The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR General Discussion Thread - - - - - - - Part 156

[BatLobster]

Star Wars and Batman are/were the two franchises I love the most, easily. So yeah, post-2012 fandom has been a rough ride for me haha.

But honestly I think it's healthy to move on. There are still movies and filmmakers worth get excited for, and I totally do when those come along. Fandom just doesn't occupy that same massive, obsessive role in my life anymore...I'm okay with that though. As you get older you realize more and more that time is limited, and for me it's been good to be reprioritize things a bit and focus on goals, personal development, being more present, etc.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

One thing I've noticed is that most of my friends rarely talk about films anymore, and if they do, it's only because I'm bringing it up.

Same, for me. I'm only 29 but at first I thought "maybe it's just my age and my friends' age". But I've got friends from Gen Z through Boomer, and they all are the same way.

Especially my Gen Z friends don't get hyped for anything coming out. Barbenheimer was a pretty big exception and that was more to do with the comical nature of the endeavor seeing such contrasting films back-to-back.

But like...Endgame was the last breath of huge anticipation for a film that I can recall on a cultural level, with No Way Home following up.

Overall, though - it feels like movies are just kinda not the big thing to go do or look forward to anymore. I don't feel it's a generational thing - it's an everyone thing. People may get excited or look forward to something - but it's still in a way more passive manner than it ever used to be, seems like.

Something's changed, certainly.

 

[Dede]

Maybe I’m weird but I appreciate all the Batman films we’ve had even the bad ones

 

[The Joker]

That's not weird. Its good that all the movies get some kind of appreciation from someone.

 

[The Batman]

Truth.

I truly do not get that attitude because you're totally correct, here - that has been the energy/vibe I've gotten from them. And I think they'd never admit it - but they might feel that The Batman maybe wasn't as good as this series or received as great by fans/general audiences.

Otherwise, why the insecurity? The film should speak for itself, right?

I really hope it lessens over time because in the end, I really want to enjoy the new Batman series alongside other fans and take part in the joy - but I don't want to do that if it means I have to do so at the expense of prior Batman films.

I think some fans just want their preferred thing to be considered the "Best" thing.

Reeves fans absolutely feel TB is better than the Nolan trilogy, but for some of them, it probably rankles that it won't get the type of love TDKT gets.

Will it lessen over time? At one point, it was pretty popular to criticize '66 and Burton, now there's a lot of nostalgic fondness for them. I think the Nolan films will eventually reach this point among the fanboy bubble.

 

[AndyTrevino]

Here's my very quick, "stream of consciousness" 2 cents in regards to this debate:

I loved the Nolan films, I grew up with them. At 11 I was ****ing enamored with Nolan's trilogy after seeing the whole thing capped off with TDKR. But I'm not sure they were ever really my definitive take on the mythos.

And watching The Batman in theaters at age 20 really just put all those things into perspective. It's much spookier, more stylized, a lot more warmth coming in from the people behind the cameras versus Nolan's slightly cold cinematic demeanor, more grit, a more BTAS-y noirish score.

The hype for that got me through some dark times post-COVID, it was pretty much the first real Batman trilogy I got to speculate about from the very beginning, and in this day and age where some of the only stuff the genre has to offer is a bunch of overproduced, badly shot samey fluff......this is a very welcome breath of fresh air especially coming off of the DCEU.

But more than that, I think it just comes from the TDK influence being practically EVERYWHERE and forming the basis for most everything Batman past a certain point when I was a kid, to the point where it became tiresome. That, as well as Zimmer's score. It was inescapable. It's like hearing the same 10 bands on the radio with the same 14 hits being played over. And over. And over. And over.

Don't get me wrong, I still like them, I'll get engaged if they're on, and will always consider them one of my first real forays into film. But as of right now I won't put them on unless I want to show them to someone, because I'm just kinda burnt out on them.

 

[BatLobster]

Here's my very quick, "stream of consciousness" 2 cents in regards to this debate:

I loved the Nolan films, I grew up with them. At 11 I was ****ing enamored with Nolan's trilogy after seeing the whole thing capped off with TDKR. But I'm not sure they were ever really my definitive take on the mythos.

And watching The Batman in theaters at age 20 really just put all those things into perspective. It's much spookier, more stylized, a lot more warmth coming in from the people behind the cameras versus Nolan's slightly cold cinematic demeanor, more grit, a more BTAS-y noirish score.

The hype for that got me through some dark times post-COVID, it was pretty much the first real Batman trilogy I got to speculate about from the very beginning, and in this day and age where some of the only stuff the genre has to offer is a bunch of overproduced, badly shot samey fluff......this is a very welcome breath of fresh air especially coming off of the DCEU.

But more than that, I think it just comes from the TDK influence being practically EVERYWHERE and forming the basis for most everything Batman past a certain point when I was a kid, to the point where it became tiresome. That, as well as Zimmer's score. It's like hearing the same 10 bands on the radio with the same 14 hits being played over. And over. And over. And over.

Don't get me wrong, I still like them, I'll get engaged if they're on, and will always consider them one of my first real forays into film. But as of right now I won't put them on unless I want to show them to someone, because I'm just kinda burnt out on them.

This makes sense. I’ve said many times that if I was younger I would probably feel the same. The Batman also looks and feels closer to the Batman movie I always imagined getting when I was younger. And I can easily imagine putting myself in the shoes of someone who grew up with those movies instilled as the be-all, end-all and almost wanting to rebel against that and get more invested in “my” version. It’s probably similar to why I can be a huge a fan of a band like Metallica and recognize their massive influence on most bands that I like without ever necessarily calling them one of my favorite bands. I’m just a little too sick of them for that, and I wasn’t the right age when they were at the height of their powers— but I still respect the hell out of them for paving the way and will gladly see them in concert when they come around.

In my case, getting something that felt both unexpected and definitive at the same time with Nolan’s trilogy was such a thrill. I was about your age when TDK came out— the experience of anticipating and essentially participating in a pop culture phenomenon that was such a gamechanger was just incomparable to anything I’d experienced before or after as a fan of the character. It was the first time as a movie fan that I really became conscious of the fact that I was watching history unfold.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Seeing The Dark Knight in theaters as a teenager was probably the only time in all my years of going to the cinema where I literally felt the genre transcend once it was over. There was a before TDK as I waiting in line with many others at midnight, and after when it was over. I haven't experienced something quite like it since.

 

[Sawyer]

BATMAN 85th Mash-ups Made in Gotham City Oversized Faded T-shirt

Whether on the big or small screen, and no matter who donned the cowl, the Caped Crusader is made in Gotham City. This oversized faded t-shirt features portraits of six live-action actors who took on the role of Batman with “Made in Gotham City” wording below. The tee’s trendy, oversized fit...

shop.dc.com

Ummm… missing someone?

 

[BatLobster]

BATMAN 85th Mash-ups Made in Gotham City Oversized Faded T-shirt

Whether on the big or small screen, and no matter who donned the cowl, the Caped Crusader is made in Gotham City. This oversized faded t-shirt features portraits of six live-action actors who took on the role of Batman with “Made in Gotham City” wording below. The tee’s trendy, oversized fit...

shop.dc.com

Ummm… missing someone?

I've been noticing this with a lot of the 85th anniversary merch I'm seeing. It's odd.

 

[Sawyer]

It’s gotta be some sort of licensing issue, right? There’s no way they’d leave Bale out deliberately.

 

[Awest66]

I wasn't gonna say anything about Reeves stans today, but....yeah, even before TB came out, there's been a "Loki wants to outdo Thor" vibe coming from some of them.

I have to say, it was hilarious watching people gas up how much of a "true fan" Reeves was compared to other Batman directors, only to find out that Reeves pretty much had a similar background to Nolan when it came to Batman fandom.

I actually mentioned this on the Batman sub-reddit and someone accused me of "spreading misinformation" and than went on about how Nolan said he was never much of a comic book fan as his brother was and how Reeves mentioned his favorite Batman comics when he was hired and how he was obsessed with Batman as a child.

Definite "Loki trying to outdo Thor" energy there.

 

[BobJM]

The script is such a great read. A few added lines of dialogue sprinkled in that actually add a lot to certain characters & scenes.

I’m sure it’s been discussed before but highly recommend fans check it out.

 

[Herofan]

Not in a million years. Hathaway could have played Rachel, but Gyllenhaal could never pull off Catwoman. She just doesn’t fit that bill. Not that she isn’t a superb actress, but she would feel incredibly wrong for the part.

I think she does tend to play and be pretty good as snarky if also a little zany characters, could also be good as ethically grey and regretting, improving over time.

Honestly, I think The Dark Knight gave us everything we needed to see from Ledger's Joker. Once you have him as the main villain in one movie, There's no real need to bring him back afterwards.

He definitely would not have been the main villain again and the movie would most likely still have been a conclusion with Nolan at the helm so I've never really seen the point of speculation.

Not main villain again but you really can't, shouldn't follow-up "I think we are going to do this forever" with and then they never met/clashed again.

 

[Awest66]

I think she does tend to play and be pretty good as snarky if also a little zany characters, could also be good as ethically grey and regretting, improving over time.



Not main villain again but you really can't, shouldn't follow-up "I think we are going to do this forever" with and then they never met/clashed again.

Maybe an Arkham Cameo like in the Batman but the trilogy as a whole gave us all we needed to see of Heath Ledger's take on the Joker, at least in my opinion.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Really, really weird that they are leaving Bale's Batman off these 85th anniversary celebration stuff:


He's the most iconic and easily recognisable live-action Batman (Alongside West and Keaton).

 

[The Joker]

I bet WB is salty because Nolan ditched them, and then to add insult to injury had one of his greatest successes after he left them.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Omitting your first Batman to draw a billion dollars back to back and the only one to date to do so, is a choice.

That's weird.

 

[Drizzle]

I bet WB is salty because Nolan ditched them, and then to add insult to injury had one of his greatest successes after he left them.

This seems like a realistic reason but Nolan and WB have started to mend fences.

Christopher Nolan Says Warner Bros. Feud Is ‘Water Under the Bridge,’ Would ‘Absolutely’ Work with Studio Again

"Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan said his feud with Warner Bros. is "water under the bridge" and that he would work with the studio again.

www.indiewire.com

They've also rereleased Tenet and will rerelease Interstellar in theaters later this year.

Maybe we're just overthinking it and the exhibit that's being advertised couldn't secure any props or costumes from the Nolan movies.

 

[Snow Queen]

I don't think it's overthinking it because notably Bale is also excluded from the series of variant covers they're doing in August. I looked it up the other week because I would have been interested to get one if they did, came across a Reddit post saying Chip Zdarsky said recently that he had been told that Nolan's Batman was off-limits. I haven't found his original comment though.

 

[Drizzle]

I don't think it's overthinking it because notably Bale is also excluded from the series of variant covers they're doing in August. I looked it up the other week because I would have been interested to get one if they did, came across a Reddit post saying Chip Zdarsky said recently that he had been told that Nolan's Batman was off-limits. I haven't found his original comment though.

The plot thickens...

 

[Snow Queen]

The plot thickens...

My empty speculation would be his contract for the sequels dictates he gets some money off the use of that specific Batman's image and the new management is stingy.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Maybe we're just overthinking it and the exhibit that's being advertised couldn't secure any props or costumes from the Nolan movies.

No, the official website has pictures of The Tumbler, etc. So I think Bale Batman stuff will be at the exhibit... They just aren't putting him on the marketing.

Why would he realistically be ''off-limits''? DC/WB own everything regarding those films and can do with them as they wish.

 

[Drizzle]

My empty speculation would be his contract for the sequels dictates he gets some money off the use of that specific Batman's image and they're being stingy.

No, the official website has pictures of The Tumbler, etc. So I think Bale Batman stuff will be at the exhibit... They just aren't putting him on the marketing.

Why would he realistically be ''off-limits''? DC/WB own everything regarding those films and can do with them as they wish.

Going off of Snow's theory, it could have stemmed from the shaky ground that WB and Nolan were on after he parted ways with them until recently. It could be that this isn't the case anymore but by the time Nolan and WB started talking again it could have been too late to add Bale's Batman to the marketing campaign for the 85th.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

Going off of Snow's theory, it could have stemmed from the shaky ground that WB and Nolan were on after he parted ways with them until recently. It could be that this isn't the case anymore but by the time Nolan and WB started talking again it could have been too late to add Bale's Batman to the marketing campaign for the 85th.

Could be... but that takes petty to a whole new level for me.