One of the most anticipated films of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises revealed tonight, for the first time anywhere, its six-minute prologue that can be seen before select IMAX screenings of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol beginning December 16th. (Click here to find a participating location near you.)
Introduced by Christopher Nolan himself, the footage was unveiled at Universal City’s AMC IMAX and met with rounds of heavy applause. ComingSoon.net was on hand and, while we’ve been asked to keep the details of the footage relatively light, here’s a taste of what you can expect to see next Friday:
Even though the opening is shot in 35mm, the footage moves immediately to IMAX and the events that transpire during a hostage situation. We get to see Bane and an ensuing fight that takes every advantage of the IMAX frame. Think less The Dark Knight and more Inception or, even closer, an IMAX version of a James Bond film.
In his introduction, Nolan stressed the importance of returning filmgoing to the grandeur that it was for him as a child, warning that said scale, “is being chipped away at in all kinds of ways.”
Though the response from the crowd was overwhelmingly positive, there was much discussion about Bane’s voice. Muffled by his mask and featuring a British accent, it’s difficult to fully understand exactly what he is saying (but likely intentionally).
At the conclusion of the footage, there’s a rapid montage of shots, all in IMAX, that features a lot to excite fans.
“I’ve barely started to edit the rest of the film,” Nolan cautioned with a laugh, “so don’t ask me what happens at the end or anything like that.”
Set for release on July 20, 2012, The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Juno Temple, Josh Pence, Daniel Sunjata and Nestor Carbonell.
Also, be sure to check back with ComingSoon.net early tomorrow morning for details on the film’s viral event, Operation Early Bird.
