First Teaser Trailer for ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Is Out

It will be an epic battle, just perfect for the epic conclusion of an epic franchise. One year before it arrives in theaters, fans can get a first look at Chris Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” with the first teaser trailer.

The trailer debuted in limited locations ahead of the final “Harry Potter” film, while some bootleg versions also leaked online. Below is the official version, as released with Nolan’s blessing.

It’s already common knowledge that this will be Nolan’s third and last “Batman” film, with the director promising fans of the caped crusader a glorious end to such an amazing journey.

The teaser mixes footage from the previous two films with several new images and, while not really revealing anything by means of plot developments, it more than does the job: it wets fans’ appetite.

The new footage includes prolonged shots of Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon on his death bed (presumably), as he’s warning Bruce Wayne / Batman (Christian Bale) that there’s a new evil in Gotham and that the Batman must return to face it.

There’s also a glimpse of the film’s biggest and baddest villain, Bane, as played by a newly buffed up Tom Hardy.

One shot shows his face in the gimp mask, while, in the final scene, he’s getting ready to duke it out with Batman – and fans can see just how big he got for the part, when his back nearly obscures all view of the Bat.

The chanting on the background, also towards the end of the teaser, confirms that the three viral videos that came out at the beginning of June were actually from “The Dark Knight Rises” and not a hoax.

While the teaser doesn’t offer the slightest hint as to Selina Kyle’s (Anne Hathaway) costume, or the characters that Marion Cotillard and Joseph-Gordon Levitt will be playing, it includes plenty of mayhem and personal drama to keep fans going at least until Comic-Con, when more details are expected to emerge.

Keep an eye on this space for when they do and, in the meantime, check out the teaser trailer below. Enjoy.