The Internet is bursting at the seams with pictures of Batman (Christian Bale) and Bane (Tom Hardy) fighting it out in an outdoor shoot of The Dark Knight Rises over the weekend, taking place at the movie’s current location of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — specifically the Mellon Institute building, subbing for Gotham on this occasion.
As you can tell, there’s plenty of clear looks of Hardy as Bane (click on any image to enlarge it):
We’ve got a few more photos after the jump, and if you want to check out dozens of them (including a couple who apparently just got married across the street and got to check up the Tumbler up close), click on over to Getty Images. The Dark Knight Rises is in theaters on July 20, 2012.
Pep talk?
August 1st, 2011 at 11:24 am
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
Apparently, Bane is tearing up a photo of Harvey Dent. Someone was able to blow up the image where we see part of the photo and it matches with photos of Harvey used in the film.
August 1st, 2011 at 11:46 am
I think this is going to end up disappointing to comic fans. I personally love Bane, he is one of my favorite villain/anti-hero’s. Seeing him like this is a shame. He is no where near big enough, the mask makes him look like a gimp in some bondage porn fetish movie. So far I am not to impressed. Hopefully this is before he juices up on venom if they even use venom in the movie. I also hate the picture of Batman patting Bane on the head. It seems so demeaning. Batman “Aww short man tries to be big and bad…that’s so cute!”
August 1st, 2011 at 12:00 pm
I agree H-7. this just reinforces my previously held belief that comics don’t need to be turned into live action anything (film, tv, broadway shows .) Excellent animated shows are another story, however. but you can keep any half-assed efforts.
August 1st, 2011 at 12:01 pm
The Bane design is very uninspiring especially the mask, but hopefully Tom Hardy’s acting helps compensate for it.
August 1st, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Since this is not the finished product not worried. Still seeing it along with millions of others. And like everyone else I will not know if it is good or not till I see it at the theaters.
August 1st, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Look at Bane’s sleeves. There’s slack for a reason. Little man will grow. BTW I think Bale is just helping Hardy with an itch in the first pic. These aren’t official set photos. Nolan = Trust!
August 1st, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Look down Banes neck. Scars… he has obviously got some implants (Venom) tubes or something. As someone pointed out his clothing is baggy for a reason im sure. Besides in the few seconds we see Bane in the Dark Knight Rises teaser, Bane look giant (when hes lumbering towards a tired Batman).
August 1st, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Same thing happened when Heath’s Joker mugshot surfaced. Outcry for “that’s not what the Joker looks like.” Nolan is making it his own. I’m pleased that it doesn’t try and duplicate the comic exactly. It leaves the character open to interpretation and evolution–just like the Joker.
August 1st, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I can tell by the photos he’ll look rather large onscreen. The sleeves are a dead giveaway, they make his arms look much, much bigger than Bale’s arms. Also the choreography and camera angles, which you can’t necessarily see in these photos will also add size. I imagine they’ll have Bale be in the foreground a lot so they can use foreshortening to their advantage. I can tell the belt adds a good bit of size to his waist, which much like the arms will make him appear much bigger than he is. I think people forget how small actors are usually. Most “buff” actors are not nearly as big as we seem to think they are.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:03 pm
The first picture reminds of when two boxers tap gloves before and/or after the fight. I suspect that was Bale and Hardy acknowledging one another before/after some probable bumps and bruises occurred.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:45 pm
This is far from finished product people. For all we know this scene will be completely gone over with CGI on Bane. Or this could be at a plot point in the movie where Bane has no venom. His being small could be part of the story at this point. And the picture of Batman patting him on the head is most likely not a movie pic, but a behind the scenes pic. These were taken while filming. Bane’s look in the comics would be akin to a look between a pro wrestler and a band member from KISS. This costume works just fine for the Nolan universe.
August 1st, 2011 at 3:32 pm
You’d think if any director might have earned some trust and goodwill with comic book fans, it’s Nolan, and it’s sad to see some people knee-jerking here rather than reserving their judgment until they see the finished film.
I’ll also point out that the advanced photos of Heath Ledger’s Joker were met with quite a bit of criticism prior to the film being released. Much of that went away, however, once people saw the film and Ledger’s brilliant performance.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:13 pm
Haters gonna hate.
August 1st, 2011 at 4:32 pm
I thought Bane would be bigger.
August 1st, 2011 at 5:50 pm
After DK I trust Nolan. I am not in any way a Goyer fan, but I trust Nolan and after seeing Inception, I’m a Hardy fan. It’ll be OK, I’m sure.
August 1st, 2011 at 8:03 pm
There is a video of three tumblers driving around, so here’s my theory. Bane is a soldier, and gets kicked out the army or something, and has something to do with the tumblers, which is why there’s three of them, and why they’re camoulflaged, and not black, he knows Wayne company was making tumblers, so he figures out who Batman is, Bane breaks Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and then Batman comes back, saves the day the end. Looks like a bunch of finger chicken bones on Bane’s mask too. Oy. Bane likes chicken, maybe?
August 2nd, 2011 at 3:34 am
What is with all the criticism? This is not even the finished product. Some fans are so sensitive these days and make quick judgements based on the first thing that they see. BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT were enough for Nolan to win my trust, so I am going to reserve any judgement until AFTER I see the movie. IMHO Bane would look comical if he appeared as he did in the comics (Nacho Libre Mask and all). I am not crazy about the outfit he is wearing (i.e. chestplate), but I do like the mask. Definitely look forward to the summer of 2012.
August 2nd, 2011 at 11:19 am
THERE’S ALWAYS GONNA BE A BUNCH OF FOOOOOOOLSSSS WHO’S GONNA JUDGE. YOU FOOLS IT’S JUST STILL IMAGES. WHY DON’T YOU WAIT FOR THE ACTUALLY MOVIE TO COME OUT?. DAMN A-WHOLES NOLAN, WILL MAKE YOU EAT YOUR OWN WORDS COME RELEASE DATE.
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:01 pm
To everyone is criticizing this film based on these shots, particularly about Bane’s size – this is not the finished product. These aren’t even official production stills, just paparazzi photos. This is about as rough as they come. Imagine if the Paparazzi got shots of John Reis Davis on the LOTR set and people started freaking out because Gimli the Dwarf was the tallest person on set. Film makers use camera and editing tricks to make an actor appear larger or smaller in a film. Just look at the trailer, Bane looked absolutely enormous in the official footage of him that’s been released.
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:40 pm
This looks gay.
August 2nd, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Ok, I have no actual “proof” about the Bane character, I actually think that I have a pretty good theory. Bane will inherit some of the characteristics from the books (former guerrilla soldier from a South American country, etc.), but…It would appear that they blended him with the “Mutant Leader” from “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller (i.e. the mask, the speech, the followers/foot soldiers). After he has “broken” Batman (which would be why he disappears) he then goes on to overtake Gordon and the GPD until Gordon is finally “broken” by Bane and his followers, which would then lead to the scene that we saw in the trailer, when Gordon pleads with Bruce to retake the mantle of the Bat.
August 2nd, 2011 at 5:01 pm
@Your mom….maybe you’re one. What’s the saying? it takes one to know one?!. Lol
August 3rd, 2011 at 5:53 am
Bane’s costume is much better than what it is in the comics. So that’s an improvement.
But seeing the Bat costume in the daylight, does anybody else think the chest area has a push-up bra in it?
August 3rd, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Yes to the bra thing. Christian Bale looks flat-out Adam West ridiculous in that stupid helmet. I took Onstar Batman way more seriously.
August 4th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I know these are just stills, and it always changes once film is out. But I really really hope batman has moved on from the tumbler. I need a more animated series looking car.
August 5th, 2011 at 10:13 am
Haters gonna hate.
August 6th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
If they made a live action version of The Simpsons, half of the fanboys who are already whining about “this looks nothing like how Bane is supposed to look blah blah blah boo hoo boo hoo” would be perfectly cast as the Comics Shop Guy. It’s hard to read some of these negative nancy comments and NOT picture that character in my head!
Seriously, those panties? Unbunch them.
August 7th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
i h8 this bane
August 20th, 2011 at 7:37 am
People don’t get it….Christoper Nolan is trying to put the realism in Batman.That’s why the batmobile doesn’t look like the others, And that’s why the Batplane doesn’t look like a bat. And i like it.
August 20th, 2011 at 7:44 am
Hell they are making a reboot of Batman anyways. So whoever does like these batman film Christoper Nolan did then you can wait til the Reboot comes out. Because the reboot more likely will have DC Characters in it, Christoper Nolan films showed Batman was the only hero that ever existed.
July 26th, 2012 at 6:40 am
It’s here finally! I’ve watched it with my friends on this morning. The Dark Knight Rises is easily the best superhero film I’ve ever seen, even going further than The Dark Knight, in my opinion. Yes, there is some confusion with the plot, and the multiple characters may initially slow down viewers. However, as a superhero film, it confronts topics I’ve only seen in other genres (dramas, fantasy, etc.).