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The 1989 Batmobile and Batsuit are coming to 'Arkham Knight'
Yeah, you heard that right. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original movie's theatrical release, the one directed by Tim Burton, Rocksteady Studios is releasing Michael Keaton's 1989 Batsuit and Batmobile as DLC for Batman: Arkham Knight in August. Of course, that's assuming you've shelled out the requisite $40 for the game's season pass. In addition to the two iconic skins, the expansion will also feature two new audio tracks and six new character skins -- 1990's Catwoman, Original Batman, One Year Later Robin, Arkham Origins Batman, 1970's Batman and Arkham Nightwing. Batgirl, unfortunately, is only available as a separate download.
Reelhouse offers expanded bonus materials for digital Warner Bros. movies
With Reelhouse, Warner Brothers is the latest studio trying to offer disc-style bonus features to digital content. What sets WB's channel apart from Walmart-owned Vudu though, is the types of special content it offers. For example, Pacific Rim has a playable Jaeger combat sim that's tied to it, while The Dark Knight Trilogy includes a discount on the The Dark Knight Rises soundtrack, as well as exclusive wallpapers and featurettes. Prices for rentals and purchases are similar to other platforms ($5 and $20 for HD flavors, respectively) but perhaps the service's focus on atypical bonuses will help it, ahem, rise above the crowd.
Batman Nokia Lumia 900 priced at £600, throws in some free movie tickets
We said it was coming soon, and the Dark Knight-themed WinPho hasn't disappointed. Phones 4u has just announced that pre-ordered laser-etched Lumia 900s will be delivered on June 1st; that's this Friday. Off-contract pricing is pegged at £600, although multiple contracts are also available from the UK retailer. There doesn't appear to be any extra functionality on the special edition, although bragging rights do count for a lot. The phone will arrive in limited numbers, but neither Nokia nor Phones 4u is spilling the beans on precise unit numbers. The retailer is also throwing in free tickets to see the Dark Knight Rises at UK cinemas (or theaters) this summer, plus the chance to hit up the premiere. Pre-ordering heroes can zip-wire their way to the source link below. Update: SlashGear's been told by Phones 4u that there will be 900 of the special edition phones.
Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900 coming soon, utility belt clip not included
A befuddled Joker once pondered "Where does he get all those wonderful toys?" Soon you'll have a chance to inspire the same sort of wonderment amongst your friends -- at least the more eagle-eyed ones. Nokia has announced it's launching a Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900, with the minimalist logo of (spoiler alert) Bruce Wayne's alter-ego laser-etched onto the back. It's the same treatment that was given to a special edition Lumia 800 earlier and, no surprise, it'll be available exclusively in Batman's favorite color. It's also exclusive to Europe, at least initially, where it's said to be going on sale in a few weeks. Act fast and you might have yours in time to listen to Christian Bale grumble his way through the conclusion of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
DISH Network adds The Dark Knight to 1080p on-demand movie lineup
Here's an indication of just how important The Dark Knight is to the movie / content industry. DISH Network has just pushed out a bona fide press release solely to announce that the aforementioned film is now available via its 1080p on-demand service. Customers of the satcaster who skipped out on the Blu-ray version and would rather just rent can spend their New Year's Eve trying to figure out if Batman's voice can possibly go any deeper without exploding for just $6.99.
The Dark Knight director hungry for more IMAX
IMAX has been around for years, while 3D is just now starting to really infiltrate the theater scene. Curiously, it looks as if 3D will have more of the alternate cinema market share than IMAX in no time flat, despite IMAX's tremendous advantage in launch time. Thanks to The Dark Knight, however, IMAX could receive that much-needed breath of life it has been waiting for. Director Christopher Nolan has reportedly stated that he'd like to shoot an entire film for IMAX, even though it would undoubtedly be down-converted for playback on traditional screens. He did admit that the noisiness of the camera could cause issues, but that's nothing a hard-working set pusher couldn't overcome. For those who viewed the latest installment of Batman in theaters, many were most captivated by the expansive IMAX sequences -- in fact, we'd be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn't want an entire film to look like that.[Via FirstShowing]
The Dark Knight shatters sales record, moves 600,000 Blu-ray Discs on day one
The numbers are in, and they're big. Just as predicted, Warner Brothers' The Dark Knight was a huge day-one success, with consumers in the US, Canada and UK snapping up three million copies during the first 24 hours (give or take a few) that it was on sale. More germane to our conversation, however, is this 600,000 figure, which tells exactly how many Blu-ray Discs were sold. We already know that around one-sixth of those were moved in the UK, leaving us to determine that North America did some serious shopping. The studio has now projected it to sell one million BDs by Saturday, and curiously enough, current sales have been "especially strong at grocery stores, indicating that the format is broadening beyond early adopters to more mainstream buyers, notably women." Needless to say, this title took down Iron Man's record of moving 250,000 BDs on day one, which just ratchets up the bar for the next big one to take down.[Thanks, Geoff]
107,000 The Dark Knight Blu-ray Discs sold in UK on day one
We'll warn you -- these numbers are likely very preliminary and subject to change, but Pocket-lint is reporting (via Official Charts Company data as revealed by the British Video Association) that some 513,000 copies of The Dark Knight were sold on day one in the UK (but isn't the day still ongoing?), 21% of which were Blu-ray. If our abacus is to be trusted, that's just north of 107,000 Blu-ray Discs, and it falls right in line with the apparent BD boom going on across the pond. Just for comparison, it took the white hot Casino Royale a full week in the UK to move just 10,000 BD units. Looks like the flick is off to a solid start -- we'll be keenly watching for US numbers as soon as they become available.
The Dark Knight Blu-ray Disc sneaks onto store shelves early
Looks like Meijer's is a little antsy to help The Dark Knight Blu-ray become the best selling BD of all time. At one particular store near Urbana, Illinois, the disc has already been spotted -- and we're not just talking about one or two, but a whole gaggle. Can't wait 'til Tuesday? No harm in taking a leisurely stroll to your nearby retailers in hopes of getting lucky. A live shot of the back is after the break.
Warner gets official with The Dark Knight BD-Live extras
Not like we haven't heard about these much anticipated features already, but it's always refreshing to get it straight from the horse's mouth. Or Warner Home Video's mouth, in this case. The Dark Knight marks the studio's very first foray into the controversial world of BD-Live, and what's apt to be the best selling BD of the year will pack quite the interactive punch. Owners with Profile 2.0 players will be able to "host their own Live Community Screenings with friends, record and post user-generated commentaries over the film using My WB Commentary, access more The Dark Knight content exclusive to Warner Bros. BD-Live, get sneak peeks and trailers of upcoming Warner Bros. films, create an online library of Blu-ray movies, manage a wish list for upcoming releases and connect to the WB store." As we've already seen in a number of instances, there's also a hint of a BD-Live-assisted interview with director Christopher Nolan "during a special Live Community Screening." For the full spill, give that read link a gentle tap.
The Dark Knight Blu-ray Disc review roundup
To (mis)quote the infamous Dennis Green: "It was what we thought it'd be." In other words, Warner Brothers' The Dark Knight truly is as mesmerizing and awesome on Blu-ray as it was in theaters. Some very early (and very thorough) reviews have already hit the 'net days before the film's sure-to-be-monumental release, and we've found nothing but praise across the board. Sure, varying critics had varying levels of appreciation for the plot, but when it comes to visual and auditory quality, the Blu-ray transfer delivers. Utterances of "wow," "stunning," and "spectacle" were peppered throughout each and every review, dashing any fears one may have had that the BD would fall short of the hype. For those who really want to dig deep, we've linked thousands of words below. But truthfully, they all come to the same conclusion: The Dark Knight is a must-own Blu-ray Disc.Read - Big Picture Big SoundRead - The HD RoomRead - Rope Of SiliconRead - Home Cinema ChoiceRead - HighDefDigest
Best Buy to sell exclusive Joker mask figurine with The Dark Knight
Just when you had your buying plans for December 9th all sealed up, in flies this to totally shake 'em up. As if there won't be enough options out there for snapping up The Dark Knight early next month, Best Buy has announced that it will sell an exclusive Collector's Edition DVD and Blu-ray packaged with a Joker mask figurine. From what we can tell, everything else (movie wise, anyway) will be the same, but an expected price premium has yet to be disclosed. Aw, did we just cause you to cancel an existing pre-order? Why so serious?[Thanks, Anthony]%Gallery-37844%
Denon rewards buyers of its pricey Blu-ray decks with free Batman BDs
It's one thing for Amazon to toss a few free Blu-ray Discs in with the purchase of a PlayStation 3, but we'd expect a little something extra from Denon. After all, when the least expensive Blu-ray deck you make rings up at $749 (MSRP), we'd say a free universal remote or weekend at the lake would be a more appropriate gift. At any rate, Denon and Warner Home Video have linked up to provide buyers of Denon Blu-ray players (the DVD-1800BD, DVD-3800BDCI and DVD-2500BTCI) with a BD copy of The Dark Knight and Batman Begins. The promotion is set to run from November 23rd to January 10, but you've still got to deal with that whole "mail in with the proof of purchase" rigmarole to get your money back. Groan.
The Dark Knight Blu-ray Bat-Pod display case gets pictured
Back in September, we heard that a limited edition The Dark Knight box set would be motoring onto the scene this December 9th, and now, we're being assured of that. The HD Room has acquired a number of images detailing the Bat-Pod package, which will include an exclusive display case, Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene, Batman Tech: The Incredible Gadgets and Tools (in HD), Batman Unmakes: The Psychology of the Dark Knight (also in HD), a few other bonus features and the feature film in 1080p with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel audio track. Worth $64.99 (MSRP)? Check the rest of the images in the read link to make that determination.
The Dark Knight storming onto Blu-ray on December 9th
You knew there was no way Warner Home Video was letting its crown jewel release of 2008 slip until after the holiday season, right? As expected, the studio has just revealed that the latest tale in Batman's life on the silver screen will be outed on BD this December 9th. It's also expected that the film will be available in a standard edition and two-disc limited edition box that comes with a Bat-Pod display case. The film in each set will be presented in 1080p with a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack, and a few swank HD extras should be wrapped in as well. No price is given just yet, but c'mon, you're buying this.
The Dark Knight Xbox 360 spotted in the wild
As you've surely heard (and hopefully confirmed for yourself) by now, The Dark Knight is a runaway hit. So much so, in fact, that a number of manufacturers have figured it prudent to crank our hardware with the iconic Batman logo front and center. Next in line for admission on the bandwagon seems to be Microsoft, which apparently showed off a "limited edition" (read: likely one of a kind) Dark Knight Xbox 360 over in Taiwan. We know, you want the details -- eventual release dates, a price, the works. Unfortunately for us all, we're stuck with just that image above and hope for the future. Hey, at least you can let your imagination run wild.[Via IGN]
Screen Grabs: Nokia's XpressMedia 5800 "Tube" plays big role in The Dark Knight
Screen grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Even for gadget freaks, it was tough to take one's attention away from the outstanding action that filled The Dark Knight from beginning to end, but when Morgan Freeman had to hand over his Nokia XpressMedia 5800 (or Tube, as it were) at a stop in Hong Kong, we had to take a moment and gush. Nokia's still-not-official handset had a few critical scenes where it was highlighted, though we'd wager it was only viewable for 4 to 5 seconds in total. Beyond that, Nokia's peculiarly designed 6630 (circa 2004) was Gordon's handset of choice, which we risked an MPAA thug kneecapping in order to also snag and host up below. It's not really important that you go see it for a live shot of the Tube (though the incentive is nice), just make sure you go. Soon.[Thanks to everyone who kept us on the lookout!] %Gallery-28089%
Nokia 6205 "The Dark Knight Edition" is funnier than Verizon probably intended
Don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with Batman, nor is there anything wrong with this phone (that we know of, anyway) -- we're just having a hard time saying the full name of it with a straight face. The rumored Nokia flip is getting really close to release, it seems, and Verizon's getting the party started with "The Dark Knight Edition" which will come loaded with some "exclusive" content related to the latest Gotham City thriller. With a 1.3 megapixel cam, GPS, Bluetooth, and EV-DO, it's not likely to set Verizon's retail stores ablaze with sales -- but more importantly, it marks a renewed interest on Nokia's part in bringing decent equipment to the CDMA side of the fence. Look for it to be available on June 15 for $119.99 on a two-year contract before rebate.%Gallery-24655%
Lego Batman's villain-packed trailer looks promising
Holy (adjective) (noun), Batman! Our second bit of Lego related news for the evening (this time, about a real game) comes in the form of this fantastic new trailer for Lego Batman: The Video Game. We're positive that fans of The Dark Knight can find something to get excited about in this video, whether it be the inclusion of fan-favorite villainess Harley Quinn, the hint of a Catwoman romance subplot, or the chance to see some sweet Lego Joker ass. If, you know, that's your thing.
Rumor: The Dark Knight in Pandemic's hands, "Project B" is for Batman
Pandemic could be developing The Dark Knight, a video game based on the forthcoming movie, alleges a rumor posted by IGN. Supposedly, sources close to the project have linked the Mercs 2 developer to the Batman Begins sequel tie-in. Private equity firm Elevation Partners has apparently gained rights to the title through its alliance with Pandemic and BioWare, but "insiders" insist that EA, which handled the lackluster Batman Begins game, will publish The Dark Knight.Pandemic currently has five secret projects in the works, with 'Project B' having the most obvious relationship to the Batman rumor; though the "B" could simply stand for "Brisbane," the particular Pandemic branch that is heading up the mysterious game. Project Y, which promises to "break new ground in its category" also offers a possible connection to The Dark Knight. With few exceptions, both Batman games and movie-licensed titles are often met with groans -- could Pandemic flip the script?Pandemic has yet to issue a response to the rumor. When questioned by IGN, an EA representative declined to comment.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
