Why Ben Affleck as Batman Isn't the Worst Thing Ever

Well, that escalated quickly, didn’t it?

Mere moments after Variety reported that Ben Affleck would be donning the cape and cowl for an as-yet-unnamed 2015 Superman/Batman team-up flick, the Internet was awash in hateful comments as discontented DC fanatics mashed their keyboards and pounded their smart phones in outrage. From lambasting Warner Bros. for their apparently poor grasp of the filmmaking business to snarky Gigli and Daredevil remarks, geeks were quick to criticize the casting choice. Why not spend the dough to lure Christian Bale back to the character or, better yet, choose a less established actor to move this franchise toward Warner Bros.’ inevitable Justice League film? Such questions plagued innumerable comic book fans as they tossed and turned in their beds whiile visions of Armageddon danced in their heads.

This isn’t the first time DC fans have wildly criticized a casting decision at this scale. Hell, about a decade before Heath Ledger proved the haters wrong with an Academy Award-winning turn as The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, a pre-Internet fanbase cried foul when Warner Bros. cast Michael Keaton as Batman in Tim Burton’s groundbreaking 1989 film. Both times, those critics were proven wrong. Although it’s clearly too early to say whether or not Affleck is the right choice to play Bruce Wayne in the Man of Steel sequel, it also might be too early for us to get bent out of shape about it. Relax, guys. Affleck can be an incredibly talented performer under the right conditions (see Argo, The Town, Hollywoodland or even Chasing Amy for examples).

And to those still asking why Bale isn’t back in the suit, consider that Nolan’s trilogy is a closed story, and that bringing his version of Batman into a world of aliens and red capes doesn’t  make all that much sense. This is a new universe with a new story and, yes, a new Batman.

For the full story from Variety, click here. And to check out my thoughts on Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, read the review.

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ an Imperfect but Triumphant End to Nolan’s Trilogy

Although director Christopher Nolan’s 2008 Batman epic The Dark Knight was met with near-universal acclaim, reactions to its sequel, The Dark Knight Rises, have been relatively muted to say the least. Perhaps it’s the sobering realization that Nolan’s vision of Gotham City has come to an end, or maybe it’s the fact that it’s now seemingly impossible to speak of this film without bringing to mind the terrible tragedy that occurred during a midnight screening in Colorado. Or we could all be coming to grips with the notion that The Dark Knight Rises—as good as it is—never quite lives up to its much-lauded predecessor.

Having said that, I don’t honestly think there was any way that Nolan and his crew, after four years of feverish anticipation from fans around the globe, could have possibly delivered a film that would live up to the hype. Let’s just be glad that Nolan clearly made the film he wanted to make in the third and final installment of his Batman franchise without having to deal with the studio meddling and last-minute directives that muddled other third films such as Spider-Man 3  and X-Men: The Last Stand. Nolan concluded his Batman trilogy on his own terms, and regardless of how Warner Bros. aims to revive or reboot this franchise in the years ahead, Nolan’s take on the Caped Crusader remains intact throughout this film’s lengthy 165-minute running time.

Since we’re all increasingly sensitive about spoilers these days—and rightfully so—I’ll refrain from recapping the entire plot. Essentially, the film opens eight years after The Dark Knight and Gotham is a very different place. Organized crime is virtually nonexistent thanks to the Harvey Dent Act, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has retired as Batman and has become somewhat of a recluse while Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) is free to spend a great deal of time combing his luxurious mustache. However, as we soon learn, there’s a new villain in town named Bane (Tom Hardy), who has some sinister plans in store for dear old Gotham that will force Batman out of retirement. And, as the Joker might say if he were around for this installment, “It’s all a part of the plan.”

And what a plan it is! Fortunately, Batman and Gordon are aided in their fight against Bane and his minions by brilliant tech-savvy Wayne Enterprises executive Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) his stalwart butler Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and the intuitive Officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who, like Wayne, was orphaned as a child. Complicating matters for our hero is Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a seductive cat burglar who slinks into Bruce’s life during a lavish dinner party and—true to form—doesn’t leave the compound empty handed (or, in her case, clawed). 

The Dark Knight Rises is a crowded film, yet one never gets the sense that Nolan is overwhelmed in dealing with such a large ensemble cast. Gordon-Levitt shines as Gordon’s stalwart, incorruptible ally in the fight against crime, while Caine and Freeman continue to keep our masked hero grounded in reality even as he races through the skies of Gotham in an aerial assault vehicle code-named “The Bat.” Perhaps the most surprising performance comes from Ms. Hathaway as Selina/Catwoman, who gives even Batman Returns alumnus Michelle Pfeiffer a run for her catnip.

When we first meet Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises, we see a man defeated, older, hobbled and essentially a shadow of his former already-shadowy self.  After taking the rap for the late Harvey Dent’s sadistic actions in The Dark Knight, the Batman has vanished while Bruce has locked himself away in his palatial manor. Think Howard Hughes with shorter fingernails. When he’s spurred into action and returns to the streets as Batman, we see a transition in Bruce that is instantly reminiscent of the character’s post-retirement resurrection in Frank Miller’s 1986 mini-series The Dark Knight Returns. Bale conveys this transformation incredibly well, even though he still sees fit to give Batman’s voice the same time of gravel-throated intonation that would make Cookie Monster blush.

But our hero is only as good as his adversary, so let’s talk Bane. Making waves among the comic book community in the 1993-1994 Knightfall story arc for “breaking” Batman, Bane is among the Dark Knight’s most feared foes, and with good reason. On screen, he’s a wholly different antagonist than this series’ previous primary baddies—Batman Begins’ Scarecrow and The Dark Knight’s Joker—and it’s fitting that Nolan saved Bane for last. The character, who speaks in a bizarre accent muffled by a mask, had the potential to come across as goofy (which is exactly how he was portrayed in Joel Schumacher’s 1997 farce Batman & Robin), but Hardy and Nolan injected Bane with the appropriate menace.

The film is relatively light on action, featuring a couple of chase sequences and some brutal close-quarters combat between Batman and Bane, but Nolan’s economical approach to set pieces results in a slow burn of a film that relies more on escalating tension than dazzling spectacle. However, there are some awe-inspiring city shots captured with IMAX cameras that more than warrant a viewing on an IMAX screen. 

The Dark Knight Rises unfortunately, isn’t a perfect conclusion to Nolan’s Batman trilogy. There are a few gaping plot holes that I won’t get into here, and the film has a tendency to drag in the middle act as it sets up a conclusion that is telegraphed just a tad too blatantly. Yet, I can’t help but find myself continuing to dwell on the many aspects of the film that I flat-out loved. The Dark Knight Rises isn’t quite as good as The Dark Knight, but it comes damn close.

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Prologue to Screen before ‘Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol’

The rumors are true. MTV News reports that a six-minute prologue to The Dark Knight Rises will run on select IMAX prints of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol when the spy sequel hits theaters on Dec. 16.

According to the article, the brief clip—said to be the film’s opening sequence—will only play before Ghost Protocol on screens using true IMAX 70 mm projection. A mere 42 screens in the U.S. and Canada will show it.

I’m not sure if this convinces me to see Ghost Protocol—I barely remember seeing the third Mission Impossible movie to be honest—but this is undeniably a smart marketing move by Warner Bros. However, I think it’d be even smarter to widen the release to all IMAX screens whether or not they meet that specification, but what do I know?

For a full list of theaters playing the Dark Knight Rises prologue, click here.

Warner Bros. Casts a British Superman

Seeing as how Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman: The Movie essentially created the superhero film genre as we know it today, it boggles the mind how Warner Bros. has experienced so many creative misfires in bringing Kal-El back to the silver screen over the years. From Tim Burton’s failed attempt to resurrect the character in the 1990s to Bryan Singer’s lukewarm franchise relaunch in 2006 with Superman Returns, the blue-and-red boy scout just can’t catch a break in Hollywood these days. However, Zack Snyder’s forthcoming reboot of the Superman film saga hopes to reverse that unfortunate trend. But the big question has remained: Who’s the new Man of Steel?

Deadline.com reports that Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have chosen British actor Henry Cavill (The Tudors) to play the coveted role.

“In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen,” Snyder said in a statement. “I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry.”

Cavill had previously auditioned for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins—another superhero reboot—but he lost out to fellow Englishman Christian Bale. It’s hard not to appreciate the symmetry here.

Overseen by Nolan and penned by his Batman Begins/The Dark Knight collaborator David S. Goyer, Superman’s next onscreen outing hits theaters in 2012.

Meanwhile, in Gotham City...

Speaking of Nolan, Deadline.com is also reporting that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in talks to reunite with his Inception director for The Dark Knight Rises, although it’s not yet known what role he’d be playing. Nolan has vehemently denied the Joker’s return in the Dark Knight sequel, but Gordon-Levitt would be an interesting replacement for the late Heath Ledger if the Clown Prince of Crime were to make a brief appearance in Nolan’s third and presumably final Batman film.

I’ll have more on this story as it develops.

Joker? No, Sir

In a recent interview with Empire Magazine (via SuperHeroHype), director Christopher Nolan confirmed that the Joker will not be appearing in the highly anticipated sequel to The Dark Knight.

“No,” the director swiftly replied when asked if the Clown Prince of Crime would be recast in the next film following the death of Heath Ledger. “I just don’t feel comfortable talking about it.”

It’s interesting to note that although Nolan has been hashing out a screenplay with his brother Jonathan, he hasn’t officially signed on to direct. However, it’s almost a certainty that he’ll wind up helming the as-yet-untitled second Batman sequel to round out his trilogy.

As for villains, Nolan’s told reporters that neither Mr. Freeze nor the Penguin would factor into his grounded-in-reality Batman universe, leading many fans to speculate that Catwoman and the Riddler are two likely candidates to square off against the Caped Crusader when this film hits theaters in 2012. It’s almost a shame that Nolan’s Batman movies cling so tenaciously to realism, as I’d really be interested in seeing Clayface, Killer Croc or Poison Ivy handled well on the big screen. Having said that, I think Nolan could have fun with the Riddler, provided that his maniacal mind games aren’t overtly reminiscent of the Joker’s calculated lunacy in the last film. If we can’t have the Joker again, the last thing we want is “Joker Light.”

Nolan’s next film, Inception, hits theaters July 16.

Christopher Nolan Discusses Superman, Third Batman Film

In a Los Angeles Times piece, director Christopher Nolan confirmed earlier reports that Warner Bros. has enlisted him to oversee production on a Superman reboot, acting as a producer and a mentor to the film’s as-yet-unnamed director. The film, which might or might not be called The Man of Steel, will be based on a story by Nolan and his frequent writing collaborator David S. Goyer.

“It’s very exciting; we have a fantastic story,” Nolan said. “And we feel we can do it right. We know the milieu, if you will, we know the genre and how to get it done right.”

While we probably shouldn’t expect Nolan to take the “dark and gritty” route with the Man of Steel, as he did when he successfully revived the Batman film franchise with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, he will likely keep the film relatively grounded, even if the title character tends to shoot lasers from his eyes and leap tall buildings in a single bound.

“We’re approaching it in a not dissimilar way in terms of trying to find an incredible story in a way that audiences can engage with it the way they engage with contemporary action films,” Nolan told the LA Times. “I think David’s approach is a very good way of doing just that.”

As for the Dark Knight sequel, Nolan has yet to confirm whether or not he’s directing, but he said his brother Jonathan is “now doing the hard work” in writing a script based on Goyer’s story idea. Nolan’s still tight-lipped about story details, but he did reveal who the villain won’t be.

“It won’t be Mr. Freeze,” he said. A shocker, I know.

After the critical and commercial success of The Dark Knight, it’s likely that Warner Bros. will want to keep churning out sequels (at least until the franchise is rebooted yet again). But as far as Nolan is concerned, this story is a trilogy.

“Unlike the comics, these things don’t go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful,” Nolan explained. “Viewing it as an ending, that sets you very much on the right track about the appropriate conclusion and the essence of what tale we’re telling. And it harkens back to that priority of trying to find the reality in these fantastic stories. That’s what we do.”

And they certainly do it well.

Batman Begins Writer David S. Goyer to Pen The Man of Steel

Warner Bros. has hired Batman Begins and The Dark Knight scribe David S. Goyer to write The Man of Steel, a new Superman film, Latino Review reports. The franchise reboot will involve Supes baddies Lex Luthor and Brainiac, and will not be an origin story. It will also reportedly feature a struggling Daily Planet newspaper—accurately reflecting the state of the industry—and will set up a vast Kryptonian mythology.

Earlier this month, Deadline Hollywood broke the story that Begins/Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan has been tapped to oversee production on the next Superman film in a “godfather” capacity. While there hasn’t been any word on who will direct The Man of Steel, Superman Returns director Bryan Singer is not expected to helm the project.

This could be the best Superman film since Richard Donner’s 1978 original. Here’s hoping the filmmakers up the ante in terms of action set pieces and really cut lose. And while this is a reboot, they should really stick with the John Williams theme. That music is as legendary as the character himself.

Will Christopher Nolan Oversee a Superman Reboot?

Mike Fleming and Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood are reporting that Warner Bros., which said last year it had no plans to revisit the Superman film series after Superman Returns underperformed in 2006, is asking Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) to oversee production of a reboot in a “godfather” capacity. According to the article, this “godfather” role does not mean he’ll be directing. Rather, he will essentially guide the project and ensure it moves in the right direction.

While I don’t think anyone wants a Nolan-esque “dark and gritty” take on the Man of Steel—that’s Batman’s territory, after all—the acclaimed director has already proven that he knows a thing or two about approaching comic book properties with the proper tone. I’m optimistic, if this turns out to be true.

The Deadline Hollywood piece also mentions that Nolan has “hatched an idea” for a Dark Knight sequel, and that his brother Jonathan is already scripting the film with David Goyer. Let the villain speculation resume!

Avatar Becomes the Biggest Movie of All Time

On Monday, January 25, James Cameron’s Avatar was officially crowned the all-time worldwide box office champion, Variety reports. The film toppled the $1.84 billion global box office record held by Cameron’s Titanic, which was released in 2007.

Does this mean Cameron has to send himself a congratulatory fruit basket?

In the U.S., the film has earned $551.7 million since its December 18 release, beating The Dark Knight’s record $533.3 over the weekend. That means Avatar is just $49 million shy of Titanic’s record $600.8 million.

Gary Oldman Says Next Batman Film Could Begin Shooting Next Year

While promoting his new film The Book of Eli at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 24, Gary Oldman—Commissioner Gordon himself—said that the next Batman film could begin shooting as early as next year for release in 2011, Entertainment Weekly reports. “You didn’t hear it from me,” he added. Warner Bros. has yet to comment.

However, Quint over at Ain’t It Cool News later caught up with the actor, who clarified that while he’s sure the studio is readying a sequel to The Dark Knight, it may take two or three years. This sounds like studio damage control to me.

Given the success of The Dark Knight last year, it’s odd that Warner Bros. is being so tight-lipped about the inevitable sequel. That said, it’s clear they’re not rushing things for the third film, which is usually where these superhero franchises start going south.

The Oscar Aftermath

Congratulations to Heath Ledger and his family for the late actor’s Academy Award honoring his nuanced take on iconic Batman villain the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film, The Dark Knight. Ledger’s victory in the Best Supporting Actor category comes as a surprise to nearly no one, as the real-life drama surrounding the 28-year-old actor’s untimely death coupled with his critically-acclaimed performance almost demanded Academy recognition.

However, one wonders if Ledger’s turn as the Clown Prince of Crime would have gotten the Oscar recognition that it received had Ledger been alive to accept the award himself. Would the Academy have voted similarly if Ledger’s arguably brilliant performance was not among his last? As host of the 81st Academy Awards and X-Men star Hugh Jackman pointed out in the ceremony’s opening number, comic book films typically aren’t top-shelf choices for awards outside of technical categories. Sadly, we’ll never quite know what kind of role emotion truly played in the Academy’s selection process.

Kudos are also in order for the big winners of the night, namely Sean Penn for his lauded performance as gay rights activist Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant’s Milk, Penélope Cruz for her supporting role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Kate Winslet for her leading role as an ex-Nazi prison guard in Stephen Daldry’s The Reader and Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, which picked up a staggering eight awards including Best Director and Best Picture.

Visit Oscar.com for a full list of winners and nominees.

Will the Joker Return in a Dark Knight Sequel?

Little is known about the inevitable sequel to The Dark Knight, but producer Chuck Roven told MTV’s Splash Page that director Christopher Nolan and writer David Goyer are already “thinking" about the next installment in the blockbuster Batman film franchise.

When asked about future villains and whether the series would have gone in a different direction if filmmakers had known the late Heath Ledger would not be reprising his role as the maniacal Joker, Roven hinted that we may not have seen the last of the Clown Prince of Crime. Let the speculation begin.

“We have to separate the actor from the role,” Roven told MTV. “On a personal level, Heath was a friend of mine. We had worked together before The Dark Knight, but I still think that The Dark Knight is its own thing, and we have to separate them.”

While this is far from an official confirmation, this at least opens the door for re-casting the Joker in a future Batman film based on Roven's emphasis on separating actors from roles. However, matching the unhinged menace of Ledger’s Joker would be no easy feat for anyone chosen to don the character’s trademark purple suit and grease paint. In addition, no actor would be able to escape immediate comparisons to Ledger's critically acclaimed take on the iconic comic book villain.

In other Dark Knight news, the film snagged five People’s Choice Awards on Wednesday, January 7, including favorite movie. Reuters has the full story.

Reflecting on The Dark Knight

Like many comic book fans and movie buffs, my favorite film of 2008 is Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, a sequel that not only far surpasses its predecessor, 2005’s Batman Begins, but has cemented itself as the best comic book-inspired film to date. Hitting DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, December 9, The Dark Knight is surely on heavy rotation in more than a few living rooms, but does this wildly popular blockbuster stand up to repeated viewings on a smaller screen?

When Batman Begins hit theaters three summers ago, it was lauded for being a massive step up from Joel Schumacher’s embarrassingly campy Batman & Robin. Nolan’s real-world franchise reboot took the character back to his darker roots—taking significant cues from Frank Miller’s acclaimed Batman: Year One—demanding that movie audiences once again take this character seriously. Anchored by an impressive cast including Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Liam Neeson, Batman Begins assured fans that the denizens of Gotham City had a bright cinematic future with Nolan at the helm.

Released on July 18 in North America, The Dark Knight quickly shattered box office records, becoming the second-highest grossing domestic film of all time and garnering massive amounts of critical praise. Audiences paid particular attention to the late Heath Ledger's brilliant portrayal of the Joker. The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis writes that Ledger’s Joker “is a creature of such ghastly life, and the performance is so visceral, creepy and insistently present that the characterization pulls you in almost at once."

Indeed, this new take on the Joker is a far cry from Jack Nicholson’s more humorous take on the character in Tim Burton’s Batman, released in 1989. Cold and calculating, with smeared clown makeup, stringy green-tinged hair and his face scarred into a permanent shark-like grin, the Joker has emerged as one of the most iconic screen villains in history. Through this character, the film explores the relationship between order and chaos, with the anarchic Joker measured against an increasingly stoic Bruce Wayne/Batman—once again played by Bale—who is fast learning his limits as Gotham City’s masked protector. Throughout the film, Nolan proves why Batman and the Joker are so effective as adversaries, and uses their combative relationship as a means to explore real-life issues of right and wrong, whether they be personal, political or otherwise.

In addition to that central conflict between Batman and the Joker, the journey of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) from "white knight" district attorney to gun-toting psychopath is also a fascinating one, illustrating the degenerative impact chaos can have on the best of us. "Madness is a lot like gravity," the Joker explains. "All it takes is a little push."

At its base, The Dark Knight is not only a pitch-perfect comic book adaptation, but it may be one of the best morality tales to penetrate pop culture in recent years. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's enormously entertaining, and maintains a level of intensity that doesn't dissipate until the closing credits.

So is The Dark Knight more than a staggeringly successful summer blockbuster? It sure is. Does it warrant repeat viewings? Absolutely. Its mature dissection of ethical dichotomies is further proof that comic books can and should be fully embraced by mainstream culture, which once looked down its nose at the medium as a low-brow, childish diversion. These days, those who once ignored comic books and the movies based on them are lining up at Best Buy with Blu-ray copies of The Dark Knight tucked under their arms. As the Joker says to the Caped Crusader in the film, “you’ve changed things.” Indeed, he has.

HFPA Announces 2008 Golden Globe Nominees

On Thursday, December 11, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced its nominees for the 2008 Golden Globe Awards and, as expected, the late Heath Ledger was recognized for his nuanced take on the maniacal Joker in the year’s runaway hit, The Dark Knight. While it’s satisfying to see Ledger nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, it’s simultaneously disappointing that The Dark Knight was overlooked in every other category.

Ledger’s scene-stealing portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime surely elevates an already great film, but that’s just the thing—The Dark Knight is a great film, not just an impressive individual performance. While I admittedly have yet to see any of the nominees in the Best Motion Picture (Drama) category (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Slumdog Millionaire), I can’t help but think that the HFPA may have overlooked Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins sequel because it’s a “comic book movie.” Comic book adaptations have surely come a long way, but they have clearly yet to escape the genre’s “strictly kids’ stuff” stigma. Perhaps the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will look more kindly on the Caped Crusader when Oscar season rolls around.

On a more refreshing note, both Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. were nominated in the same category for their uproariously funny supporting roles in this summer’s Tropic Thunder, while James Franco picked up a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for his stoner turn in Pineapple Express.

The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will take place Sunday, January 11, 2009 at the Beverly Hilton, with a live telecast beginning at 8 p.m. (EST) on NBC. Click here for a full list of Golden Globe nominees.

The Dark Knight Breaks $400 Million

After its third straight weekend at the top of the box office heap, The Dark Knight continues to wow audiences and demolish box office records, Reuters reports. The blockbuster Batman sequel cleared the $400 million mark after just 18 days in U.S. and Canadian theaters, becoming the fastest film to reach that milestone domestically. The previous record holder was Shrek 2, which took 43 days to reach $400 million during its 2004 theatrical run.

According to Reuters, its distributor, Warner Bros. Pictures, expects The Dark Knight to earn at least $100 million more in North American ticket sales, which would place it ahead of No. 2 all-time box office record holder Star Wars (1977). The No. 1 all-time box office champ, James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), earned $601 million domestically.

King of the World? I’d like to introduce you to the Clown Prince of Crime.

For those who have yet to see the Christopher Nolan’s phenomenal Batman Begins follow-up, it lives up to its astronomical hype and critical praise. An Oscar-worthy performance by Heath Ledger brings the maniacal Joker to the big screen like never before, while Christian Bale cements himself as the definitive Caped Crusader. Not only is The Dark Knight a pitch-perfect comic book adaptation, but it’s hands-down the best film to hit theaters this year.

The Dark Knight Breaks Records, Blows Minds

According to its distributor Warner Bros., The Dark Knight set a single-day box office record, earning $66.4 million on its opening day, July 18.Reuters reports that the highly anticipated follow-up to Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins is on track to trounce the $151.1 million opening weekend record held by 2007's Spider-Man 3.

I was able to catch the 10:30 screening of The Dark Knight at City Center 15: Cinema De Lux in White Plains, NY last night and was shocked (and pleased) to see so many excited people lining up nearly an hour before the screening. The theater was packed, and there was an electricity in the air unlike that of any filmgoing experience I've had in some time. We were ready for The Dark Knight, and the pre-screening anticipation was warranted. The Dark Knight is not only the best comic book adaptation of all time, but it's also one of the best sequels I've ever seen, and may be one of the best action films in history. Nothing in recent memory even comes close in terms of scope or characterization.

Look for my full review of The Dark Knight on Broken Frontier later this week.

Heath Ledger's Joker Revealed

For anyone with reservations about Christopher Nolan's upcoming Batman Begins follow-up, I present to you the cover of the latest Empire magazine, featuring Heath Ledger as the Joker.

While this "real world" Joker is nowhere near the cartoony nature of Jack Nicholson's 1989 portrayal, The Dark Knight's Joker is far more menacing. He's a pyschotic murderer, who just so happens to enjoy smearing clown makeup on his face. Whether or not this character is given a hefty backstory is irrelevent. This isn't some thug that got dumped into a vat of chemicals. This guy's just straight-up, bat-sh*t crazy. Pun intended.

I was skeptical about the casting of Heath Ledger at first, I admit. But this photo reveals the wiry, unpredictable Clown Prince of Crime of the comics. He’s the epitome of the chaos that Batman fights so hard to prevent.

Will the film itself deliver? We'll all find out when The Dark Knight hits theaters July 18, 2008.