screw that up and you really have no justification for using the character. It's reassuring that they seem to be getting that element right.
The Dark Knight Rises into cinemas on July 20th.
Source(s): Collider 1, 2, Total Film, HeyUGuys
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