Buzz
The Dark Knight Rises marks the final chapter in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, and it's also one of the most influential works in the superhero genre and Hollywood at large.
In 2008, Christopher Nolan soared to become one of the most renowned directors in Hollywood with the resounding success of The Dark Knight - a blockbuster that grossed over $1 billion for Warner Bros.
With Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), Nolan elevated the superhero genre, making it more serious, compelling, and profound, rather than mere entertainment. His achievement is even more remarkable considering the disappointment left by Batman & Robin (1997) a decade earlier, which many thought had irreparably damaged the Dark Knight's image and the superhero genre as a whole.
However, Nolan proved otherwise. Following the success of The Dark Knight, he went on to produce the final installment of his Batman trilogy - The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Despite its flaws, this blockbuster left a lasting impression on audiences. While The Dark Knight Rises may not be every fan's favorite, it's undeniably a significant project in Nolan's Batman series and the superhero genre, which was experiencing a resurgence at the time.
A decade after Nolan's Batman trilogy concluded, executive producer Michael Uslan discussed with Inverse how the talented director completely transformed the superhero genre and Hollywood as a whole. He said: 'Chris is a genius. No one at Warner Bros. has more influence than him. That allowed Chris the freedom to execute his ideas and vision without interference'.
Uslan also shared that Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises should be seen as a seamless story, but divided into three distinct acts. He stated: 'Christopher Nolan's mission was to restore the dignity and the signature darkness of the Bat'.
'It's one of the most brilliantly structured trilogies, flawlessly executed, I've ever known. Every teaser has value and is fully exploited. Every character has their own arc. Everything planted in the previous films bears fruit in the later ones. Everyone I've spoken to admits shedding a tear in the final 6-7 minutes of The Dark Knight Rises. It's truly a remarkable achievement'.
Before embarking on The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan faced quite a few unexpected hurdles. The sudden departure of Heath Ledger, who posthumously won an Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, made Nolan seriously reconsider whether to proceed with a sequel. And if so, who could fill the shoes of the main antagonist, after Ledger's iconic performance?
Moreover, The Dark Knight was also one of Warner Bros.'s most commercially successful films at the time, and widely regarded as one of the finest superhero films ever made. This inadvertently created an invisible pressure on Nolan, requiring him to invest a lot of time thinking about the next installment. The director even went on to make Inception before returning to finish his unfinished business with the Bat.
Out of respect for Ledger, Nolan decided not to cast a new actor for the role of the Joker. This meant he needed to find a new villain for his film. On this matter, producer Uslan never doubted Nolan, especially after Liam Neeson's success as the antagonist Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins.
'I was delighted when Ra's al Ghul appeared in the first film,' Uslan revealed, 'He's the character that binds Batman to Bruce Wayne's psyche, or broadly speaking, the connection between a superhero and an ordinary person within the same entity. Then, the Joker represents the edge of madness, chaos'.
Therefore, when Nolan chose Bane as the antagonist in The Dark Knight Rises, Uslan immediately grasped the director's intent. Debuting in the comic books in January 1993, Bane had repeatedly wreaked havoc on Batman not only with his superior physical strength but also with his remarkable intellect.
Uslan remarked: 'Bane embodies aspects of physicality in Batman's adversaries. I'm thrilled Chris explored that and showcased the brute force in the final installment.' Tom Hardy, who previously collaborated with Nolan in Inception, was immediately tapped for this role.
Nolan's reputation, coupled with the success of the previous 2 Batman films, attracted a large ensemble cast to The Dark Knight Rises, including Matthew Modine - portraying police officer Peter Foley. Reflecting on his experiences working under the helm of 'Captain' Nolan, Modine expressed absolute trust in the individuals Nolan chose, whether they were actors or crew members.
'Nolan, much like other top directors, acts as a conductor,' shared Modine, 'The musicians have the duty and responsibility to study and prepare well for the music they will perform. Then, the conductor guides them through the piece. It's a wonderful collaboration.'
According to Uslan, The Dark Knight Rises was Nolan's opportunity to address issues related to legacy, consequences in a unified film series. It also focused on Bruce Wayne's self-doubt regarding his actions as Batman and whether they made any difference to Gotham City.
'Batman's greatest superpower is his humanity,' Uslan stated, 'In the process of becoming the Dark Knight, with grand hopes of improving people's lives, Bruce Wayne has often found himself questioning. That doubt peaks when, somehow, after all these years, things take a turn for the worse. Wayne constantly asks himself: 'Am I making any difference? Am I leaving any impact?' These are issues of personal legacy that we've all faced.'
After all, the Batman symbol remains respected by many, increasingly prominent and inspiring in the final stretch of The Dark Knight. 'This film shows what the symbol means to society, to Gotham City, to humanity', Uslan continued, 'It demonstrates that anyone has the power to rise up and stand against Bane. That's the core philosophy that's been associated with the Batman image for the past 85 years'.
Additionally, Nolan always imbued his Batman films with complexity regarding morality, character, and the modern society of the 2000s. Uslan explained: 'The world has changed. We no longer live in the era of clear-cut good versus evil, black and white distinctions. We live in a gray world, with order and chaos constantly clashing. Chris wants people to believe that Bruce Wayne can exist entirely within reality - a psychologically scarred man after the horrific events he's endured, gradually healing and finding himself again'.
That's why Nolan insisted on shooting real-life scenes in New York, London, or Chicago to create a vast, ominous Gotham on screen. 'He wants us to believe that Gotham could entirely be real', shared Uslan.
Creative decisions like these are why, a decade after The Dark Knight Rises premiered, Nolan's Batman trilogy still resonates. It's so significant that it has become the benchmark for comparing and evaluating all comic book superhero adaptations.
'Hollywood isn't the same anymore (after the Batman trilogy)', Uslan observed, 'The comic book industry has also changed a lot. Now, everyone is trying to create the most 'human' works possible. They want their characters to have more depth. The era of cookie-cutter superheroes is over. When stepping out of The Dark Knight Rises theater, audiences won't praise it as a comic book adaptation. They'll just say it's a good movie. That's the greatness Chris Nolan brought. He elevated everything'.
According to Inverse
