And I disagree with you anchorite, I think this movie will deliver like the first one.

We'll just have to wait and see how it fits within the context of the movie.

...peddles furiously as he chases Joker riding his Green Machine through the Crime Alley playset? Does it have a cool hand brake on the side to make groovy skids?

I can't believe, that with one picture, they can nearly dash any hopes that The Dark Knight would not end up a giant toy commercial. I wonder if the toy will come with a Bat Pod Launcher that you wind up like those old Evel Knievel toys. I can't wait for a new generation bloody their knuckles as thier hand slips and smacks into the concrete. Heck, maybe it will even shoot sparks.

Gawd, that looks several ways of gay.

Yes, Anthony Michael Hall is supposed to be playing Edward Nygma, at least that's the latest rumor...

Oh and anyone who compares any of this stuff to either Burton or Schumacher instantly loses all credibility. Morons.

Fits in nicely with the whole Tumbler 'urban battlewagon' ethos though.

I'm still waiting for a Batman film rather than an elseworlds Batman . .methinks I'll be waiting a loooonng time

I think Rickey needs to get a good pep talk (or ass-whooping) to the Mets.

The disappointing box-office of "Hostel: Part II" has upset quite a few, most notably its director Eli Roth who says on his blog that it will have an knock-on effect. The most notable one will be a delay in his adaptation of Stephen King's "Cell" - "I am not directing Cell any time soon, and I most likely will take the rest of the year to write my other projects. Which means I wouldn't shoot until the spring and you wouldn't see a film directed by me in the cinemas until at least next fall." He cites the infamous leaked pirate copy of the film as one of the reasons for the damaging box-office, especially internationally. Unlike other movies leaked online and taken with video cameras, "Hostel II" was notably a near DVD-quality unfinished work print. He also adds that the R-rated horror genre is in serious jeopardy after several notable failures this year - "studios feel the public doesn't want them anymore, and so they are only putting PG-13 films into production. The only way to counter this perception is to get out there and support R-rated horror."

KEEP MAKING EXCUSES ELI!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

All Hail the Bale.

As it is now, it just looks naked, like Gotham PD just found it in a raided chop-shop.

The end result is the most important thing, and while our initial reaction may be negative, you just have to wait for the end result before you can pass judgment.

What we know and what we can assume. We KNOW that they have assembled an unbelievable cast, and the movie is being directed by a solid director who seems to be taking these movies in a satisfying direction. We can ASSUME that WB wants to make a lucrative movie so it may put some pressure on the movie makers to be a bit more friendly to a wider audience. Based on the considerable success of the last movie more money is going to be sunk into this, and the producers are most likely going to want some "flashiness" to balance the seriousness that the director and writer have brought and will likely bring more of to this sequel. I dont think its fair to slam Nolan for the new Batsuit, or any other design choices. This kind of movie is a huge collaboration, and you better believe there will be a million producers hanging around giving their opinions. In the end I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing (though it can quickly become one, even if WB's track record has been improving). Nolan seems to be getting a lot of things his way (casting, his bro writing, etc) but Katie Holmes being cast reeks of producer involvement as does the tron suit. Ultimately the choices we may not agree with depend on the direction, story, and acting. If they stick those three things then by this time next year we may be calling the things that worried us (Ledger, the tron suit, the Bat-pod, Gylenhaal) bad ass.

For me my biggest fear for the first one was Katie Holmes but even she wasnt all that bad. Her characer serves a purpose, and now that she is being played by the more talented, convincing Maggie Gylenhaal (who actually looks pretty cute in the pics they have posted) I'm thinking both movies are going to play much better together.

Just remember, before you slam the choices made for this movie, there were some iffy choices for the first one that paid off, and on hindsight I think that the biggest problem with the first one was Goyers shaky writing. I think Nolan has enough of a hold on this movie to make good choices, right now, for me at least, is whether John Nolan can deliver a better script then Goyer. If he does then who the hell cares about a Bat-pod?

This is cool... Very Cool!

Stoopid haters! (Shheeessshh)

If you don't like Hostel or the way Roth goes about his business, that's your right... but to celebrate the failure of a creative endeavor, especially one in which a lot of hard work and effort was required, is just lame.

I mean, come ON. All you guys do is complain about crappy studio-driven movie after studio-driven movie... but when Tarantino, or Roth, or Zombie, or Kevin Smith, or another independent mind that's doing something different comes along, all you do is bash their work into the stone age. You can't have it both ways. I think there are a lot more people that come to AICN to hate on film than celebrate it these days, and that's fucking tragic.

Everything you've just said is a judgment call, and I've no interest in letting anybody judge what entertainment is right for me, unless it is myself.

Again, it's all well and good if Roth's brand of entertainment isn't to your taste. I happen to like it just fine, and I don't think it makes me, Roth, or Roth's fans any less human. It sounds as if you all would like him to fail so you can say the market does not and will not support his work... but that's not true. Roth's films, like Tarantino, Rodriguez, and Smith's, were not intended to play in Peoria. They are niche films.

All I'm saying is, can we truly say it's a bad thing when a smaller creator makes good? I think you think the movie industry is much bigger than it really is -- that if only Roth's "influence" was drummed out, we'd be left with bigger and better movies. The sad truth is, we'd probably just end up with more Paul W.S. Anderson films and big-budget, sound-and-fury-signifying-noth ing movie "events", and nobody can ever convince me that is a good thing.

2 THIS IS BATMAN TALK BACK, NOT AN ELI ROTH TALK BACK

That is all for now.

It looks stupid and fun at the same time, and certainly fits with the aesthetic they've established. (Trying to chase pesky thoughts of 'Megaforce' out of my mind, though.)

I'm wondering where the plastic ripcord goes--reminds me of my old Tron light-cycle toy with the rollerblade-style wheels.

http://www. markshields.com/ images/batmobile/2002-markshie lds.com-1989-keaton-batmobile- replica-DSC01311.jpg

I thought a lot of the acting i the batsuit came off as slightly wooden in BB just because bale looked so stiff and restricted.

Not 100% about the bike but i felt the same about the tumbler when that was first revealed.

In Batman Begins we see a bit of detective work going on, listening into conversations, when he is in his house going over notes and such. The big difference between the comic and this movie is that in the comic Bruce starts off getting ready to take on the underworld and doesnt give up until he has his "moment". BB throws him a curveball and places him at a point where he loses track of his original intent. He thought he wanted revenge at first but it was only until he realized revenge wouldnt satisfy him that the more mature focused idea of justice gave him purpose. A slightly different take, but not enough I think to completely derail the character from its comic origins.

That being said, seeing him develop his detective skills further in TDK, and better scripted fight scenes would be plus. It seems with his new suit he will be MUCH more mobile so here hopin the new Bats will be closer to the one we know and love!

But it still remains a brilliant film.

Now imagine the fact that Nolan is not shitting his pants this time, he has made 1 Bats film, then the Prestige so him and Bale are much closer now, his brother is writting so the whole thing will be much more controlled by him. The studio wil give him more freedom and money. He has a stronger central villan. He doesn't need an whole hour at the start to set up the film.

I just think that he will be under less pressure and stress and will be able to put across his ideas better this time.

If Batman Begins was brilliant with all it's faults, image how good the Dark Knight will be now Nolan is hitting the ground running.

From what I read about the story for 2 and 3 I think Goyer had some good ideas, so its cool that he still contributed for them, but HUZZAH! that he ain't writing.

Ok the armour is a tad complicated looking but so what, the fact that they have got the head right for the first time in a Batman film means we are actually going to see Batman move like he should, not like someone in a neck brace. Even that shot looks so cool, a stance not dictated by the limitations of the costume.

If I'm wrong, you can all call me a "Big Doo-Doo Head".

Which is so much better than my TB name. ;)

Saying a Batman film should not be about the realism of the situation, his training or the specifics is plain wrong.

He is not a superhero, he is a normal person who is acting like a superhero and the film should be about how he does that.