Produced by Emma Thomas, the sci fi action film should be ready for summer 2010.

“Chris Nolan is a visionary filmmaker who continually raises the bar with each movie he makes,” Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov said. “We are thrilled to be collaborating again with him and Emma on this exciting new motion picture.”

“Inception” is described as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.”

More as things develop.

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IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the box office smash hit The Dark Knight, which has grossed more than $997 million at the worldwide box office since its release on July 18th, 2008, will return to IMAX(R) theatres for an encore presentation. Starting January 23rd, the film will open in 143 IMAX screens domestically, and 29 screens internationally. Last year the film opened day and date in 94 domestic and 15 international IMAX theatres and went on to become the highest grossing live-action Hollywood IMAX release, generating $63 million as it continued to be released throughout the IMAX network.

The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience features six sequences filmed with IMAX cameras, which marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras.

“The Dark Knight is a crowning achievement in every sense of the word,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We want to provide one more opportunity for moviegoers to experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen. We’re also very excited to give more fans in new markets an opportunity to experience the film in this special way, thanks to the continued rapid growth of the IMAX theatre network.”

“As audiences discovered over the summer, The Dark Knight is not only a phenomenal film, but an extraordinarily unique experience in IMAX,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “With the multitude of accolades it has received this season, we wanted to bring this amazing film back to theaters to give audiences another chance to see it on the big screen and in the expanded IMAX locations around the globe.”

“We are grateful to Chris Nolan and Warner Bros Pictures for incorporating IMAX into such a wonderful cinematic masterpiece, and we’re honored to bring it back to our theatres,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “The anticipation surrounding the initial IMAX release reached beyond the markets where we had IMAX theatres and we’re delighted that moviegoers in many of those markets will now have the chance to Experience it in IMAX.”

One of the most celebrated and successful films of this or any year, The Dark Knight has been hailed by both critics and audiences since its original release last July. The film garnered widespread acclaim for its artistic and technical achievements, culminating with the film being named on more than 150 critics’ lists of the year’s top-ten films.

In addition, the filmmakers behind The Dark Knight have been honored by their peers, with Christopher Nolan receiving a Directors Guild of America Award nomination; producers Nolan, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas garnering a Producers Guild Award nomination; and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay going to Chris Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer. Cast member Heath Ledger received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, and has also won a Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award and numerous other critics groups’ awards for Best Supporting Actor.

The Dark Knight also won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Action Film, and swept the People’s Choice Awards in five categories, including Favorite Movie and Favorite Cast.

The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience is scheduled to play at the following locations starting on January 23rd.

  UNITED STATES

  Arizona

  Mesa - Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre
  Phoenix - AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX
  Tempe - IMAX Theatre at Arizona Mills

  Arkansas

  Little Rock - Chenal 9 IMAX Theatre

  California

  Anaheim - The Movie Experience 14 at Anaheim Gardenwalk
  Arcadia - AMC Santa Anita 16 & IMAX
  Burbank - AMC Burbank 16 & IMAX
  Cathedral City - Desert IMAX Theatre
  Dublin - Regal Hacienda Crossings Stadium 21 & IMAX
  Emeryville - AMC Bay Street 16 & IMAX
  Fresno - Edwards Fresno Stadium 22 & IMAX
  Irvine - Edwards Irvine Spectrum IMAX
  Los Angeles - AMC Century City 15 & IMAX
  Los Angeles - AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX
  Los Angeles - IMAX Theatre at The Bridge: cinema de lux
  Monterey - Cannery Row IMAX Theatre
  Ontario - Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
  Sacramento - Edwards Fairfield Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Sacramento - Esquire IMAX Theatre
  Sacramento - Regal Cinemas El Dorado Hills Stadium 14 & IMAX
  San Diego - Mira Mesa Stadium 18 & IMAX
  San Jose - AMC Eastridge Mall 15 & IMAX
  San Francisco - AMC Loews Metreon 16 with IMAX
  Simi Valley - Civic Center Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Stockton - Regal City Centre Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Torrance - AMC Del Amo 18 & IMAX

  Colorado

  Colorado Springs - Cinemark Carefree Circle IMAX Theatre
  Denver - UA Colorado Center Stadium 9 & IMAX
  Westminster - AMC Orchards of Westminster 12 & IMAX

  Connecticut

  Manchester - IMAX Theatre at Showcase Cinemas Buckland Hills
  Norwalk - IMAX Theatre at The Maritime Aquarium

  Florida

  Altamonte Springs - AMC Altamonte Mall 18 & IMAX
  Aventura - AMC Aventura 24 & IMAX
  Fort Lauderdale - AutoNation(R) IMAX(R) Theater at Museum of Discovery
   and Science
  Fort Myers - Regal Gulf Coast Town Center Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Jacksonville - AMC Regency 24 & IMAX
  Orange Park - AMC Orange Park 24 & IMAX
  Orlando - Pointe Orlando 20 & IMAX
  St. Augustine - World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theatre
  St. Petersburg - Muvico Baywalk 20 & IMAX
  Tallahassee - IMAX Theatre at the Challenger Learning Center
  Tampa - AMC Veterans 24 & IMAX
  Tampa - Channelside Cinemas IMAX
  Tampa - IMAX Dome Theatre at MOSI
  West Palm Beach - Muvico Parisian 20 & IMAX

  Georgia

  Augusta - Augusta Exchange Stadium 20 & IMAX
  Buford - Regal Mall of Georgia Stadium 20 & IMAX

  Idaho

  Boise - Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX

  Illinois

  Batavia - Randall 15 IMAX
  Chicago - Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
  Lincolnshire - Regal Lincolnshire 20 & IMAX
  Woodridge - Cinemark Seven Bridges IMAX Theatre

  Indiana

  Evansville - IMAX Theatre at Showplace Cinemas East 18
  Indianapolis - IMAX Theatre at the Indiana State Museum
  Indianapolis - Kerasotes ShowPlace 16 & IMAX
  Noblesville - Hamilton Towne Center 16 + IMAX
  Portage - Portage 16 IMAX

  Iowa

  Davenport - Putnam Museum and IMAX Theatre
  Des Moines - Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater

  Kansas

  Olathe - AMC Studio 30 & IMAX

  Kentucky

  Louisville - IMAX Cinema De Lux 20: Stonybrook

  Louisiana

  Harahan - AMC Elmwood Palace 20 & IMAX
  New Orleans - Entergy IMAX Theatre, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

  Maryland

  Baltimore - AMC Loews White Marsh 16 & IMAX
  Columbia - AMC Columbia 14 & IMAX

  Massachusetts

  Boston - New England Aquarium's Simons IMAX Theatre
  Natick - Verizon IMAX 3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture - Natick
  Reading - Verizon IMAX 3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture - Reading

  Michigan

  Dearborn - The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre
  Grand Blanc - NGC Trillium Cinema IMAX Theatre
  Grand Rapids - Celebration! Cinema IMAX Theatre
  Lansing - Celebration! Cinema IMAX Theatre
  Sterling Heights - AMC Forum 30 & IMAX
  Ypsilanti - Showcase Cinemas Ann Arbor IMAX

  Minnesota

  Apple Valley - Great Clips IMAX Theatre

  Missouri

  Kansas City - AMC BarryWoods 24 & IMAX
  St. Louis - Wehrenberg Theatres Ronnies 20 Cine IMAX

  Nevada

  Las Vegas - Brenden Theatres and IMAX at the Palms Casino Resort
  Las Vegas - Regal Red Rock Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Las Vegas - Regal Aliante Stadium 16 & IMAX

  New Hampshire

  Hooksett - Cinemagic IMAX Theatre

  New Jersey

  Atlantic City -Tropicana Casino and Resort IMAX Theatre
  Cherry Hill - AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24 & IMAX
  Hamilton - AMC Hamilton 24 & IMAX

  New York

  Albany - Regal Crossgates Mall 18 & IMAX
  Deer Park - Regal Deer Park Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Garden City - Grumman IMAX at Cradle of Aviation
  New Rochelle - Regal New Roc City 18 & IMAX
  New York City - AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX
  New York City - AMC Empire 25 & IMAX
  Rochester - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Tinseltown USA
  West Nyack - IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center
  White Plains - IMAX Theatre at City Center: Cinema De Lux 15
  Williamsville - Regal Transit Center 18 & IMAX

  North Carolina

  Raleigh - Wachovia IMAX Theatre at Marbles Kids Museum

  Ohio

  Springdale - IMAX Theatre at Springdale 18: Cinema De Lux
  Columbus - AMC Easton Town Center 30 & IMAX

  Oklahoma

  Tulsa - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at the Tulsa

  Oregon

  Tigard - Regal Bridgeport Village Stadium 18 & IMAX

  Pennsylvania

  Bensalem - AMC Neshaminy 24 & IMAX
  Harrisburg - Select Medical IMAX Theater at The Whitaker Center
  Homestead - AMC Waterfront 22 & IMAX
  King of Prussia - UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Philadelphia - Tuttleman IMAX Theatre at the Franklin Institute
  Reading - RC Reading Movies 11 & IMAX
  Tarentum - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at the Galleria Pittsburgh Mills

  Rhode Island

  Providence - Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX

  Tennessee

  Knoxville - Regal Pinnacle Stadium 18 & IMAX
  Nashville - Regal Opry Mills 20 & IMAX

  Texas

  Austin - The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum IMAX Theatre
  Colleyville - Colleyville Cinema & Grille IMAX Theatre
  Dallas - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Cinemark 17
  Fort Worth - Fort Worth Museum Omni Theater
  Houston - AMC Gulf Pointe 30 & IMAX
  Houston - Edwards Houston Marq*E 23 & IMAX
  San Antonio - Santikos Palladium 18 IMAX Theatre
  Sugar Land - AMC First Colony 24 & IMAX
  Tomball - Santikos Silverado Station 18 IMAX

  Utah

  Sandy - Megaplex 17 IMAX at Jordan Commons

  Virginia

  Alexandria - AMC Hoffman Center 22 & IMAX
  Chantilly - Airbus IMAX Theater at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  Hampton - Riverside IMAX Theater at the Virginia Air & Space Center
  Virginia Beach - AMC Lynnhaven 18 & IMAX
  Woodbridge - AMC Potomac Mills 18 & IMAX

  Washington

  Lacey - Regal Martin Village Stadium 16 & IMAX
  Seattle - Pacific Science Center Boeing IMAX Theatre
  Spokane - Riverfront Park IMAX
  Tukwila - AMC Southcenter 16 & IMAX

  Washington DC

  Washington DC - Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater at the National Museum of
  Nat. History

  Wisconsin

  Fitchburg - Kerasotes Star 18 & IMAX

  CANADA

  Alberta

  Calgary - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Chinook IMAX Theatre
  Edmonton - Cineplex Scotiabank West Edmonton Mall IMAX Theatre

  British Columbia

  Langley - Cineplex Colossus Langley IMAX Theatre
  Richmond - Cineplex SilverCity Riverport IMAX Theatre
  Vancouver - CN Theatre at Canada Place

  Manitoba

  Winnipeg - IMAX Theatre at Portage Place

  Nova Scotia

  Halifax - Empire IMAX, Bayer's Lake

  Ontario

  Mississauga - Cineplex Coliseum Mississauga IMAX Theatre
  Ottawa - Cineplex SilverCity Gloucester IMAX Theatre
  Toronto - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Toronto IMAX Theatre
  Woodbridge - Cineplex Colossus Woodbridge IMAX Theatre

  Quebec

  Montreal - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Montreal IMAX Theatre
  Quebec City - IMAX le Theatre

  INTERNATIONAL

  Argentina

  Buenos Aires - IMAX Center Norte

  Australia

  Melbourne - Hoyts Highpoint IMAX
  Melbourne - IMAX Theatre, Melbourne Museum
  Perth - Hoyts Carousel IMAX
  Sydney - Hoyts Entertainment Quarter IMAX
  Sydney - LG IMAX Theatre

  Brazil

  Sao Paolo - Unibanco IMAX Cinema

  China

  Hong Kong - UA MegaBox IMAX Theatre

  Columbia

  Bogota - IMAX Theatre Plaza de las Americas

  Ecuador

  Guayaquil - Fundacion Malecon 2000

  Guatemala

  Guatemala City - Pradera Concepcion

  Korea

  Goyangsi - CGV Ilsan
  Seoul - CGV Wangsipni
  Seoul - CGV Yongsan

  Mexico

  Guadalajara - Cinepolis Galerias Guadalajara IMAX Theatre
  Mexico City - Cinepolis Perisur IMAX Theatre
  Mexico City - Cinepolis Universidad IMAX Theatre
  Monterrey - Cinepolis Galerias Valle Oriente IMAX Theatre
  Toluca - Cinepolis Galerias Metepec IMAX Theatre

  Netherlands

  Amsterdam - Pathe Arena IMAX

  Philippines

  Manila - San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX Theatre

  Taiwan

  Taipei - Samsung IMAX Miramar Cinemas

  United Kingdom

  Birmingham - IMAX Theatre at Millennium Point
  Bradford - IMAX National Media Museum
  Glasgow - Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema
  Greenwich - Odeon Greenwich IMAX
  London - BFI London IMAX Cinema
  Manchester - Odeon IMAX Cinema Manchester at The Printworks
  Wimbledon - Odeon Wimbledon

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Insiders have been quoted as saying that Shia (Transformers) LabBeouf will be taking on the role in the third instalment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman story arc.

Rumours get even greater (it must be the Christmas Spirit hitting Warners if they are doing it or else they are all too busy partying to notice the leaks) with Eddie Murphy thought to be taking on the role of the Riddler.

And theres more, Rachel Weisz seems to be in line for the role of Catwoman – the Halle Berry version clearly now being consigned to the dustbin of history as the reimagining of the Batman legend comes closer to being the definitive version of events as far as Hollywood is concerned.

As for a title – Gotham – but we can be sure that it wont be that when it comes out in 2010.

The sudden rush into information hitting the interweb comes as Chris Nolan sets the juggernaut of Bruce Wayne and his tempestuous relationship into gear with a possible destruction of Wayne Tower as the film’sfinale.

With much of Gotham made a no go area  and Wayne Manor burned down in the first film (Batman Begins) and the whole of Gotham City under the Joker and Twoface’s spell in the second it can only be imagined what havoc is going to be wreaked in the third with the Riddler and Catwoman going about their business while Bruce mentors a protege.

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“The strong opening weekend performance of Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience is a testament to what a fantastic film this is, how ideally suited it is for IMAX’s format, and the outstanding job Warner Bros. Pictures has done in promoting it,” said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “The strong word of mouth coming out of the first weekend leads us to believe this film will be a significant draw for the IMAX theatre network all summer. Just as The Polar Express excited audiences in IMAX(R) 3D, we feel Batman Begins in IMAX’s format will bring in incremental 2D audiences eager to pay a premium price for The IMAX Experience(R).”
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the results from the opening weekend,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. “Batman Begins showed increasing momentum in both IMAX and 35mm theatres over the course of the five-day opening, and when coupled with great reviews and excellent consumer exits, we look forward to a long, successful run.”
“IMAX was heavily integrated into the marketing of Batman Begins, helping to further ‘eventize’ the movie and draw large numbers of moviegoers to IMAX heatres this past weekend,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Our strategy of releasing the best Hollywood films converted into The IMAX Experience – in both 2D and IMAX 3D – continues to take hold, and audiences worldwide are embracing this premium moviegoing experience. Warner Bros. Pictures has again delivered another fantastic event film in Batman Begins and we’re excited to partner with them this summer.”
The next Warner Bros. Pictures release in IMAX’s format will be the highly anticipated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, opening domestically on July 15, 2005.

About IMAX Corporation
———————-

Founded in 1967, IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) is the newest distribution platform for Hollywood content and one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies. IMAX delivers the world’s best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences. As of March 31, 2005, there were 250 IMAX theatres operating in more than 35 countries.
IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R) and The IMAX Experience(R) are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at http://www.imax.com.

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It is heading off for the premiere in Leicester Square on Sunday evening and will then make its way acros the Channel to Paris. (Does it have underwater abilities?).

This batmobile has its roots in the urban crime fighting machine used by Batman in the Dark Knight Returns but where that machine was a tool for an aged Batman this one is used by the young Bruce Wayne as he hones and refines his skills.

Batman Begins is on general release this week and as the ‘fifth’ outing for the caped crusader it is best to keep an open mind and not be swayed by the comments of reviewers, many of whom seem to be suffering hero fatigue and even (as evidenced on Friday nights Newsnight review) seem to have forgotten that The Batman is a product of comics who has transferred to the screen rather than the other way round and of course that the deep psychological aspects of the legend have been a part of the Batman for much longer than it has been a part of established psychotherapy.

Christian Bale plays Bruce Wayne/Batman in an inspired and adept way and his supporting cast of stellar actors (Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Micheal Caine, Morgan Freeman and others) help launch a new and distinctly more adult phase the franchise.

Follow the link below to see images of the Batmobile going through its paces for the press and public in Covent Garden and once you have done that, get on the phone and order your tickets for what is set to be the big blockbuster of the summer from Christopher Nolan.

Batman Begins

Read more for the Production notes on the Tumbler and Nolans design and philosophy.

THE BATMOBILE

The Batmobile is an integral part of the Batman legend, and in accordance with director Christopher Nolan’s credo that every aspect of the film be firmly rooted in reality, the vehicle driven by the Dark Knight in Batman Begins was conceived in such a way that ensured that its design be absolutely in tune with the narrative.

Says Nolan, “We were looking to present Batman as a very functional figure, somebody very concerned with utility, and so we wanted to create a vehicle that would actually perform in ways that are useful to the character.”

Production designer Nathan Crowley set up a workshop in Nolan’s garage, where he focused on many key elements of the film, primarily the Batmobile. As Nolan and co-screenwriter David Goyer wrote the screenplay inside the house, they would share ideas with Crowley about how they were envisioning the vehicle; their ideas informed Crowley’s designs, and Crowley’s designs contributed to important aspects of the script.

“I’ve never been on a project where I’ve gotten to do conceptual work so early on,” Crowley comments. “We set up a little machine shop and started making models of cars out of anything we could get our hands on. Chris would take a break from writing and come into the garage, where I’d be with my car concepts, covered in glue. We made about five or six versions of the Batmobile over a period of about eight weeks.”

Throughout the course of the Batman legend, the Batmobile has always been presented as a contemporary vehicle, but with a sense of exaggeration and extremity to it. Following Nolan’s mantra of realism, it was important that every aspect of the Batmobile have a clear purpose, rather than just a mishmash of impressive-looking details. What resulted is a design that evokes a hybrid of a Lamborghini and a Humvee, a vehicle that combined the functional muscle of a tank with the finesse and handling of a sports car.

In the universe of the story, the Batmobile began as a military prototype bridging vehicle called “The Tumbler,” designed by the Wayne Enterprises’ Applied Sciences division for the purpose of jumping across ditches and facilitating the moving of men and equipment over water and vast open space. Due to its expense, Wayne Enterprises never mass-produced the vehicle, but upon Bruce Wayne’s discovery of the prototype, he maximizes its stealth design and extraordinary applications to become a powerful weapon in Batman’s quest for justice.

Because Crowley preferred making three-dimensional models rather than conceptual drawings, when he and Nolan brought their Batmobile concepts to special effects workshop supervisor Andrew Smith, they had a fully-formed, three-dimensional plastic model that detailed exactly what they envisioned for the vehicle.

“Within six months, Andy and his team designed and built five of these things from scratch,” says the director. “I never expected them to be able to build a version of the Batmobile that could actually do all of the things that it’s supposed to be able to do in the film, but they did it. It’s a monster, it’s a beast, and it’s beautifully designed.”

“I finally understood men’s fascinations with cars after I saw the Batmobile in action,” Katie Holmes recalls with a laugh. “I thought, Okay, I get it. This is awesome! I have the privilege of riding in it in the movie and it’s even better on the inside.”

While most film vehicles are comprised of a pre-existing car frame with a plastic shell placed over it, Smith’s team custom-made every aspect of the Batmobile, from the wheels to the chassis to the bodywork.

The Batmobile is equipped with a 5.7 liter, 350 cubic inch, 340-horsepower engine with approximately 400 pounds of torque. 9 feet, 4 inches at its widest point, the vehicle is 15 feet long and weighs 2.5 tons. It accelerates from 0-60 in under 5 seconds and can jump 4-6 feet in height, up to a distance of 60 feet, and then peel off as soon as it hits the ground.

One of the most distinctive design features of the Batmobile is that it has no front axel, which enables the vehicle to make extremely tight turns. Nolan wanted the wheels to be held from the side, which at first was considered impossible. But Smith and special effects supervisor Chris Corbould devised a way to make it work.

“There’s nothing holding the wheels in the conventional way that wheels are held on a normal car,” Smith explains. “We built one prototype and modified it and came up with a very good system – due to an increase in rear wheel diameter we turned the engine and gearbox around and went with a live axel. The design gives the vehicle an almost insect-like waist because it twists in the middle when being driven hard.”

The Batmobile was outfitted with six monster truck tires. Depending on the driving performance that the filmmakers were trying to capture, the tire treads were shaved off mechanically and their pressure was adjusted to give the driver varied levels of grip for performing sliding stunts. There were three basic sets of tires, with treads ranging from fully-skinned to semi-skinned to bald.

A total of eight Batmobiles were created for the production. In addition to the five fully operational, gas-powered models, there was an electric version that featured a sliding top to enable Batman and his passengers to easily enter and exit the car. The stunt driver was hidden behind the main seat and drove the vehicle from a sideways position. There were also two “cannon” vehicles, which were lightweight and contained no engines, and could be catapulted from a cannon for specific action sequences.

Building a vehicle as massive and powerful as the Batmobile necessitated that Smith and his team rigorously test every aspect of the car before handing it over to the stunt drivers and actors who would be piloting it onscreen.

“We try and test absolutely everything,” says Smith. “We knew we were going to jump the car, so we went out and spent days and days jumping. That’s where our prototype car went – we got 35 jumps out of it. We just keep going until things break. And we do break a lot of stuff during testing, but that means that we don’t break a lot of stuff after shooting actually begins.”

The most demanding Batmobile sequence to film was Batman’s breakneck car chase through the streets of Gotham City. Among the action that had to be performed and captured on film were scenes in which the vehicle crushes other cars, maneuvers in and out of traffic at dangerously high speeds and executes razor-sharp cornering in extremely tight spaces. Upwards of 30 drivers were used to create the car chase, which was staged on the streets of Chicago.

“Chris really wanted the chase to have a loose, raw feel, something somewhere between a modern-day action-chase sequence with all the technology that we use today and something with the raw, gritty feeling of The French Connection,” says director of photography Wally Pfister (Laurel Canyon, Memento, Insomnia). “That’s why I was determined not to use a digital Batmobile – Chicago has these amazing subterranean streets, and I really wanted to get it out there.”

The cockpit of the Batmobile does not provide a great deal of peripheral vision for the driver, so a video system was installed with cameras mounted on top of the vehicle facing backwards and just over the driver’s eye-line to match his viewpoint. If the driver ever lost his “real” vision, he could pilot the vehicle using the monitors. “It’s a handful,” Smith says of the car. “It looks like it’s very responsive but there’s a lot of physical effort involved, a lot of wheel twirling in that cockpit to keep it under control.”

“I would spend all day driving the Batmobile and then get in my car to go home, and it would take me a while to adapt to driving a normal car,” says stunt driver George Cottle. “The whole body of the Batmobile rolls and flexes from side to side, making the vehicle up to six inches wider on either side because of the flexing movement.”

As Batman, Christian Bale was afforded the unforgettable experience of piloting the Batmobile himself. “It’s like nothing else,” says the actor. “Driving it is like having Ozzy Osbourne screaming in your ear – it’s insane.”

Not only was cutting-edge technology employed in the fabrication and operation of the Batmobile, it also played an integral part in bringing the chase to the screen in the most dynamic way possible. The stunt team and film crew worked with an innovative new type of camera car: the AMG Mercedes ML tracking vehicle, outfitted with a device called the Ultimate Arm and Lev Head, a gyro-stabilized head on a robotically-controlled arm that is controlled by joysticks inside the vehicle. The Lev Head gave such a stable, solid image that the filmmakers shot approximately eighty percent of the chase with it.

Nolan and Pfister rode in the ML during filming, while built-in monitors and an open microphone enabled the director to simultaneously communicate with Cottle as he piloted the Batmobile and the tracking vehicle driver, and make real-time adjustments in speed or handling.

“The ML was the best tool we’ve ever had for a car chase,” says stunt coordinator Paul Jennings. “It meant that we didn’t have to pull back the speed of the Batmobile, because it could keep up. It was invaluable in terms of getting shots that you couldn’t dream of doing with a normal tracking vehicle. There are shots in the film that I’m sure people will think were sped up, but they’re not – they were done for real.”

Says Pfister, “You very rarely drive a car more than 50 or 60 miles an hour in a chase sequence. We had the Batmobile up to 105 miles an hour. It was amazing to us, and it nearly outran a helicopter – particularly flying sideways, the helicopter couldn’t even keep up with the Batmobile.”

Additionally, the crew utilized a combination of the arm and the lever head attached to a motorcycle with a sidecar, and a camera was mounted to the front of a police car that one of the stunt men drove and kept within a few feet of all the big action sequences. Pfister and Nolan also used a space cam and a helicopter to capture spectacular aerial footage of the Batmobile driving around Chicago and on the open highway.

The massive amounts of planning, work and dedication devoted to developing and executing the Batmobile earned it a special place in the filmmakers’ hearts. “For a long time there was actually going to be a moment at the end of the movie where we were going to destroy the Batmobile,” recalls producer Emma Thomas. “But in the end we just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it – the Batmobile had become like a character to us.”

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‘The Prestige’, scripted by Nolan sibling Jonathan, is due to be produced by Chris Nolan. More soon when it’s officially, oficially announced.

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