Batman 'The Dark Knight Rises': Bane Photo Revealed With New Site, Twitter Campaign (PHOTO)

The Dark Knight is now rising -- or, at least one of his scary enemies is, anyway.

Warner Brothers has kicked off the long viral campaign for their highly anticipated next Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," with a mysterious link and photo revelation of Tom Hardy as evil villain Bane. A Twitter handle called @TheFireRises links users to the new site, which is all black and contains a short, epic soundtrack. A subsection of the site allows users to upload their own images to a collage that is slowly forming the Hardy/Bane photo.

The image, it goes without saying, is both disturbing and very promising.

Director Christopher Nolan's final chapter of the saga (though he'll stay on to produce future films) is low on plot details, but rich on stars. Christian Bale, of course, returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and he'll have Gary Oldman back as Commissioner Gordon on his side. Now joining them will be Hardy's "Inception" cast mate Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, a special assignment cop.

Anne Hathaway joins the cast as Selena Kyle/Catwoman, and another "Inception" vet, Marion Cotillard, will play Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises employee. Josh Pence, body double from "The Social Network," will show his face as young Ra's al Ghul.

PHOTO:

Comments

[Philip Schneider]

09:16 PM on 06/27/2011

Looks like a skeleton hand over his mouth. Awesome! If I see this movie, and the next James Bond, I can die happily.

[zLala]

09:00 PM on 06/27/2011

haha, why do you need a body double for The Social Network? wussies.

[BlackJeremiah]

07:40 AM on 06/28/2011

It was for the Winklevoss twins--Arnie Hammer's head was placed on Pence's body for one of the twins.

[zLala]

07:36 PM on 06/30/2011

Oh haha! ok

[Pandoras Folly]

09:20 AM on 05/24/2011

i never really though Bane was a very interesting villain you know? I mean its batman the only way you can make Bane a threat is to shut the Bat in a confined space with bane and hope he doesn't have some bat toy in his bat belt that bats bane on the bat floor. Unless they give Bane a brain in this film he just isn't that interesting. much rather have just about anyone else calender man even.

[DennyCrane]

08:38 PM on 05/24/2011

Do your homework. The character in the comics does have a brain. You're thinking of that pile of crap Batman & Robin where the character of Bane was almost like nothing like the comic book version.

[Pandoras Folly]

09:10 AM on 05/25/2011

Unless they give Bane a brain in this film

oh my god someone on the internet is wrong i have to correct them... um honey didn't you read that line....what line?.... that one, he is agreeing with you....oh

[citizen1787]

12:19 AM on 05/25/2011

Agreed, it seems like there are many better choices than Bane. But, I have a feeling that Nolan will make Bane more complex than Schumacher did and there has not been a true physical threat in any of the villains so far. I have a hunch that he will be an assassin employed by Talia.

[T-Faz]

07:24 AM on 05/24/2011

Will bane break Batman's back in this film?

I still have nightmares about Batman & Robin

[Pandoras Folly]

09:14 AM on 05/24/2011

please no nipples on the bat suit!!!!

[T-Faz]

11:26 AM on 05/24/2011

Hey, I liked the nipples, it was realistic.

I guess you are the conservative kind, lol.

[Eudes Castiel]

02:34 AM on 05/24/2011

WHY DON'T CHRISTOPHER NOLAN MAKE A MOVIE WITH BATMAN, ROBIN AND SUPERMAN TOGETHER OR BATMAN AND SUPERMAN TOGETHER? THIS WILL BE A MEGA HIT MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!

[GGSS2020]

04:55 PM on 05/24/2011

*sighs* poor Robin...

[Demarcus Jackson]

12:22 AM on 05/24/2011

I cannot wait! This film has the potential to be great. Bane is perhaps the most under-appreciated Batman villain. I hope Nolan does him justice.

[beasteben]

11:28 AM on 07/12/2011

I love this choice. Bane is a beloved antagonist by those who follow the lore closely. I don't, but my old college roommate gave me an hour lecture of Bane's role in the Batman story. Its pretty significant.

[clearpepsi]

11:56 PM on 05/23/2011

I like the image a lot, but why are they calling it "sick"? Is Bane an ill character or are they saying sick as in the slang meaning "being very cool and/or favorable"?

[beasteben]

11:29 AM on 07/12/2011

sick means cool. Cool means neat. Neat means pleasurable. :P

[citizen1787]

08:24 PM on 05/23/2011

"Marion Cotillard, will play Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises employee. Josh Pence, body double from "The Social Network," will show his face as young Ra's al Ghul."

Probable Spoiler: If there is a flashback to Ra's, then his daughter Talia is in DK Rises. Therefore, Marion Cotillard will be playing Miranda Tate who is actually Talia al Ghul.

[clearpepsi]

11:54 PM on 05/23/2011

ugh.. I don't know the story lines well enough to make any sense of what your saying.

[Pandoras Folly]

09:14 AM on 05/24/2011

then why are you commenting go wiki it.

[LivelyLexie]

06:23 PM on 05/23/2011

Why is this image "disturbing"? He looks like Bane, because that's who he's playing! I am so excited about this movie. I've loved Batman since I was about three years old.

[Xgal08]

09:46 AM on 05/23/2011

I can't wait! I became a fan of Tom Hardy and Joesph Gordon Levitt because of Inception. This movie is going to be awesome!

[LMPE]

01:30 AM on 05/23/2011

Apparently, the depiction of Bane in "Batman & Robin" bore no resemblance to the character in the comic books. But let's face it: "Batman & Robin" was THE WORST Batman movie ever!

[notreallyabadguy]

01:54 PM on 05/23/2011

AMEN to that!!

[arrock]

04:20 PM on 05/23/2011

I wont argue with that

[Fencik45]

05:19 PM on 05/22/2011

I hope this movie is told as a dream within a dream-backwards and has shape shifting buildings that talk! Oh...and loud music.

[Indigo1941]

08:06 AM on 05/24/2011

in 3D with lots of scary Bat-drops-and-swoops.

[beasteben]

11:31 AM on 07/12/2011

BOOOOOO 3d. booooo. IMAX ftw.

[G13]

01:39 PM on 05/22/2011

I can't wait for this movie! only one I've been looking forward to other than Harry Potter
hope Marion Cotillard does play Talia Al Ghul...or else, Harley Quinn

[LivelyLexie]

06:25 PM on 05/23/2011

I wanted Marion Cotillard to play Catwoman SO bad! Although Talia Al Guhl would be amazing. She wouldn't be a good Harley Quinn, in my opinion. She doesn't have the voice or the right look.

[rigmoten]

12:23 PM on 05/22/2011

The world can thank Nolan for stripping the bat nipples from the batsuit.

[LLNYRN]

08:44 AM on 05/22/2011

For those of you who doubt Tom Hardy being able to pull Bane off,
I suggest you watch "BRONSON".
Then read, "KNIGHTFALL".

Yeah. It appears that this last film is pretty "over-casted". But I have no doubts that Nolan wants this final film to be his magnum-opus to the REAL fans of BATMAN. I hope this film is 3 hours long.

DC Comics and Warner Bros. should be thanking God and the future profits/prophets for Christopher Nolan. His approach of applying a comic character within a "real world" framework worked.

That's what makes "THE DARK KNIGHT" critically and universally so admired and loved.

[scud420]

05:15 PM on 05/23/2011

True that. I didn't realize why Hardy was picked for Bane until I saw Bronson. This is going to be the best Batman movie yet as long as they don't water it down trying to give the minor characters like Ghul and Catwoman too much development.

[Indigo1941]

08:07 AM on 05/24/2011

No fear. Anne Hathaway doesn't do development.

[Wirehedd]

05:18 PM on 05/29/2011

Absolutely. I saw Bronson when it came out and seriously thought Tom Hardy was Oscar worthy. When I heard he had been cast as Bane I was thrilled knowing they had cast someone who not only has the physicality to carry the role but the acting skill to actually make Bane the truly deadly and intelligent threat he should be.