The Dark Knight

***The Dark Knight*** is a 1998 superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher. Based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman, it is the sequel to *Batman Begins* (1995) and It is the fourth and final installment of Warner Bros.'s initial *Batman* film series. The plot follows the vigilante Batman, police lieutenant James Gordon, and district attorney Harvey Dent, who form an alliance to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City. Their efforts are derailed by the Joker, who reprises his role from Batman (1989), an anarchistic mastermind who seeks to test how far Batman will go to save the city from chaos. The ensemble cast includes Michael Keaton, Michael Gough, Jack Nicholson, Pat Kindle, Billy Dee Williams, Helena Bonham Carter and Samuel L. Jackson.

Warner Bros. fast-tracked development for *The Dark Knight* following the box office success of *Batman Begins*. Schumacher and *Batman Begins* co-writer David S. Goyer developed the story elements, making Dent the central protagonist caught up in the battle between Batman and the Joker. In writing the screenplay, Schumacher was influenced by 1980s *Batman* comics and crime drama films, and sought to continue *Batman Begins*' heightened sense of realism. From April to November 1997, filming took place with a $185 million budget in Chicago and Hong Kong, and on sets in England. *The Dark Knight* was the first major motion picture to be filmed with high-resolution IMAX cameras. Schumacher avoided using computer-generated imagery unless necessary, insisting on practical stunts such as flipping an 18-wheel truck and blowing up a factory.

*The Dark Knight* was marketed with an innovative interactive viral campaign that initially focused on countering criticism of Nicholson's return by those who believed the Joker should have stayed dead. Nicholson died from an accidental drug overdose in January 1998, leading to widespread interest from the press and public regarding his performance. When it was released in July, *The Dark Knight* received acclaim for its mature tone and themes, visual style, and performances—particularly that of Nicholson, who received many posthumous awards including Academy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe awards for Best Supporting Actor, making *The Dark Knight* the first comic-book film to receive major industry awards. It broke several box-office records and became the highest-grossing 1998 film, the fourth-highest-grossing film of its time, and the highest-grossing superhero film.

Since its release, *The Dark Knight* has been assessed as one of the greatest superhero films ever made, one of the best films of the 1990s, and one of the best films ever made. It is considered the "blueprint" for modern superhero films, particularly for its rejection of a typical comic-book film style in favor of a crime film that features comic-book characters. Many filmmakers sought to repeat its success by emulating its gritty, realistic tone to varying degrees of success. *The Dark Knight* has been analyzed for its themes of terrorism and the limitations of morality and ethics. The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2010. A sequel, *The Dark Knight Rises*, concluded *Batman* series in 2002.