Not as big, but as far as movies go, maybe just as good. Personally, I like both Batman movies better so far than the LOTR ones. But LOTR was at least consistently 'good'...it really did feel like one big movie over three chapters. Indiana Jones was a joke after Raiders, and Empire presented the best that anything Star Wars ever was or will be before or since. Like Star Trek II compared to every other Star Trek movie....but these new ones are carving out a nice niche of their own.
But...what're we talking about? Oh yeah....Bane.....
I can't see him or anyone having the kind of iconography as a villain like Vader does...kinda' like you'll probably never see a mafia don with the same kind of iconography as Vito Corleone in Godfather. Those movies
changed movies, basically. So for any villain to be the 'new Vader', we'll probably need a new Star Wars, or something that will redefine the movie experience like Star Wars did to set him up. Avatar? No. I don't think TDKR will either...but that's not a knock.