Les Miserables’ first trailer and new images

Universal has released the first trailer for their upcoming star studded adaptation of the musical Les Miserabless by director Tom Hooper. The trailer certainly sets the emotional tone for the movie but also seems to suggest that Anne Hathaway’s Fantine is the female lead. While fans of the book, musical or movies know this isn’t true you can’t blame the marketing team for featuring her center stage considering her current popularity since playing Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming The Dark Knight Rises.

[youtube:http://youtu.be/EnLSG5t_dc8%5D

 

Les Misérables also stars Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean), Russell Crowe (Javert), Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), Eddie Redmayne (Marius), Samantha Barks (Éponine), Sacha Baron Cohen (Thénardier), and Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thénardier).

Images from Universal (via Collider)

Here’s the official synopsis:

“Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech‘s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne, with further casting to be announced.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

In December 2012, the world’s longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper’s sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale. With international superstars and beloved songs–including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own”–Les Misérables, the show of shows, is now reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.”

Les Miserables open December 14.

More promo material from The Dark Knight Rises

UPDATE: The third TV spot finally found its way online and in HD. That mischievous little rascal.

Well, it seems yesterday two new TV spots aired for TDKR. The third TV spot, which aired during the NASCAR race, has not found its way online as yet (at least not in any decent quality let alone HD) and had Lucius (Morgan Freeman) showing Bruce (Chrisitan Bale) some new toys with Bruce constantly replying “I’m retired”. This ties in with the 4th TV spot (shown below) with Alfred (Michael Caine) telling a contemplative Bruce “you’re no longer Batman”. Keep in mind that Nolan’s final installment of his Batman trilogy takes place 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight but that doesn’t necessarily have to explain Alfred’s proclomation.

[youtube:http://youtu.be/Ohgu0LXqIYI%5D

 

[youtube:http://youtu.be/dcj44d3noBk%5D

 

Additionaly two new banners have been released. The second one gives you a better look at Catwoman. From the set visit material released we know that, like Batman, everything she wears is functional including the heels which can be/are used as weapons. Also, Christopher Nolan revelead to Empire Magazine that nowhere in the script is she actually referred to as Catwoman (there will also be no mention of the Joker). However, she is a cat burglar, “She’s a bit of a con-woman, something of a grifter. A hard-edged kind of criminal,” says Nolan.

Images via SHH

The latest issue of Empire Magazine also has a few stills from the movie (two of which can be found below). (Possible SPOILERS ahead) In the second still we see Selina Kyle (a.k.a Catwoman) in prison orange. This corresponds to what we were told from the set visit material that she was seen in handcuffs while in street clothes. I don’t think it would be too much of a leap to say this scene follows that. Also, for a fraction of a second in the final trailer, at about 1 minute 50 seconds, we see someone in prison orange using another prisoner’s arm to do a somersault and now seeing this picture of Selina Kyle I’d say it was her. But it’s far too short to even speculate whether she’s just showing off or trying to escape.

Images from the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via Collider)

The first still with Bruce and Alfred is where my rampant speculation comes into play. As I mentioned in an earlier post I think Bane will kick Batman’s ass in the Batcave and then banish Bruce Wayne to a foreign prison. I assume the above still is from after his escape from said prison. In some of the TV spots and trailers we see Bruce climbing up a wide shaft (about 17 seconds into the above TV spot) which I assume is the only way in and out of the prison (the last TV spot showed a bunch of men coming down the same shaft, men I assume to be Bane’s minions/the League of Shadows). Now out, sporting a moustache and goatie (he has a full beard about 14 seconds into the above TV spot), and using a cane he looks weaker, his face more haggard (of course this could just be my imagination which is quite likely the case).

Finally, if you’re wondering the name of the vehicle Batman was flying at the end of the third trailer it’s called “The Bat”.

The Legend Ends July 20.

The Dark Knight Rises set visits and my brief chronology

(via Batman-News)

The embargo on The Dark Knight Rises set visits was lifted today and Batman-News has been kind enough to round them all up in one neat little package to save all you eager beavers the time. But I wouldn’t have high hopes. The interviews offer little if at all anything and most of the observations have already been confirmed by trailers, TV spots and promo art.

However, there are a few titbits of note. (Possible SPOILERS) Bane’s big entrance will be during the football scene we’ve all seen in the trailers. He introduces himself to Gotham by threatening their lives with an as yet unnamed device described as “huge metallic balls” (insert joke here). The scene is likely to take place towards the end of the first act. Also, it seems assassins from the League of Shadows (Ra’s Al Ghul‘s shadowy organisation from Batman Begins) will be working with/for Bane (could Ra’s be pulling the strings?).

We can also expect to see the Batcave. Now, the description of it is what makes this info interesting. The Batcave is described as having its floor covered in water and a ramp that leads to a single desk. We’ve already seen something like this in the trailer it’s where Bane and Batman fight in some underground sewage plant-type place with water falling from the walls.

Is this the Batcave? (via Screenrant)

Assuming I’m correct here’s my theory: Batman gets his ass handed to him in the Batcave by Bane in front of Catwoman. The photo below shows Catwoman behind Batman and in the trailer we’re shown, for the briefest moment, that Batman is in fact facing Bane at this point. Then later, with horror and fear in her eyes, Catwoman steps away from the mesh door (a hand can be seen in lower left portion of the frame). And of course there’s that scene with Bane dropping Batman’s mask and the set still clearly similar to the two photos. That’s my chronology of events.

Batman faces Bane

Of course if I were to extrapolate (from my already wild speculation) I’d say the next scene is where Bruce asks Bane why he didn’t just kill him. And if you notice that in the background of that scene (with Bane facing the camera) there are prison bars (the set visits confirm that this is in fact a prison set but not an American prison). This dovetails into the prison scene we see in the second trailer.

(via Collider)

Finally, the three tumblers which were seen in leaked photos will be used in the movie’s climax. Each will have a different weapon mounted on it (not sure if they’ll portray one tumbler or three different ones). I would also venture a guess that Bane controls the tumblers, mainly because there’s a poster of him standing on one but also because the second trailer shows the cannon on the tumbler firing explosive ammunition and Batman is all about non-lethal force when it comes to weapons.

Nolan is set to debut exclusive new footage at the MTV Movie Awards on June 3.

TDKR hits theaters July 20.

The Dark Knight Rises posters keep on coming

The Dark Knight Rises marketing team have been on overdrive this past week. Batman-News.com reveals (thanks to a loyal reader) that a secret “QR stamp at the bottom of the final poster released a few days ago” leads to a hidden Catwoman poster. The QR stamp was not on the posters released online but can be found on printed posters in theaters.

(via thedarkknightrises.com)

Also, Warner Bros. has released 6 new character banners which certainly speak to the inevitable chaos Bane will unleash upon Gotham.

Click on images to enlarge (via Batman-News.com)

MTV has announced that Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will debut exclusive new footage of The Dark Knight Rises at the MTV Movie Awards on June 3.

The legend ends July 20.

Six new ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ character posters

On the heels of yesterday’s not well received poster of TDKR (it seriously looked like a bad photoshop), Warner Bros has released six new character posters, two each of Batman, Catwoman and Bane. The method of release would suggest these are the international posters. Three were released exclusively to Yahoo Movies UK and the other three through the movie’s French Facebook page. Also, they’re missing the “July 20” date that yesterday’s one sheet had and instead feature “Coming Soon”.

Either way they look awesome! The first three seem to keep with the whole destruction motif by having some rubble inexplicably fall on the characters. But I must say I thought Catwoman was wearing a blindfold (yes, I’ve seen the set photos but it’s hard to tell on the poster) until I saw her in the second set.

Posters via Yahoo Movies and TDKR’s French Facebook page.

The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters July 20.

The Dark Knight Rises final trailer

[youtube:http://youtu.be/9RAE-BKK03E%5D

 

In theaters July 20.