A Prologue for ‘The Dark Knight’?

We don’t usually like to discuss rumor and innuendo here, but what the hell, it’s a slow week.

There may in fact be a 7 minute prologue to The Dark Knight that plays before I Am Legend, on December 14, 2007. The kicker? It supposedly features The Joker.

Is it real? Who knows. If it’s true it’s mighty cool and I might go see I Am Legend, which I probably… might not have gone to see anyway.

I like the long term marketing plan for The Dark Knight. They keep dropping in tidbits and things so that we don’t forget that this movie is coming (not that we ever would).

Comments

  1. And don’t forget to check out http://www.whysoserious.com for a Long Halloween inspired Batman pumpkin. Maybe something will happen on Halloween? With the marketing they’ve had, it’s quite possible. And even if there isn’t, it’s still a cool touch.

  2. I read a while back that there will definitely be a trailer attached to I Am Legend. The article didn’t say anything about a prologue-esque trailer, but honestly, any type of trailer with finished footage would cause me to pass out in euphoria.

    …After the trailer was over, of course…

  3. Truth is I’m so hankering for some actual live footage of this film, I’ll go see any movie that has a trailer for TDK. Having said that, I Am Legend looks pretty damn good anyway.

    Bring it on. Grumpy’s there!!!

  4. I was planning on seeing I Am Legend anyway, so this is like that extra grape gummi bear you find in your super industrial size pacakge at the movie theater.

  5. Unlike everyone else I guess I wasn’t particularly planning to see I AM LEGEND. I haven’t seen any trailers for it but if this is true then they’ve sold me a movie ticket for a little prologue. I’m such a sucker

  6. According to that article in the link Conor posted they aren’t sure if the supposed trailer will be in the regular theater editions of the movie. It said just the IMAX release. Which sucks because I have to drive like 2 hours to get to the nearest IMAX theater. And they don’t always play “regular” movie releases. They get stuck on all of the animal and exploring the pyramids type movies.

  7. Is that true, is it only for the IMAX release? My nearest IMAX is about 80 miles away! I don’t mind making the effort, or paying 3 times a normal ticket price for something I’m psyched about, like I’ll do when TDK comes out (especially as Nolan’s shot some action sequences with IMAX cameras).

    But like Craig said, a 2 hour drive and an

  8. Oh, did anyone else see they’ve updated The Joker’s site – http://www.whysoserious.com – with… a jack-lantern?

    It’s not earth shattering, but it looks VERY similar to the jack-lantern on The Long Halloween cover (the one I’ve got anyway), which is pretty damn cool. Of course, it could be coincidence, but Nolan seems more canny than that to me.

    I love how they keep throwing out new little pieces of promo on this. And we still have a YEAR to wait!

  9. I came across an interesting thread over on the Tim Sale site this past year. It was revealed that an agent for Chris Nolan was attempting to purchase a page of original art from either Long Halloween or Dark Victory as a birthday gift for Chris. Nolan even contributes to the introduction in the Absolute Edition of Long Halloween. It is quite apparent that he is a big fan of Sale’s Batman.

    C.

  10. That’s cool, I didn’t know that about Nolan. It seems like he is going with Long Halloween and Killing Joke as the main inspirations for the tone of TDK then, which gets me all kinds of excited!

  11. Did people notice that candle at whysoserious.com is melting down? Hmmm.

  12. The candle may burn out on Halloween. The rumour is something might happen on the site when that happens. This whole marketing hype for the show has been crazy awesome!

    C.

  13. I’ve been told by a reliable source who actually works in the movie industry (sounds really stupid to say but its true) that the prologue is no rumor. Also he said that it is being shot with IMAX cameras, not necessarily for only IMAX release.

  14. Cincinnatus works in mysterious ways.

    Also, he may have just sold a ticket for I Am Legend.

  15. I Am Legend looks good anyway. Will Smith is still at 40-whatever one beefy buff hunk of man. Reminds me of an ifanboy who is also bald…

  16. You’re right about it looking good. I’ve gone to see worse movies for the sake of a trailer alone.

  17. Will Smith is 40-something?!?!

  18. He’s actually 39.

  19. I looked it up and he is actually 40 as of earlier this year. But go watch the I Am Legend and see when he’s doing pull-ups w/out his shirt on and tell me you’re not impressed.

  20. oops, 39. my bad, math has defeated me yet again.

  21. IMDB Pro says:

    Born: 25 September 1968, USA (age 39)

    WHY AM I EVEN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION?!?

    Yes, he’s in good shape. Way better than I am. Not that that is difficult these days.

  22. How’s work today Conor? Bored much?

  23. I’m on vacation.

    And looking up WIll Smith’s birthday.

    More than once.

  24. It’s time to go outside now Conor.

  25. It’s too hot outside!

  26. Conor, can’t you find an intern to fan you and feed you grapes?

  27. Has anyone actually read I Am Legend? The Will Smith movie (preview) makes me roll my eyes. I’m hoping they didn’t destroy a classic short story.

    The last thing that story needs is some lines delivered by Smith in his “gettin’ jiggy” fashion. Although I rolled my eyes less when I heard Will Smith was attached to the roll than when Arnold was attached to the roll back in the mid/late 90’s.

  28. I’ve checked most of the bookstores in my town and no one has it. I would read it if I could get my hands on it but I have till December so I’m not worried much.

  29. Do you think I’m kidding myself in hoping the [Dark Knight] DVD will have a feature covering the marketing?

    Having resigned to not obsessively checking a website with a pumpkin and candle, I didn’t realise it was burning down. Not that I’m surprised.

    Clowns in parks. Spooky websites.
    It’s fantastic! I really hope someone is documenting it all. That’s the kind of extra that sells me a DVD.

  30. Well, I hope there are some industrious Yanks to pick up on the developments on WhySoSerious.com, but more than that, I really hope all this stuff finds its way to the DVD.

    It’s all a fantastic idea, but for the removed, it’d be nice to get to see some of the experience.

  31. Just in case anyone isn’t paying attention, the necessary photography has been submitted, and our reward is a clear shot/soundbyte of The Joker! Yay!

  32. Yep, saw it. The pic’s cool but the soundbyte literally gave me chills. That’s looking to be one scary-ass Joker!

  33. “The pic’s cool but the soundbyte literally gave me chills.”

    Granted, it could be a red herring or just a fun byte for the site, but if it isn’t, I’m a little surprised they gave so much away with it!

    Spinning out of the Joker conversation started by Josh, you really could’ve only assumed broader strokes on the basis of what we knew. Killing and crazy — now we have a familiar goal! A motivation!

    Interested now to see what they deliver on the landmark task. Which is perhaps the greatest stroke of marketing genius yet!

  34. Either way, they’re marketing the hell out of this thing. In the best way possible, making the fans work for it.

    Each new viral site for this film has me almost as excited as booking tickets for TDK. Maybe the most ingeneous ongoing marketing campaign I’ve seen.

    I’m there opening day!

  35. Absolutely! The Dark Knight really feels like it’s shaping up to be the must-see of 2008, making up for the lull since 300.

    Iron Man looks good, but it just doesn’t feel like it’s going to have the same dense, nigh-infallibility of DK.

    Likewise, snaps and trailers are painting a thoroughly mediocre picture for the bland and predictable Bekmambetov adaptation of Wanted.