Warner Bros. is starting to pick up the pace in their The Dark Knight Rises marketing efforts a little bit. Not that they need to since it seems everyone knows it is coming out and are anxious to see it on IMAX. Maybe there’s some new pressure to perform after Marvel’s The Avengers blew away expectations and records in its big debut, and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.
First up on The Dark Knight Rises front is a new TV spot that debuted during the NBA Playoffs this past weekend. It’s a mash-up of footage from The Dark Knight Rises and various NBA stars dunking the ball and “rising” to the occasion of the playoffs. I could have told whoever put the spot together that Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul would soon be exiting and to focus on Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant instead. Nevertheless, it’s a neat piece of marketing worth checking out.
Next up is a new The Dark Knight Rises theatrical one-sheet poster. It uses imagery now familiar to the campaign with Gotham’s skyscrapers crumbling down from above, forming the silhouette of the Batman logo in the middle. Only this time the buildings are on fire and an upset Batman has been inserted into the foreground. “A Fire Will Rise” indeed.
The Dark Knight Rises is directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. It opens in theaters and IMAX everywhere on July 20.
