Holy time warp, Batman! We are now only four days away from the release of The Dark Knight Rises! And while we all wait with bated breath for the final installment in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, the studios are crossing their fingers on the potential box office gargantuan that we all expect the film to be. The question isn’t whether or not The Dark Knight Rises will rake. The question is where will the film stand on the all-time box office list when all is said and done?
Look at it this way: If The Avengers made enough money to settle in at third all-time in box office revenue, then why would any of us really be that surprised to see The Dark Knight Rises finish as the highest grossing film ever? Now, Nolan insisted on making the film in 2-D (God bless him for that), so the movie won’t have those inflated ticket prices to help boost its numbers, but if the film is as good as many of us expect, then I don’t think it will matter. There is so much anticipation behind this film that the first wave of movie patrons should take it close to breaking the opening weekend box office record (a common trend for a Batman film). And from there, if the word of mouth is strong enough, I believe the box office will grow even stronger. Because hitting those dollar amounts isn’t just about getting people to go out and see the film, it’s about getting them to go see it a second, or even third, time.
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 We have spent the past three weeks talking about the past films, the characters, the history of Batman on film and the superstars attached to the series. But as I am prone to on The Awards Circuit, I’d like to take the time to highlight the collaborative work of those craftsmen who thanklessly work on the pieces of a film’s success we take for granted.
Rather than laboriously spell out the overall effect of the crew behind the Bat, I’d rather take the very best individual achievements of cinematographers, production designers, wardrobe, and musical composers that have given their all to make each Batman film their most indelible qualities. We’ve often discussed the influence of the various directors attached to the Caped Crusader over the years, but it’s about time we paid tribute to the members of their team that bring their visions to life. Introducing the top ten below-the-line contributors to Batman on film: Read more on Batman Below-the-Line…
Categories: Article Tags: batman, Batman & Robin, Batman Begins, Batman Forever, Batman Returns, danny elfman, Hans Zimmer, Rick Baker, The Dark Knight, the dark knight rises, Wally Pfister
 Much like Mark Johnson felt about the directors who have helmed Batman flicks, this list of the best actors in the role of Batman really sort itself out quite easily. Playing Batman is treacherous territory for an actor, not only do you have to corral the entitled billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne side, but you have to be up for the physical and anti-hero aspects of the Batman side. There is also an added issue of serving the director’s vision for the character, regardless of how bad it might be. So without further ado, here are the rankings of the Best and Worst actors to play the Caped Crusader.
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Categories: Article Tags: batman, Batman and Robin, Batman Begins, Batman Forever, casting, Christian Bale, George Clooney, Michael Keaton, The Dark Knight, the dark knight rises, Val Kilmer
When a Batman film is made, we always tend to sit back and try to figure out who would have been better suited as one of the iconic characters and who fit the role just right. Throughout the years we’ve been discussing the best and worst performances in a Batman flick, and in the recent months since the casting of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, we’ve sat back and doubted the casting decision. But in the end, we’re here to discuss the best and worst female portrayals in a Batman movie.
Before we begin though, I wanted to point out one thing. If Halle Berry’s Catwoman (2004) had been considered a Batman film she would have been named the worst actress in a Batman film. Catwoman wasn’t a Batman film, therefore won’t be seen on this list.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s begin. Read more on Best & Worst Female Portrayals in a Batman Film…
Categories: Article Tags: Alicia Silverstone, Anne Hathaway, batman, Batman & Robin, Batman Begins, Batman Forever, Batman Returns, Catwoman, Katie Holmes, Kim Basinger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michelle Pfeiffer, nicole kidman, The Dark Knight, Uma Thurman
 30 Days of Batman
I must admit that upon learning I had been tasked with writing about Alfred, the dutiful yet dull butler, out of all the great characters in the Batman series, I was a little bit peeved. However, having revisited the entire film series as part of our 30 Days of Batman season, it became evident very quickly that I had underestimated the old chap, and that it could be argued that without Alfred, there wouldn’t even be a Batman.
From his very basic characterisation in the original 1966 Batman, to today’s more complex portrayal as part of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth has come a long way. Over the years he has repeatedly proven his loyalty and dedication to Bruce Wayne, imparting pearls of wisdom to the renowned billionaire that have saved his skin on countless occasions. Without this trustworthy and constant support in his corner, the chances are Batman would never have been able to overcome some of his most dreaded adversaries.
Read more on Understanding the Character: Alfred…
Batman Forever is the third film in the Batman series that was originally based on the vision of Tim Burton, but the first that he did not direct (nor envision, for the most part). Instead, Joel Schumacher took over the reigns with Burton moving solely to a producer role. Along with a new director, Batman Forever delivered a new star in the lead role, as Val Kilmer stepped in for Michael Keaton.
The story revolves around Batman once again trying to keep the people of Gotham City safe from its evil criminals, as Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey) are the latest dastardly villains plotting mayhem and destruction. Their plan is to drain information from the brains of all the citizens of Gotham via their television sets in order to finally expose who Batman is, and eventually kill him off. But Batman saves the day as always, this time with the help of new sidekick Dick Grayson, aka Robin (Chris O’Donnell), and new love interest, psychiatrist Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman).
Read more on Batman Forever after the jump…
Read more on Historical Circuit: Batman Forever (1995) (*½)…
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