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TDK RISES NEWS

'The Dark Knight Rises' Viral Reveals First Look at Tom Hardy as Bane

by Ethan Anderton
May 20, 2011
Source: ComingSoon

Yesterday brought word that production had started on the anticipated sequel The Dark Knight Rises along with confirmation that Chris Nolan would be shooting more of his final Batman film using IMAX with his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Wally Pfister. But today comes the big news as the viral campaign for The Dark Knight Rises kicked off with the launch of the official website. A black page and strange chanting eventually led people to a Twitter feed called @TheFireRises, then the site was updated with a reveal of the first official photo of Tom Hardy as the villain Bane, and damn does he look awesome!

Here's our very first look at Tom Hardy as Bane from The Dark Knight Rises:

At the time of this news, the Twitter page is still sending out replies to users for each putting the hashtag #TheFireRises in an update, and their avatar is used to compose a mosaic right here making up the above image of Tom Hardy as Bane. However, the Facebook page for The Dark Knight Rises had the full photo (see the slightly larger version over there) posted before the mosaic was complete, so it sounds like someone may have gotten their timing wrong on the release of the image or it was just hacked from the site. I'd imagine there will be a lot more viral action coming from that Twitter feed (@TheFireRises) so definitely keep an eye on that, and follow our viral updates as well. Dig this first look at Tom Hardy as Bane?

Filed under First Look, TDKR, Viral

From around the web:

http://www.twitter.com/JeremySollieMD MrStatingtheObvious

Jizz. Jizz everywhere.
- JL
  
  :[ I'm scared.
Englishman in Reno

WOW!!! I love Tom Hardy, I knew he could do it!
- Bob Mann
  
  Its so cool how he has a skeleton hand over his mouth!
- Reeves Jacob18
  
  Expand They released an early picture of the joker to, remember? And in the end he turned out to look much different from the orginal photograph. I feel the same will happen with Bane. This is just an early version, with just his mask. I doubt none of the make-up work was done except in the spots on the forehead needed for the angle of the picture. Expect him to look badass in the end. We've only had a glimpse into the world of The Dark Knight Rises and we're busting nuts like squirrels on crack lol PS: by the way, JL, I would F the brains out of Anne Hathaway without hesitation. That doesnt mean we cant joke around. Chill out! Insecure much
  - Ryderup
    
    What was so different from that blurry first image of The Joker to him in the film? I bet you this is how he will look. And I bet the image was taken during wardrobe tests or something like that.
    - Reeves Jacob18
      
      Well, there were two pictures of the joker they released early on. One without the make-up, but with the scars. and the other with make-up, but it wasn't complete. In the end, they want it to be a surprise, so they just give you a look. I mean, come on, bane isn't gonna be shirtless the whole god damn time. Thats ridiculous lol Still, he looks like a bad ass here. I seriously cant fucking wait!
Silver

I hope the climactic fight between Christian Bale and Tom Hardy will knock everyone on their ass and be so amazing and action-packed, audiences all over the world will be left breathless.
- Bob Mann
  
  Why am I seeing this same post in so many different places?
Tilman

The cast still feels incomplete and like it's missing key characters.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1503900114 Tyler Morgan
  
  I thought the movie came out next year...
  - http://profiles.google.com/mmcclusk2 matt mccluskey
    
    Yes, 2012
http://twitter.com/darktaxidermist Davide Coppola

He always takes one
http://twitter.com/NafiisW N. Williams

Got a little man crush on Tom Hardy. THIS LOOKS AMAZING
ChicagoVisitor

I'm assuming you're all straight. But everything I see about this thing is like you are salivating with hard cocks over this one pic.
- equustel
  
  I'm straight. I'm also a woman. And he looks DAMN hot. ;]
- Englishman in Reno
  
  I was until this photo came out
  - Anonymous
    
    Well, I am a straight woman, but if I was a dude I would most likely be rubbing my boner all over this picture right now.
    - JL
      
      Soooo, you're saying if you were a man, you'd be a gay man.
      - Anonymous
        
        Lol, possibly? ...Yeah, I don't think I'd have a reasonable excuse if I was a dude and someone caught me doing what I described in my previous comment. xD
David Banner

*Sigh* I wish it was possible they could film it all in IMAX, not just 2-3 mins here and there. Well, it is possible, but very expensive and time consuming...
- http://twitter.com/VictorBerglund Victor Berglund
  
  Don't think they can film dialogue scenes due to the loud irritating noise the IMAX cameras produce while filming... But it would be awesome.
Adam L

WOW!! Bane is the best villian, aside from the joker ofcourse, but I know Chistopher Nolan will make Bane live up to the characters cinematic expectations
Icarus

Mark my words, Bane will break Bruce Wayne's back in the first half of the movie.
- Jedi
  
  How could they possibly deal with that in a 2-1/2 hour movie? I hope you don't expect Alfred to take on the Batsuit in Wayne's absence. Or, are you thinking they'll fade out and go to the "2 years of back surgery and physical rehab later......"?
  - kiko
    
    In every shot, show a little improvement,To show it all would take too long.. That's called a montage!
  - Dkillaou
    
    Well, in the books Azreal takes over the mantle of the bat for awhile while Bruce Heals. Azreal is Bad ASS and kills the bad guys. We'll see.
- Batman
  
  I can't wait for that movie cause idc wat happens at the end but bane should be left alive and something we've never seen should happen like a sick Batsuit or Alfred beating up bane for like 5 secs
NADS

eehh.. I dont know. wish he were bigger and had a full mask
DAVIDPD

!!! Yay! That's what I am talking about!
Voice of Reason

This movie better be 5 goddamn hours long
Anonymous

So glad he doesnt look like the cartoon version, or anywhere near it.
Cinephile

AHHHHHH! He looks so cool! Nolan, why you gotta tease us so???
Chris A.

SIIIIIIIICK!!!!!!!
Chris A.

This next entire year I will have a MAJOR ERECTION for this movie......
Anonymous

Somebody build a time machine right now! I can't wait another year for this. *tears hair*
weezy1

I'm sorry...he still does not look big enough. Bane is supposed to be massive, not hunky....maybe it will be better?
- Dkillaou
  
  Remember Bane takes a drug to make himself bigger with more muscles. He's probably not on it at this time and pic.
Victor

Show me Hathaway as Catwoman first.
- JL
  
  No, that's the good stuff. They're apparently saving it. You know, it's funny all these guys talking about erections and jizz and stroking it over Hardy, but when they do show us pictures of Hathaway in costume, they'll all be like, "meh." Tell me that's not gay while you look me in the eye... ...without laughing.
  - Traveler
    
    Ah, yes, but that's because Hathaway is extremely irritating...
http://twitter.com/Nielsen700 M.K. Nielsen

WTF is on his head?
- Adam L
  
  its at the end of the bondage scene! hahaha
Sherlon

Awesome!!!!!!
Alboone

Holy shit! He looks genuinely crazy scary. By this picture alone I really feel bad for Batman. They're literally going to have to release it in 5,000 theaters because everyone and their second cousins are going to see this opening night. Sorry James Cameron, your b.o. record is about to be blown!
http://twitter.com/darktaxidermist Davide Coppola

To those who say they want him "bigger", it's actually not that easy to judge how big he is solely based on that picture with no real point of reference..
- Manuel
  
  Those who say they want him "bigger"... well, they have some issues with size.
bucker96

Although he does look good, I was expecting/hoping for a Brock Lesnar size person for this role
- JL
  
  boooooooo!
- JL
  
  shame on you.
  - bucker96
    
    Hold the phone, I didn't say I wanted Lesnar, just someone who had something close to his girth. I mean, check out Bane in the comics, the dude is massive
    - JL
      
      Oh, I didn't make the assumption you wanted Lesnar himself for the role, I just don't think it would work. In fact, the comic book bane was a little bigger than even Lesnar, and he's got that unreal quality to him like most villains in comic books. I like the realism, or almost realism, of Nolan's franchise, and I like the idea of a Bane who's average in height, yet very strong. Besides, size alone is not what makes Bane dangerous. :)
    - why so serious?!
      
      Dude, Bane isnt Bane until he pumps that drug into his something making him hulk-like. So calm the fuck down!!! Christopher Nolan knows what he's doing!!!
tir na nog

Cant wait,the mask looks nuts.
Dave

This movie is going to kick the shit out of The Dark Night and it looks like Tom Hardy will blow Heath Ledgers Joker out of the water, No one will care for the Joker after this movie. CANT WAIT
!5AAK

F YEAH !
Benjisbarmusic

It's on!
http://twitter.com/sneakertri kwame adansi

SHIIIIT JUST LIKE THE FUCKIN COMIC ARE U KIDDING ME ????????
AK

interesting photo. The mask looks like Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat. Although Hardy looks massive!
Anonymous

how buff did he have to get for the part? his mask looks insane
- JL
  
  I think somewhere I heard him talking about going up to 16 stone? I'm not familiar with that British nonsense.
  - Reeves Jacob18
    
    Hey moderator. did my message make you laugh?? Anyways, plz let it post. I dont want all that to b wasted for nothing lol! I put passion into it! LOL but you laughed.
    - JL
      
      X..(
      - Reeves Jacob18
        
        It was funny. JL, you woulda liked it lol.... Any ways, they are gonna save hathaway for a while.
lando

I know the comics have well written bane stories, but I think one of the strengths of the Nolan Batmans so far has been that there HASNT been big muscle stereotypical bad guys but real life psycho/sociopaths! Im sure Nolan will be able to pull it off but this kinda worries me..sorry.
- Anonymous
  
  From what I have read Bane is one of Batmans most intelligent villains.
  - Anonymous
    
    Yes, Bane is basically a beefcake-y genius. He is fluent in more than six different languages (I forgot how many exactly), has exceptional knowledge in the field of science as well as history and medicine and other stuff. On top of that he has a photographic memory. He's only this massive in size because he pretty much spent all his life in prison and (like most other convicts) starts to work out a lot and learns to fight to survive. Later he is chosen, or forced rather, as a test subject for a new drug which ends up enhancing his physical strength but ultimately makes him depend on it as he can not go without another shot of that stuff to the brain longer than 12 hours. And that's what the mask in the picture is for. Having seen Hardy as Bronson I have zero doubt that he will blow my mind as Bane. And they HAVE to include him breaking Batman's back. I mean, that's his one huge feat. He was the man who broke the bat! Harghsgsjkldgjsd;k!!! Ok, I'm done with my nerd rant now. =P
    - Anonymous
      
      Thanks for the character history lesson :p And I watched Bronson after they announced Hardy as Bane, I agree that he will be amazing.
      - Anonymous
        
        Haha, sorry. I got carried away. What can I say, I'm easily excitable when it comes to things I like. =P
    - Cody W.
      
      Batman getting his back broken would make for a great opening sequence, it would also kind of fit with the title.
    - JL
      
      Cool story bro. J/K that really did help, thanks.
    - Dkillaou
      
      All true, plus the drug makes him larger when he takes it, like instant size, strength etc.
    - why so serious?!
      
      Exactly! People dont realize that the Bane in that poster is just the pre-Bane (before the drug). Im not sure how Chris Nolan will incorporate the after-drug Bane later in the movie since Chris Nolan does not like CGI, but it will be interesting for sure.
Anonymous

YES! YES! YYYEEEESSSSSSS!
Angry Chief

Looks a little plain.
Moif

If Hardy plays this role as manic as he played Bronson,, it could be interesting. I wonder if thats why they offered him the part...?
- Anonymous
  
  It wouldn't surprise me. Bronson was amazing. Kinda hard to believe that Bronson and Handsome Bob from RockNRolla are the same person. xD
Xerxexx

Epic.
- Anonymous
  
  I whole heartedly agree with your tag line... although I will say I just saw a movie in IMAX 3-D and it was pretty legit. Not something every movie could pull off.
- why so serious?!
  
  I agree!! 3-D is the biggest piece of shit ever incorporated into theater!!!! If the movie sucks, you'll have watched all the shitty-ness in all its glory right in front of your stupid face. Nothing great about it!
HoBoXtaz

Anybody that says they want him to be 'bigger' fucking shut your mouth and go whine somewhere else!!! Chirs Nolan knows what he is doing and Tom Hardy is an amazing actor, if you knew anything about physique you can see he is huge but realisticly huge! All of Nolans batman films have embraced a realism and this will be no different. He could of gone and got Brock Lesnar or Stone Cold but they can act for shit! Tell me how well did the last live action transfer of Bane work?? FAIL!!! This film will be amazing! Tom Hardy as Bane will be amazing!
- Goggleheadneo
  
  I was expecting him to be hulk huge like in the Arkham asylum ps th only reason they failed at bain last time was because he wasn't cg like hulk
Have Hope

Hmmm....don't see what is so interesting about this picture. Looks okay...intriguing...but does not move me. We are not really given a definitive take on the character from this picture.
Dim2thesum

how is it missing key characters when all you need is batman and villains which has been casted.
Reeves Jacob18

They released an early picture of the joker to, remember? And in the end he turned out to look much different from the orginal photograph. I feel the same will happen with Bane. This is just an early version, with just his mask. I doubt none of the make-up work was done except in the spots on the forehead needed for the angle of the picture. Expect him to look badass in the end. We've only had a glimpse into the world of The Dark Knight Rises and we're busting nuts like squirrels on crack lol PS: by the way, JL, I would F the brains out of Anne Hathaway without hesitation. That doesnt mean we cant joke around. Chill out! Insecure much
- Anonymous
  
  Well said. IMO it's waaaaaaaaay to soon to be guessing on post production and what we'll see in 14 mos.
Frankie

holycrapOMG. I cant not freaking wait.
Waynebroadway

Catwomans eye in the background ????
TTumMM

I hate Nolan!!!! .......that makes me wait another year for full version of this Epicness
THANOS

tom hardy is a very good actor,shame that mask isn't. he'll be good as bane,but not liking the mask.
- Cody W.
  
  Didnt know masks could act......sorry couldnt resist.
Alexander Dockx

I hope it ends with Bane breaking Batman's back, like in the Knightfall series.
Amas

Me like 8D