The Dark Knight Rumor - The Dark Knight's Budget To Be...

[Dark Knight]

200 million will not be the budget for The Dark Knight. Trust me, WB learned it's lesson on Superman Returns (still a great filim). With some sets already built along with other things from the production of the last film, that cuts the budget down right there.

If I had to guess, the budget will probably be the same as it was on Batman Begins, which was either 140 or 150 million. Either way, it won't get to 200 million. WB isn't letting that happen again.

I agree...Nolan doesn't need 200 million anyway.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Yeah, I think WETA set the bar mighty high for cgi characters there. The use of mo-cap really did help bring out the character. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have Serkis doing the acting either.

Amen. I loved that guy just on the basis of LOTR, but then his work in Kong was incredible, as well. He obviously studied gorillas a lot in preparation for that. His performance as the big guy was flawless.

Always did wonder why Davey was in the sunlight most of the time. Hrm. Probably has to do with how they were confident in their cgi that he'd work in a well-lit environment.

That's probably true. And ILM never turns down a chance to show off. Perhaps they felt that if they kept Davy in darkness all the time, it would make it seem as if they weren't happy with their work. But hell... in the original "A Nightmare of Elm Street" you barely saw Freddy clearly... he was perpetually in shadows, and that worked to his advantage as a monster. It made him scarier, even though the makeup was quite distrubing in its own right, and Robert Englund would be scary as hell on a sunny beach wearing flower-print trunks and his actual face.

As far as Gollum goes, he's supposed to be an object of pity that reminds us of our own frailties as much as anything else. He's evil sometimes and seemingly harmless other times, so the connection with his eyes and his face was necessary, I thought.

Still, I thought with Davy, that showing his face - particularly his eyes - in full light made him less frightening a lot of the time, because it humanized him. The eyes are the most important part of the face. "The gateway to the soul," as they say - and as a former art student I've always appreciated that the eyes were the most crucial aspect of a portrait. The eyes make or break a likeness.

Well, they also make or break a character. It was Cillian Murphy's eyes that made him just as scary without his mask as with it, in "Batman Begins," and it was Michael Keaton's eyes that made him somewhat unnerving to look upon as Batman in Burton's movies. Similarly it was never seeing Darth Vader's eyes (or indeed any of his face) that made him so creepy when I was a kid. Freddy's yellow eyes in "New Nightmare" made him seem somehow even more evil than he ever had before.

A design is EVERYTHING.

Davy Jones' eyes and facial movements reminded me of somebody else, and I couldn't think of who it was. But I just wracked my brain and I realized who it was he reminded me of. He reminded me of Odo from Deep Space Nine. THAT'S why he didn't scare me. Because subconsciously I was thinking of grumpy old Odo retiring to his bucket for the night.

The best way to hide flaws within a cgi work is to surround them in shadows. Human skin, I think, is at least 7-10 years from being perfected on the computer. Which is why I still consider Gollum to be a great achievement, but hasn't quite reached greatness yet.

I'm not sure how much better Gollum could be done, though... I mean he was exactly the way I always pictured him, or at least unnervingly close. I did a sketch of Gollum in 1998, and when I saw him in the movie I went "HOLY SH1T!" because it was almost exactly my sketch.

*hides porn stash*

LOL!!!

 

[Robin91939]

A lot of that dough could be used to market the film better this time around.

-R

 

[Anita18]

I also think that someone jumped the gun with that budget estimate. (Reporters, they don't know anything ) Batman thrives on character and story, not on expensive special effects. Most of BB's special effects were relatively easier to render because they took place in the dark, and I don't anticipate someone on the TDK team to suddenly think Bats needs to be in the light so they can show off their CGI skilz.

I thought that Davey Jones was incredibly done, on par with Gollum. I felt that both Gollum and Davey Jones moved realistically. (I'm pretty familiar with sea creatures and I was amazed at the amount of detail on Davey Jones' crew.) Despite any issues I might have with POTC2 and LOTR as movies, they have unquestionably set the bar for CGI characters. (In contrast, I thought the Matrix sequels were lacking and so was SR.)

But for the record, I don't think that any Batman film will have an appriopriate opportunity to show off CGI characters, unless they want to render out a smidge of Joker and Two-Face.

He reminded me of Odo from Deep Space Nine. THAT'S why he didn't scare me. Because subconsciously I was thinking of grumpy old Odo retiring to his bucket for the night.

OMG you're so right! I think it was the relative lack of nose. Anyhow, I love Odo.

 

[dark_b]

to uch money for teh batman. WB will never learn

 

[Alpha and Omega]

200 million includes the development, pre-production, on site production, post-wrap, marketing, and salaries. It's not a bad or untouchable mark for TDK. This one will probably make over half of that back in one week alone. As long as it doesn't spike, that number isn't a disastrous one. It means that we'll see better action sequences, and Nolan might colloborate with better people for the construction of these scenes. [not to mention, better cinematography]

A larger budget is never a bad thing on a film like this, if you have the talented people who will ensure that it's synonymous with a better story, better performances, and greater risks/rewards/returns.

 

[blueboy]

I personally think the reporter was exaggerating a bit... And as far as some of that money going to the actors... Didn't the WB sign most of the cast to a 2 or 3 picture deal if i'm not mistaken? I think the budget for TDK is around the same as Begins, if not slightly higher... But nowhere near 200 million unless they're including some kinda marketing budget with that as well....

 

[fabman]

c'mon... it's same 4 me, warner bros. spends the money... and even without a bunch o' sfx... 'batman' movies are big budget blockbusters and have ever been (since 1989...)

that doesn't mean there will be more special fx... it does just mean that they need more money to finance this sequel...

 

[Milkman95]

I don't think it's too much at all.

BB was $150m. It was a re-start and a big risk. It took in $205m Domestically with an additional $166m Internationally. Then it took in an additional $128m or so in DVD sales. I'm not even counting merchandise and TV rights. So it made at least $500m.

With BB re-starting this franchise is a great way, it's pretty easy to see TDK will be WAY more anticipated. $200m is fine.

 

[Eros]

Ang Lee Hulk cost less [it only cost 120 million], and that movie was an epic style multi location production.

 

[blueboy]

We all know Nolan isn't the kind of Director to go overboard on budgets. If in fact the budget is 200 million dollars, I think Nolan would spend every dime where it needed to be spent... Hasn't he earned you guys trust by now?

No diss on Singer, but I don't see Nolan shooting a 10 million dollar sequence to end up completely cutting it out the movie...

 

[BatMatt]

Perhaps this will include the advertising budget, 200 million seems a bit extreme with the sets and batmobile already built

 

[Ronny Shade]

Nolan'll probably just take a 50 mil paycheck or something

 

[Milkman95]

Perhaps this will include the advertising budget, 200 million seems a bit extreme with the sets and batmobile already built

Well, who knows if they're re-using those old sets - it hasn't been confirmed, has it?

Also, I'm sure that could include marketing, as well as hefty raises for Nolan and Bale. Ledger's paycheck is probably pretty substantial as well, especially when signing for two films more than likely.

 

[Retroman]

I don't believe any of it. First of all its way too early since they're still casting and location scouting and second this is the same paper (i think) that claimed Superman Returns was costing 300 million dollars or something like that.

 

[ChrisBaleBatman]

Does it mean he has to spend every dime?

I mean, what if it's like WB is saying, "Hey.....buddy....take as much as you need. What, you need 150 mil? Nah...here....take 200 mil, spend it on something nice. Go get the wife a little something, and spend as much as you need."

I mean.....there could be left overs...no?

 

[Anita18]

No diss on Singer, but I don't see Nolan shooting a 10 million dollar sequence to end up completely cutting it out the movie...

Oh, I definitely don't think Nolan will do anything close to that, but still. It's like, giving me $50,000 to spend on a new wardrobe (which I don't - I barely go clothes shopping at all). I'd be like, "Ummm.....can I sock part of this away in a savings account? Spend some of it on art supplies? A trip to Cancun?" t:

 

[Keyser Sushi]

I also think that someone jumped the gun with that budget estimate. (Reporters, they don't know anything ) Batman thrives on character and story, not on expensive special effects. Most of BB's special effects were relatively easier to render because they took place in the dark, and I don't anticipate someone on the TDK team to suddenly think Bats needs to be in the light so they can show off their CGI skilz.

Amen.

I thought that Davey Jones was incredibly done, on par with Gollum. I felt that both Gollum and Davey Jones moved realistically. (I'm pretty familiar with sea creatures and I was amazed at the amount of detail on Davey Jones' crew.) Despite any issues I might have with POTC2 and LOTR as movies, they have unquestionably set the bar for CGI characters. (In contrast, I thought the Matrix sequels were lacking and so was SR.)

Wait, wait. Wait. You... wait. Heh. Errrh.... huh? You had issues with LOTR??? Do tell, my friend. Do tell.

But for the record, I don't think that any Batman film will have an appriopriate opportunity to show off CGI characters, unless they want to render out a smidge of Joker and Two-Face.

The only use I can see a Batman movie having for digital characters is in the stunt-double department. Digital stunt-doubles are always a possibility, especially with the crazy stuff that Batman is capable of doing. But even there, it's only necessary in specific instances and for brief periods of time in low-light situations...

OMG you're so right! I think it was the relative lack of nose. Anyhow, I love Odo.

Yes, the lack of nose and the smooth eyebrow area, the recessed eyes... There were even a few facial expressions that Davy did that had me wondering where the hell I'd seen that before, and only last night did I figure it out. And Odo rules all. I'd love to see Rene Auberjonois in a Batman movie (Batman Forever DOES NOT count... )

 

[Dr. Fate]

There are very few films that deserve to cost $200 million. I don't think The Dark Knight has to be one of them.

 

[raybia]

Ang Lee Hulk cost less [it only cost 120 million], and that movie was an epic style multi location production.

Yeah but

BB > HULK

 

[raybia]

There are very few films that deserve to cost $200 million. I don't think The Dark Knight has to be one of them.

Doesn't have to be, but deserves to be.

 

[Crooklyn]

Unless the villain is Poison Ivy, Clayface, or Mr. Freeze....I don't see why it deserves that much.

 

[Ronny Shade]

Maybe this'll mean big star for Harvey


cough leo cough


*shrug*

 

[raybia]

Maybe this'll mean big star for Harvey


cough leo cough


*shrug*

For some reason, I was just thinking that maybe the much larger budget is to accomdate the salary of a big star for the role of Dent...say someone like...I don''t know...Dicapro.

 

[raybia]

Unless the villain is Poison Ivy, Clayface, or Mr. Freeze....I don't see why it deserves that much.

Wouldn't that be cool! A Batman movie feature major villians like Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy...wait a minute...D'OH!