Actor sits down with Empire, talks villain in upcoming Chris Nolan film

Nov 25, 2011 15:27 GMT  ·  By
Tom Hardy graces the cover of Empire as Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises”
   Tom Hardy graces the cover of Empire as Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises”

One of the most anticipated movies of 2012 is Chris Nolan's third and final Batman installment, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Tom Hardy plays the villain, Bane, and he's dishing out all the details on the character in the latest Empire issue.

Hardy was a logical choice for Nolan, word online has it: he's already worked with the director on the critically acclaimed “Inception” and he can play a very convincing bad guy, winning over critics with his role in “Bronson.”

However, even Hardy was surprised at how Bane came out in the final Batman film, he says for the aforementioned publication in what is his first detailed interview on the topic.

“He’s brutal, brutal. He’s expedient delivery of brutality. He’s a big dude who’s incredibly clinical, in the fact that he has a result-based and orientated fighting style. The result is clear,” the actor explains.

Fight scenes will be presented in accordance with such an extraordinary villain, Hardy goes on to say: because Bane is physical, violence will be exacerbated.

“The style is heavy-handed, heavy-footed, it’s nasty. Anything from small joint manipulation to crushing skulls, crushing rib cages, stamping on shins and knees and necks and collarbones and snapping heads off and tearing his fists through chests, ripping out spinal columns. It’s anything he can get away with,” he explains.

As he sees it, Nolan isn't focused on getting a limiting rating from the MPAA, so they're really taking the Bane character to unexpected lengths, in a bid to offer Batman a challenge like he's never had before.

“If we’re going to shoot somebody, shoot the pregnant woman or the old lady first. Make sure everybody stands up. And listens,” says the actor.

“He is a terrorist in his mentality as well as brutal action. So he’s horrible. A really horrible piece of work. It’s not about fighting. It’s just about carnage with Bane. He’s a smashing machine. He’s a wrecking ball,” Hardy adds.

“The Dark Knight Rises” is out in theaters in the summer of 2012. Until then, make sure you pick up a copy of Empire for more details on it.