Dark Knight Rises Poster Promises The End Of Batman's Legend

All of a sudden, it seems like we’re being inundated with The Dark Knight Rises goodies. For Batman fans, it is an embarrassment of riches, as we’re being treated to IMAX prologues, viral marketing campaigns and now, a gripping new poster that should get tongues wagging.

The tantalizing tagline “The Legend Ends” can mean so many things. Both Christopher Nolan and his brooding leading man, Christian Bale, have said that this will be their last Batman movie together, so this will be the end of their trilogy. However, that’s Tom Hardy’s Bane walking away from the Dark Knight’s discarded mask, and those of us who know Batman’s back story know that the villain causes our hero devastating harm– let’s avoid spoilers, for those who’d appreciate that.

So yeah, it looks like Bale’s Batman is in for a world of hurt next summer in The Dark Knight Rises. I also find it interesting how most of the official marketing materials deal with Bane – who is the main villain in Nolan’s film – but barely anything has focused on Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman. No character banner. No shot in the trailer. She is this film’s real wild card, as some have speculated that she could take over for Batman while he heals. (There has to be a reason why she was riding the bat-cycle in those Pittsburgh set-location shots, right?)

Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises will be in theaters on July 20, 2012.