We've seen plenty of images from the set of director Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight Rises,' but it's when the actors of the upcoming film begin gracing magazine covers that the film begins to seem like a reality. Earlier today the upcoming covers for EMPIRE MAGAZINE were revealed giving us an eerie look at actor Tom Hardy as Bane, and Christian Bale as Batman.

Aside from the fact that Bale is holding what appears to be an oversized flashlight, and we get a really close up shot of Tom Hardy's mask, as far as the images go, it's not really anything we haven't seen before. That is until you check out the two quotes found at the bottom of the images from both Bale and Hardy, respectively. These short blurbs give us a little bit of insight into what the character's will be dealing with, and what the overall premise of the story will be. While it's a little bit hard to make out, beneath the image of Christian Bale on the cover of EMPIRE is a quote from the actor that tells a lot about what Batman will be experiencing in the upcoming film.

"He has to answer the question: how long do you allow pain to dominate your life?" - Christian Bale

Christopher Nolan's Batman is a tortured character who has allowed the death of both his parents to take over his entire life. Everything he does can be traced to the pain of his parents' death -- so will this movie be the definitive end to the series? Will he no longer allow "pain to dominate his life," or is this just the beginning? Could this be the definitive "end" of Chris Nolan's Batman?

Beneath the image of Bane is also a quote from Tom Hardy. His, unlike Bale's, is a little less telling of the character and serves to essentially confirm what we already sort of knew.

"He's brutal. He's a terrorist. A really horrible piece of work." - Tom Hardy

This also gives us something of a clue into the characterization of Bane in the upcoming film. While in the comics, you can argue Bane wasn't always a terrorist; there were moments where he did seem to have those tendencies.

The issue will also feature an interview with the film's director, Christopher Nolan, who hints that this third Batman film will likely be his last.

“It’s really all about finishing Batman and Bruce Wayne’s story. We left him in a very precarious place. Perhaps surprisingly for some people, our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight. So he’s an older Bruce Wayne; he’s not in a great state.”

You can check out all three covers of the January 2012 issue of EMPIRE magazine, below. The January issue of EMPIRE will be available on November 24th, 2011. What do you think of the images? Do the quotes above give you some insight into what the movie will be about?

Source: Collider

interesting
BB

great suff. bring on batman arkham city 3 !

I understand that they have to change a little the character of bane if they want to make a blockbuster but this time it is too much for me, i hope bane will still the great strategist he is. No mask and no venom...i could understand for the venom but the mask is bane, now we have a bane who must breath some medecine after a accident, maybe they will name it venom but the fact that it is only with in breath is lame.

Batman begins was nice with a Ras and scarecrow who were good, the dark knight was okay but with too much joker compared to two face or other vilain.

EDIT : Batman's gun is made by liefeld ?

I Am The Night.

Seems like a mixture then of Knightfall and Dark Knight Returns when put into this context. I sure do miss the mask.

Makes me hopeful we'll get a more interesting Batman and he won't be totally overshadowed by the villain like in DK.

Really dislike Bane's look...

Im liking this twist on batman.. like sure Batman's parents died but dude it was like 20 years ago.. get over it.

Liking Banes look better than i thought i would

Bane's a terrorist? That's (to cite an incredibly overused word in these forums) interesting...noted.

Bane's mask is crap. Needs less junk. Rest is ok.

@ReVamp: I'll agree with you. Can't wait for the film though!!!!!

The film happens 8 years after Dark Knight!

Does anyone else think that Bane looks like Hannibal Lecter on steroids in this new movie?

Man, Hardy really did get jacked for this.

@wowylied: dude im pretty sure there keeping the venom his mask clearly looks likke it would be supplying some kinda gas to his mouth area likely a gas version of venom

Ok firstly on the 8 year time laps thing

ok batman begins was made in 2005 lets asume it took place the same year

the dark knight took place a year later so 2006-early 07 ok so fast forward 5 years it would be the present so add 3 more years and it really isnt that big of a jump considering all that

@movieartman said:

@wowylied: dude im pretty sure there keeping the venom his mask clearly looks likke it would be supplying some kinda gas to his mouth area likely a gas version of venom

Costume designer Lindy Hemming also talked about Bane's mask in the film. "He was injured early in his story. He's suffering from pain and needs gas to survive. He can't survive the pain without the mask. The pipes from the mask go back along his jawline and feed into the thing at his back, where there are two cannisters."

The thing that really caught my eye is "eight years later." That's really interesting to me considering the place that we left Batman at the end of TDK. Everything else seems fine to me. I'm still excited about this movie.

I wonder what what has happened eight years later. Are the cops still hunting Batman. Has Gordon replaced the Bat-signal. Batman is probably an established & feared hero in Gotham by now. Man I cant wait for this movie to be out already

Nice, this would be a great movie =)

I wonder what has happened to Joker in 8 years?

looks pretty cool but kinda reserved on Banes lector mask

I wonder if Tom Hardy knows he has some stupid thing on his face...

I'm kind of dismayed that there are so many people complaining about Bane's look... Oh, wait. This is the internet; silly me.-.-

I really like Bane's look and I think it fits in perfectly with the universe that Nolan's established already. Tom Hardy is a fantastic actor and it's almost a sure think that he'll bring Bane to life in a proper way.

@Mr. Kamikaze said:

I wonder if Tom Hardy knows he has some stupid thing on his face...

is would look stupider if they stuck to the comic look.

8 YEARS?!?!?!?!

“It’s really all about finishing Batman and Bruce Wayne’s story. We left him in a very precarious place. Perhaps surprisingly for some people, our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight. So he’s an older Bruce Wayne; he’s not in a great state.”

I KNEW IT , I KNEW IT, Yeah anybody believe me but I have the reason Yay

I look forward to this movie. riddle me this though: why was EVERYONE think Riddler was going to be part of this?

I'm a huge...HUGE Batman fan. I remember seeing the first Batman with Keaton and Nicholson in theaters when I was a little kid (less then 6) and being totally hooked. Ever since then the one hero that never failed me (even with Batman Forever and Batman and Robin) was Batman. Also I am a huge Bane fan and frankly I am loving this look. I remember people complaining about them changing the aspects of the Joker's appearance before DK came out, heck even I complained, but I was eating crow when I watched DK. Chris Nolan is an AMAZING story teller and one of the most original directors/ writers working in Hollywood today. I have faith that this movie will be an amazing swan song for the series. As for Bane the guy generally looks intimidating, and that is what Bane is all about intimidation. Lets not forget the Bane has been working without venom in the comics for YEARS now and frankly the old look was too much like a luchadore that I really could not take it seriously in the Nolanverse. This looks like a guy that I really would hate to walk into in a dark alley at night. The only thing I have my reservation about about this movie is Catwoman, but I will probably be eating crow again about that. I say we leave the faults to the critics and get ready for one kick ass summer of comic book movies!!

Eight years, really? I think that's a bit much. I mean, surely the incident of Batman being a menace is resolved LONG before those eight years for it not to be a plausable sequel.

Heck, I'd even consider Robin being up for grabs.

@Schabbe said:

@movieartman said:

@wowylied: dude im pretty sure there keeping the venom his mask clearly looks likke it would be supplying some kinda gas to his mouth area likely a gas version of venom

Costume designer Lindy Hemming also talked about Bane's mask in the film. "He was injured early in his story. He's suffering from pain and needs gas to survive. He can't survive the pain without the mask. The pipes from the mask go back along his jawline and feed into the thing at his back, where there are two cannisters."

I'm getting the feeling that Nolan subconsciously wants to have Mr. Freeze in his movies. First he gave the whole getting revenge on a lost loved one thing to Two-Face, now he's going to give the physically (and maybe emotionally) disconnected from humanity thing to Bane.

8 years?!!! really?!

8 years later, interesting.

@ReVamp said:

Bane's mask is crap. Needs less junk. Rest is ok.

Better than those stupid venom tubes.

8 years later? Man that's a big time skip! Well hopefully we'll get some cool villain cameo's like Deadshot or Zsasz(I know he was already mentioned back in Begins but I want to see the serial killer side!)

The time skip idea really interests me I love it makes this movie seem much more epic in scope that this entire trilogy has told Bruce's story over years. I can still buy Batman being a wanted man for eight years. I know Christian Bale is not the most popular on screen Batman but really I think he has gotten this character right it will be tough to see him go.

Still see some weird comments all over like Robin or Batgirl not playing a part in the movie even though Nolan has said he is not interested in him. Some people wanting to see other more outlandish Bat villains even as cameos. Or Bane needing to breathe in some painkiller instead of taking Venom. But really at some point you have to see the movie for what it is and not what the comics are.

Eight years?!
 
Damn... sounds epic, though.

I don't know on this, but for me Nolan should've just left at Dark Knight. The movie was epic in every way, it lift me like puppy eye look. I think their going to break batman and put him back together. I'd really think the knightfall series shouldn't have happen, Batman was already popular. I hated when people like to trash heroes, maybe you should trash yourself (villains). I'm not talking about this thread here, but in general. Sometimes, wonder about this villain loving freaks and who is the real evil.

I understand that they have to change a little the character of bane if they want to make a blockbuster but this time it is too much for me, i hope bane will still the great strategist he is. No mask and no venom...i could understand for the venom but the mask is bane, now we have a bane who must breath some medecine after a accident, maybe they will name it venom but the fact that it is only with in breath is lame.

Batman begins was nice with a Ras and scarecrow who were good, the dark knight was okay but with too much joker compared to two face or other vilain.

EDIT : Batman's gun is made by liefeld ?

I'm still not a fan of this Bane's design... It's just a messy design...

YEAH, I'm sure the movie will be brilliant (if a tad too long like most blockbusters these days), great directing, music, etc.. but doesn't change a fact Bane has quite a boring look :/

Mmm. The notion of pain and Tom Hardy dominating. Why am I blushing and why are my toes curled? O.O

@Eyz said:

I'm still not a fan of this Bane's design... It's just a messy design...

YEAH, I'm sure the movie will be brilliant (if a tad too long like most blockbusters these days), great directing, music, etc.. but doesn't change a fact Bane has quite a boring look :/

He's wearing kevlar,that's good enough for me.

harvey dent....can we trust him

The eight years later part doesn't really work for me. How can you go 8 years into the bat-universe without any Robins or Batgirls. Without any new villains. Why does Catwoman wait 8 years to appear? Does Batman really only fight Joker and Scarecrow for 8 years repeatedly while trying to stay away from the cops? This is probably going to kill the series.

"He's brutal. He's a terrorist. A really horrible piece of work." - Tom Hardy

I really wonder.

Nolan has already said this will be his last Batman film has he not? He also has stated that the premise this film was written as an ending to his trilogy. Of course that's not to say it will end the franchise, but his reign most surely. As soon as I heard this I thought, Knightfall, and have said ever since that Bats will get broken. I hope not because I don't think that will translate well for a villain to prevail in a film about such an iconic character. We shall see.....

@RedheadedAtrocitus said:

Seems like a mixture then of Knightfall and Dark Knight Returns when put into this context. I sure do miss the mask.

A mixture of Knightfall and Dark Knight Returns indeed. I wonder if the movie will start with Bane breaking Batman's back and then flash forward 8 years down the road, with Bane now having control over Gotham and Batman having to take it back. And its a shame that they didn't use Bane's mask, but I understand that he'd probably look like a mexican wrestler with it on

It's bold, anyone else behind this project i would have doubts but if anyone can pull this off it's Nolan.

The mask from the comics would look cool in real life. Watch the Batman Legends fan film on youtube if you don't think so. Too bad.