I don’t want to post “The Dark Knight” producer Emma Thomas’s quote in this space. Spoilers and all. But suffice it to say, this IGN story gives us all hope.
Tag: Batman
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More records for ‘Dark’ dollars
“The Dark Knight” raked in $20 million on Tuesday, breezing past “Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest” to claim the record for fastest to $200 million. By the way, it destroyed the previous number by three days.Sitting at $203 million at the end of Tuesday, the film also seized the 5-day opening record. The 6- and 7-day records already fell with that number, while 8, 9 and 10 will assuredly follow.
The fastest to $300 million title will also fall over the weekend, probably on Saturday, and by a margin of nearly half the previous holder. $400 million (and the record for fastest to that mark) is obviously within grasp by the time the summer rolls to a close, and after that, who knows? $500 million? Probably.
And by the end of its run, “The Dark Knight” will likely be the #2 domestic grossing film of all time.
Wow.
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It’s WENN, I know…
But…
Aaron Eckhart would reprise his role from The Dark Knight – because working with Christian Bale is “phenomenal”.
Eckhart, who plays District Attorney Harvey Dent in the sequel, confesses he “absolutely” would star in a third Batman film.
He tells WENN, “To work with Christian (Bale) all over again, and the cast, would be phenomenal. I think this movie is a movie of a lifetime.”
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Siskel and Ebert review Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’
In pouring through loads of old “Siskel & Ebert” review clips for this morning’s “At the Movies” post, I came across this dispute over Tim Burton’s “Batman,” and I just had to post it here. Obviously it goes hand in hand with the Bat hype of the last five days, but it also provides a quintessential example of how these two worked off of one another.
As one my expect, Siskel is the one who liked the film. He was always more likely to find room for praise when it came to the blockbuster efforts, in fact, but he was no pushover. He offers sound reasoning for why he was so caught up in the world Burton and company created.
Ebert, meanwhile, found a lot of the film to be hackneyed and disputable, and being the over-powering personality, his negative feelings on a film could always seem to outweigh the positive sentiments of another. But he offered some balance, indicated with accessible clarity his appreciation for the film’s design elements, and Siskel held his own.
Just a classic example of what you haven’t seen on this show for years, and what you will likely never see again.
Have a look:
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=XZzfc_xAJEY
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More on Harvey…
I’ve been going around and around in circles on this issue, and I’ve frankly become dizzy at the ambiguity.
But one of our readers, Gareth, sent a note recently regarding the fate of Harvey Dent in “The Dark Knight,” offering up a line from the shooting draft of the screenplay (available for purchase) that sort of turns the stomach.
I don’t want to spoil anything here, so check it out after the jump…
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WB: “We had more prints in Bel Air on Saturday night than Cleveland.”
Go buy a friggin’ ticket you elitist hordes, you.
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Jonathan Nolan (kind of) confirms the unthinkable
BIG “DARK KNIGHT” SPOILERS ON THE WAY!You’ve been warned…
I just listened to this interview with “The Dark Knight” screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, conducted by Creative Screenwriting’s Jeff Goldsmith. In it, Nolan vaguely confirms what I’ve been railing against all weekend: the fact that Harvey Dent is dead at the end of the film.
It’s maybe a third of the way through the interview. And it’s covered in ambiguity. But he doesn’t come out and agree with the way Jeff poses the question, per se.
Alright…as I said, I’ve been of the mind that this “death” has been far too weak to hold. But if indeed it does, let me get this straight. You kill off — in an entirely ambiguous way — the most important foil dynamic of the franchise aside from the Joker? This is impotent. This is foolhardy. This doesn’t work, and in part, it forces me to completely rethink my view of the film.
I don’t believe it is unnecessary to do away with the character. I don’t think he needed to have his own free reign as a major villain in some other film. I’m fine with utilizing Dent as a device to carry across the themes of this film and moving on. But not in the last 30 fucking minutes of the flick; not cramming one of the most unique and complex Bat villains into a screen time that really pillages the potential.
If…IF……well then, I’ll need to mull that over for a bit.
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‘Batman 3’ (and beyond) casting call
Once again…allow me to geek out for a bit…(SPOILERS FOR “THE DARK KNIGHT” IN THE BODY OF THIS POST — NO WORRIES AFTER THE JUMP.)
Now that the record-breaking hysteria has (somewhat) subsided regarding “The Dark Knight,” I thought I’d take a moment to forecast the third installment (and perhaps future installments) of Christopher Nolan’s franchise.
First thing’s first. What to call the next film? Ideas bounced around by fans have included tips of the hat to other aspects of the universe (“Batman Beyond,” “The Dark Knight Returns,” etc.). My personal hope was always that the Dark Knight moniker would somehow be a part of the franchise, and thankfully, they went there with the second installment.
I kind of think taking Frank Miller’s title for part three would be brilliant (especially considering the nature of the final moments of “The Dark Knight”). But the answer here would, of course, have everything to do with the content of the film.
At this point, we don’t have a clear idea of what to expect from the next film. “Batman Begins” scribe David Goyer (who shares a story credit on “Knight”) formulated the blueprints for a trilogy with Nolan at the outset, and we’re pretty sure Two-Face was supposed to play a considerable role in the next phase. Despite all the chatter that would have you believe Harvey Dent is dead at the end of “Knight,” that early talk of Aaron Eckhart’s contract being for two films couldn’t have been coming from thin air.
Beyond that, the wonderful thing about the Batman mythos is that there is an array — a “rogues gallery” — of villains to choose from. And certainly, there are seven decades of story development to glean for a solid denouement to the trilogy.
The Riddler is staring everyone in the face as the most likely possibility. And I really like the idea of handing it over to the character of Coleman Reese (as mentioned by one of our readers last week). Christopher Nolan is supposedly not a fan of the Penguin, and we all want Catwoman to pop up somehow. But that’s a whole other can of worms.
If I had my druthers, I’d introduce the Riddler and the Penguin (as a mafia figure…nothing major), with Two-Face running rampant as the most dangerous aspect of the trio. But as I said (and we all know), any combination is possible.
So with that, below you’ll find my personal casting call for the potential rogues we could see in a third film or even future installments of a franchise that could go from here to eternity. Of course, we won’t be seeing all of these cats pop up, but the sky is the limit with this universe.
Here’s my perspective…
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What will the Bat’s Monday gross be?
I was just talking with someone who went to see “The Dark Knight” at a noon IMAX show today and was met with a sold out crowd. So I’m wondering, what will the Monday gross turn out to be, and how many more records are left for the Bat to claim?The 4-day total is obviously going to fall. “Spider-Man 3” raked in $10.2 million on the Monday following release on the way to a $161.4 million 4-day.
“Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,” meanwhile, holds the 5-day record with $172.8 million. If “Knight” even matches Spidey’s Monday number (and it’s probably safe to say it’ll zip past it), that will already put the film within $4 million of the 5-day title.
I’m not a whiz with box office research, but I don’t remember the last time a Friday release claimed the 5-day total. The top 10 on that front is littered with Wednesday releases.
It’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the world responds to the hoopla and, of course, the specter of Heath Ledger. Personally, I’d love to see the film threaten a billion bucks worldwide, but with a mere $166 million outside the States for “Batman Begins,” that’s obviously a long shot.
It’ll also be interesting to see what film takes the opening weekend crown from “The Dark Knight.” Looking on the horizon, I can’t even see a pretender to that throne.
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen?” Doubtful. The opening for the original wasn’t as big as many anticipated and nothing about that film’s quality would suggest a rush to the box offices for part two.
“Terminator: Salvation?” Maybe. But that would take some marketing razzle-dazzle to say the least.
No, it may take a second “Iron Man,” a fourth “Shrek” or a third “Toy Story” to even come close. ut we’re surprised each and every year, so let’s just sit back and enjoy the ride.
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Sasha Stone hearts ‘Dark Knight’
I did not expect Awards Daily’s Sasha Stone to love “The Dark Knight” as much as she apparently did. Even in conversations recently, we both seemed pretty sure it wouldn’t be her cup of tea.Well…she’s done cartwheels:
I am about the least likely person to take to this kind of movie and it is, far and away, the best superhero movie I’ve seen (though that isn’t really saying much). Anyway, there are very few films I could and would go right back in line and see it again – this is one of them.
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What’s the best superhero movie of all time?
Well it looks like those of us who were banking on more than $145 million for “The Dark Knight”‘s opening weekend were spot-on, as news of numbers pushing past $150 million rolls in. Meanwhile, last week’s poll had most voters expecting more than $350 million for a total domestic gross. I’d say that’s quite reachable now. So pat yourselves on the back.This week, in lieu of a better idea, I thought I’d toss up the ole’ “what’s the best comic book movie ever” question. But in order to keep it down to 10 choices (including an “other” option), I chose films sporting a Rotten Tomatoes rating of at least 85%. To my understandable shock, this does not include “Batman Begins,” for instance, but does, however, include “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.”
But that’s our cross-section. “The Dark Knight” is currently holding steady with the best rating (94%), while “Iron Man” and “Superman: The Movie” tie for a close second at 93%.
Also, note that this is not merely a comics-to-film question. It narrows things down to the superhero sub-genre (and those derived from existing source material at that). Otherwise, I’m sure we’d all like to give shout-outs to “A History of Violence,” “Road to Perdition” and the like.
Have at it, though, and let us know what you think. If you want to chime in for a film not represented, let us know in the comments section below!
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Saturday total for TDK looking like $48 million
At least that’s what Warner Bros. sources are telling Nikki Finke (who stays up around the clock, presumably cramming down Cheetos and Cokes, waiting on people to tell her what to write…as always).Of course, as she indicates, the film failed to best the $53.3 million Saturday record that “Spider-Man 3” currently holds, but second place ain’t bad on that count. HOWEVER…
Finke’s sources also tell her that the film’s estimated total North American 3-day haul “looks to be $153M-$155M.” Gee…that sounds kinda familiar, doesn’t it?
We’ll of course hold off on crapping ourselves until someone speaks up who doesn’t blow with the winds of studio muscled change. But I expect the figures should be close to these.
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Can Ledger’s brilliance truly move AMPAS?
After seeing “The Dark Knight” three times now, I am convinced that Heath Ledger was an actor of extraordinary ability who might have gone on to the heights of a Marlon Brando or Jack Nicholson. Sure, that is easy to say now that he is gone, but consider his all too brief filmography.Ledger’s work in “Monsters Ball” was superb, a haunting presence through the film, while his performance in “Brokeback Mountain” was among the finest achievements in screen acting in the last 10 years. How in God’s name did he lose the Oscar? That last scene alone still breaks my heart, knowing Ennis will live out his days alone having lost the love of his life. Thank God for the New York Film Critics Circle, which honored him with their best actor prize in 2005.
As a drug addict in the little seen but powerful “Candy” he was nothing less than astonishing, and now we arrive at “The Dark Knight.” What is remarkable about those performances is that each is radically and wildly different from the other, bold and daring, taking performance art to the very edge.
Imagine signing on to play the Joker and knowing that not long ago Jack Nicholson knocked the role out of the poark and was adored by millions…my God…the pressure?? The dilemma for Ledger must have been similar to Robert De Niro portraying a young Vito Corleone in “The Godgfather Part II,” knowing that the eyes of the film-going world would be watching him closely after Marlon Brando’s Oscar-winning efforts two years prior.
And of course, Ledger is brilliant in the role, dominating the film in every way. The Oscar talk is moot. His performance will live forever and if the Academy has the courage to at least nominate him, I will be pleased.
Does it matter that the performance came in a comic book adaptation? For me, it’s all the more reason to nominate him and celebrate what he accomplished, because he took a role well known to millions and evolved it, made it his own, smeared it with a deeply psychotic spin that works to perfection.
I personally don’t even expect him to be nominated. Many great performances have missed Oscar’s call (as outlined in this space many times). But they still live on in history.
I hope I’m wrong.
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Good
I’m really glad Jeffrey Wells joins my sentiments in calling Terry Gilliam out on his idiotic comments from last week regarding Warner Bros’ position on Heath Ledger in the marketing of “The Dark Knight.” Calls him a “bonehead.” Perfect.
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White hat, black hat, white knight, dark knight
The Huffington Post’s Alex Remington is now the second person to compare “The Dark Knight” to the western genre (Anne Thompson was the first). I like this idea and suddenly want to mull it over. Next viewing I’ll keep it in mind.
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TDK, FYI
Much as I admire his spunk, I think Awards Daily contributor Ryan Adams might be getting ahead of himself with his Oscar hopes for “The Dark Knight.”In a recent post, he labels the categories of Best Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Supporting Actor and Best Visual Effects as “virtual certainties.” The other categories mentioned he feels are Oscar-worthy enough and have a good shot as well.
Best Visual Effects isn’t going to happen. This branch abandoned practical effects considerations long ago. The makeup, meanwhile, could find some trouble from aging and transformative efforts later in the season, so I wouldn’t call it a sure thing either.
We can all, I think, assume that Heath Ledger is on his way to a nod, and, indeed, the sound work in the film is top notch and worthy of serious consideration. The rest…nah. In fact, I think the most hastily over-predicted category for this film so far has been Best Art Direction, where Nathan Crowely scored at the BAFTAs in 2005 for “Batman Begins.”
There aren’t a lot of manufactured sets here. All the stuff that looks like a creation was even, for the most part, a practical set. London’s Battersea Power Station really shows up well when used in the film, for instance, and looks like a manifestation. But it’s not.
Lee Smith’s film editing is certainly a possibility, as he took things up a notch (to say the least) in this effort, but James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer will not be eligible for their brillaint score because of that pesky rule Rule 16b.
(By the way, speaking of the boys, anyone else just LOVE that creepy two-note string theme for the Joker that is a clever inversion of the Batman theme?)
I would, however, call Wally Pfister’s work behind the camera this film’s closest thing to a lock. The lensers have tons of respect for this guy (I’d say his nod in 2005 was a surprise) and given the technological steps taken here with the IMAX technology — the sheer balls of lugging those cameras around for these action sequences — I’d say he’s in.
And of course — I’ve always felt Christopher Nolan has a play here. But I’m not willing to go there. Yet.
Just my two cents.
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$66 million
Are we ready to start believing that this film is going to be the highest grossing film of the year yet? Smashing the opening day record is a hell of a start.
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Not recommended
Watching “The Dark Knight” — a two-and-a-half-hour dense piece of textured, cinematic professionalism — twice in the same 24-hour stretch with only two hours’ worth of sleep in your tank I thought I was gonna fall out at the 9:30 last night.The film holds up, though like any film packed with such ambition, there are some scars that poke through once you know what is coming. I’ve decided my issues with length have little to do with the length and everything to do with the structure of what was clearly a complicated, but necessary, string of events.
And of course, Ledger’s performance settles in more and more, proving to be, probably, one of the most controlled portrayals I think I’ve ever seen. Watch his eyes in the mafia meeting.
Gamble: “You’re crazy.”
Joker: “I’m not. No…I’m not.”
Chilling.
Meanwhile, the debate rages for me and my friends. But I don’t want to spoil it here, so see my comment in the geek review.