Skyfall

Skyfall is the twenty-third in the James Bond series of spy films, produced by Eon Productions and distributed by MGM and Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2012. It features Daniel Craig's third performance as James Bond, and Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, the film's antagonist. The film was directed by Sam Mendes and written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan.

The film centres on Bond investigating an attack on MI6; it transpires that the attack is part of a plot by former MI6 operative Raoul Silva to humiliate, discredit and kill M as revenge against her for betraying him. The film sees the return of two recurring characters after an absence of two films: Q, played by Ben Whishaw; and Eve Moneypenny, played by Naomie Harris. Skyfall is the last film of the series for Judi Dench, who played M; a role which she had played in the previous six films. The position is subsequently filled by Ralph Fiennes' character, Gareth Mallory.

Mendes was approached to direct the film after the release of Quantum of Solace in 2008. Development was suspended when MGM encountered financial troubles, and did not resume until December 2010; during this time, Mendes remained attached to the project as a consultant. The original screenwriter, Peter Morgan, left the project during the suspension. When production resumed, Logan, Purvis and Wade continued writing what became the final version of the script. Filming began in November 2011 and primarily took place in the United Kingdom, China and Turkey.

Skyfall premiered on 23 October 2012, and was released in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2012, and in the United States on 8 November 2012. It was the first James Bond film to be screened in IMAX venues, although it was not filmed with IMAX cameras. The film's release coincided with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond series, which began with Dr. No in 1962. Skyfall was positively received by critics and at the box office, grossing over $805 million worldwide, and became the highest-grossing film in the James Bond series.

In Istanbul, MI6 agents James Bond and Eve chase the mercenary Patrice, who has stolen a computer hard drive containing details of undercover agents placed in terrorist organisations by NATO states. Patrice wounds Bond in the shoulder and, as the two men fight atop a train, Eve accidentally shoots Bond, allowing Patrice to escape. Bond falls into a river and goes missing, presumed dead.

After this debacle, Intelligence and Security Committee Chairman Gareth Mallory pressures the head of MI6, M, to retire. On M's return from the meeting, MI6's servers are breached and M receives a taunting message via computer moments before the offices explode, killing a number of employees. MI6 relocates to its emergency offices underground. Bond, having used his supposed death to retire, learns of the attack and returns to London. Although he fails a series of physical and psychological examinations, M approves his return to the field nonetheless. Shrapnel taken from a shoulder wound helps identify Patrice, and intelligence places him in Shanghai, where he is planning an assassination. Bond is ordered to identify Patrice's employer, recover the stolen hard drive and kill Patrice.

After Patrice kills his target, he and Bond fight. Patrice falls to his death before Bond can learn of his employer. Searching Patrice's equipment, Bond finds a gambling chip intended as payment for the assassination, which leads him to a casino in Macau. Bond approaches Sévérine, whom he witnessed as an accomplice in the assassination, and asks to meet her employer. She warns him that he is about to be killed, but promises to help him if he will kill her employer. Bond defeats his attackers and joins Sévérine on her boat. They travel to an abandoned island off the coast of Macau, where they are taken prisoner by the crew and delivered to Sévérine's employer, Raoul Silva. A former MI6 agent who had previously worked under M, Silva has turned to cyberterrorism, orchestrating the attacks on MI6. Silva kills Sévérine, but Bond overpowers his guards and captures Silva for extraordinary rendition to Britain.

At MI6's underground headquarters, Q attempts to decrypt Silva's laptop, but inadvertently enables it to access the MI6 systems, allowing Silva to escape from MI6 custody. Realising Silva's capture was part of a plan to confront and kill M, Bond gives chase through the tunnel network under London. Silva attacks M during a public inquiry into her handling of the stolen hard drive. Bond arrives in time to join Mallory and Eve in repelling Silva's attack, and M is hurried from the building by her aide, Bill Tanner. Bond drives M to Skyfall, his family estate and childhood home in Scotland. Laying a trap, he instructs Q to leave an electronic trail for Silva to follow, a decision Mallory supports.

Bond and M are met by Kincade, the Skyfall gamekeeper. The trio are only lightly armed, but they improvise a series of booby traps throughout the house. When Silva's men arrive, Bond, M and Kincade fight off the first assault, although M is wounded. Silva arrives by helicopter with a second wave, and Bond sends M and Kincade off through a secret tunnel at the back of a priest hole to a chapel on the grounds. The second assault uses firepower from the helicopter, and Silva throws incendiary grenades into the building. Bond detonates gas canisters with a stick of dynamite and retreats down the same tunnel as M and Kincade. The resulting blast causes the helicopter to crash, destroying the house and killing most of Silva's men. Silva spots Kincade's torch beam, follows Kincade and M to the chapel, and forces his gun into M's hand, begging her to kill them both. Bond, having been delayed fighting Silva's henchmen, arrives and kills Silva, but M succumbs to her earlier wound and dies. Following M's funeral, Eve—formally introducing herself to Bond as Eve Moneypenny—retires from field work to become secretary for the new head of MI6, Mallory, who assumes the title of M.

Rise of the Guardians(2012)

Rise of the Guardians is a 2012 American 3D computer-animated fantasy-adventure film based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood book series and The Man in the Moon short film by Joyce and Reel FX. Peter Ramsey directed the film, while Joyce and Guillermo del Toro were executive producers. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it was released on November 21, 2012 and received mixed to positive critical reception.

Set about 200 years after the book series, the film tells a story about the Guardians (North or Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Bunnymund or the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman), who enlist Jack Frost to stop Pitch from engulfing the world in darkness. It features the voices of Chris Pine (Jack Frost), Alec Baldwin (Santa Claus), Hugh Jackman (The Easter Bunny), Isla Fisher (The Tooth Fairy) and Jude Law (Pitch).

 The spirit of winter, Jack Frost (Chris Pine), describes how he came to be hundreds of years ago, lifted from the ice by the Man in the Moon, and has been invisible ever since because people don't believe in him. At the North Pole, North, better known as Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), is alerted that Pitch, the Bogeyman (Jude Law), has returned and is threatening childhood with fear. After summoning fellow Guardians the Tooth Fairy (Tooth) (Isla Fisher), the Easter Bunny (E. Aster Bunnymund) (Hugh Jackman) and the Sandman (Sandy), North learns from the Man in the Moon that they are to induct Jack as their new member. Jack is brought to North's headquarters and they attempt to swear him in. Jack, frustrated by centuries of isolation caused by children's disbelief in him, declines to join. Regardless, North persuades him to cooperate for now by explaining their mission and the looming threat of Pitch.

At Tooth's castle, the team discovers that Pitch has attacked, taken all the children's teeth, the childhood memories stored in them, and all but one of Tooth's baby fairies, Baby Tooth, whom Jack saves. Pitch declares his intention to destroy children's faith in the Guardians in revenge for his own disbelieved-in state, beginning with Tooth, who immediately begins weakening as children stop believing in her. To avert this, the Guardians perform her teeth-collection themselves for the interim, with a promise to find Jack's teeth to recover his previous life's memories. A young boy named Jamie is delighted to discover them in his room, as he believes in all of them except Jack, which renders Jack still invisible. Pitch learns of the Guardians' resistance and attacks Jack and Sandy; despite Jack's great efforts to save him, Sandy is overwhelmed by Pitch and seemingly destroyed.

The dejected Guardians next rally by helping Bunnymund prepare his eggs for Easter to keep children's belief strong. Although slightly complicated by the intrusion of Jamie's toddler sister, Sophie, the operation goes smoothly through to the distribution stage. Jack takes Sophie home, and discovers the entrance to Pitch's headquarters, where Tooth's baby fairies and the teeth are being held. Pitch urges him to step aside as a neutral party with the promise of his teeth's memories. Jack refuses, and Pitch attacks Bunnymund's domain, ruining the Easter-egg distribution and shattering children's faith in the Easter Bunny.

The Guardians' spirit broken, a despondent Jack departs in disgrace to Antarctica. There, Pitch tempts him to join forces, but Jack again refuses, as he wants to be loved, not feared. In response, Pitch reveals he has Baby-Tooth, and threatens to kill her unless Jack relinquishes the source of his power, his staff. Jack submits, but Pitch reneges and the resulting fight leaves Jack trapped in a crevasse with Baby-Tooth while Pitch breaks his staff. To counter Jack's despair, Baby-Tooth convinces Jack to unlocks his memories, which reveal he was a mortal boy who died saving his sister from falling through ice, and because of that heroism was changed into a winter spirit and chosen as a Guardian by the Man in the Moon.

Inspired at this revelation, Jack is able to restore his staff and his power. The Guardians and Pitch learn there is only one believing child left: Jamie. Jack races to the boy and not only confirms Jamie's faith in the Guardians, but also instills a belief in Jack Frost, enabling Jamie to finally see him. The diminished and weakened Guardians arrive to join him as they confront Pitch, while Jamie gathers his friends to support them. Pitch's seemingly overwhelming power of nightmare proves no match against the children's faith, which restores the Guardians' full power to battle the villain. Sandman is resurrected by this belief, and joins the fight, leaving Pitch defeated and children's faith restored, as well as in Jack Frost. Pitch is taken down by his own fear and is forced back into his lair.

At this victory, Jack is finally sworn in as a Guardian and resolves to protect the world's children with his new friends.

Cloud Atlas

.Cloud Atlas is a 2012 German Historical Drama, Romance, Mystery, Comedy, Science fiction and post-apocalyptic film written and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer. It was adapted from the 2004 novel by David Mitchell. The project had difficulty securing financial support during its four-year development, but was eventually produced with a $102 million budget provided by independent sources, making Cloud Atlas one of the most expensive independent films of all time. Featuring an ensemble cast to enact the film's multiple storylines, production began in September 2011 at Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam-Babelsberg, Germany

The film premiered on September 9, 2012, at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival and was released on October 26, 2012 in conventional and IMAX cinemas.

The film was pre-nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects that had a first round of votes which resulted in 10 films. All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view ten-minute excerpts from each of the ten short-listed films on Thursday, January 3, 2013. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate five of these films for final Oscar consideration.

The film consists of six interrelated and interwoven stories that take the viewer from the South Pacific in the nineteenth century to a distant, post-apocalyptic future. Unlike the original novel, the film is structured, according to novelist David Mitchell, "as a sort of pointillist mosaic: We stay in each of the six worlds just long enough for the hook to be sunk in, and from then on the film darts from world to world at the speed of a plate-spinner, revisiting each narrative for long enough to propel it forward."

The six stories are:

• South Pacific Ocean, 1849. Adam Ewing, an American lawyer from San Francisco during the California Gold Rush, has come to the Chatham Islands to conclude a business arrangement with Reverend Gilles Horrox for his father-in-law, Haskell Moore. He witnesses the whipping of a Moriori slave, Autua, who stows away on Ewing's ship, and convinces Ewing to keep him hidden, then to advocate for him to join the crew as a freeman. Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Goose slowly poisons Ewing, claiming it to be the cure for a parasitic worm, aiming to steal Ewing's valuables. When Goose attempts to administer the fatal dose, Autua saves Ewing. Returning to America, Ewing and his wife, Tilda, denounce her father's complicity in slavery.
• Cambridge, England and Edinburgh, Scotland, 1936. Robert Frobisher, a young English musician who is bisexual, finds work as an amanuensis to famous composer Vyvyan Ayrs, allowing Frobisher the time and inspiration to compose his own masterpiece, "The Cloud Atlas Sextet". Ayrs wishes to take credit for the piece, and threatens to expose Frobisher's scandalous background if he does not comply. Ayrs is shot by Frobisher in a confrontation between them, and Frobisher flees to a hotel. There, he finishes his masterpiece and shoots himself only moments before his lover Rufus Sixsmith arrives to save him.

• San Francisco, California, 1973. Luisa Rey is a journalist who by chance meets an older Sixsmith, now a nuclear physicist. Sixsmith tips off Rey to a conspiracy regarding the safety of a new nuclear reactor, but is killed by hitman Bill Smoke before he can give her the report that proves it. Isaac Sachs, another employee at the power plant who seems to find her familiar, also gives her the information, but he is killed by Smoke, who runs Rey's car off a bridge. With help from the plant's head of security, Joe Napier, she evades another attempt against her life, that results in Smoke's death, and exposes the plot to use a nuclear accident for the benefit of oil companies.
• United Kingdom, 2012. Timothy Cavendish, a 65-year-old publisher, has a windfall when Dermott Hoggins, the gangster author whose book he has published, infamously murders a critic and is sent to jail. When the author's associates threaten Cavendish's life to get his share of the profits, Cavendish turns to his brother Denholme for help. The brother tricks him into hiding out in a nursing home, where he is held against his will and treated poorly by the tyrannical Nurse Noakes. Cavendish and a few of his fellow "inmates" then plot a successful escape.
• Neo Seoul, (Korea), 2144. Sonmi-451, a genetically-engineered fabricant (clone) server at a fast-food restaurant, is interviewed before her execution. She recounts how she was released from her compliant life of servitude by Hae-Joo Chang, a member of the local Resistance, and other rebels. They reveal to her that fabricants like her are "recycled" into food for future fabricants, and hold off a brutal armed assault as she broadcasts this information to the world before her capture.

• The Hawaiian Islands on post-apocalyptic Earth (dated "106 winters after "The Fall", identified as 2321), a tribesman named Zachry lives a primitive life after most of humanity has died during "The Fall" and is plagued by visions of his people's perception of the devil, "Old Georgie", a representation of his guilt for not interfering in the murder of his brother-in-law, Adam, at the hands of the Kona Chief, leader of a tribe of vicious cannibals. He is visited by Meronym, a member of the "Prescients", the last remnants of a technologically-advanced civilization. In exchange for saving his young niece from a venomous bite, Zachry agrees to guide Meronym into the mountains in search of Cloud Atlas, an outpost station where she is able to send a message to people who have left Earth and now live on other planets. After returning, Zachry discovers the murder of his tribe at the hands of the Kona. After killing the Kona Chief and a number of his tribesmen, Zachry and his niece join Meronym and the Prescients in a journey to a new world.

A seventh time period, several decades after the Hawaiian one, is featured in the film's prologue and epilogue. In the prologue, a lone, elderly Zachry delivers a monologue, and his location is not revealed. In the epilogue, Zachry is revealed to have been telling these stories to his numerous grandchildren, with two moons in the night sky and Earth visible as a pale blue dot. Meronym emerges from their home and they embrace.

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man is a 2012 American superhero film directed by Marc Webb, based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It is a reboot of the Spider-Man film series, portraying the character's origin story and his development into a superhero while a high school student. The film stars Andrew Garfield in the title role, with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors.
Development of the film began with the cancellation of Spider-Man 4 in 2010, ending director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film series that had starred Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco. Opting to reboot the franchise with the same production team, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced a July 2012 release date for The Amazing Spider-Man. James Vanderbilt was hired to write the script while Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves helped fine-tune it. Pre-production involved auditioning many actors for the roles of Parker and Stacy. New designs were introduced from the comics such as artificial web-shooters. Using Red Digital Cinema Camera Company's RED Epic camera, principal photography started in December 2010 in Los Angeles before moving to New York City. The film entered post-production in April 2011. 3ality Technica provided 3D image processing, Sony Imageworks handled CGI and James Horner composed the film score.

 Sony Entertainment built a promotional website, released three trailers and launched a viral marketing campaign, among other moves. Tie-ins included a video game by Beenox. The film premiered on June 30 in Tokyo and was released in the United States on July 3 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D. Critical reaction was mostly positive, with a 73% "certified fresh" score from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The film was also a box office success, becoming the 45th highest-grossing film of all time and the fifth highest-grossing film of the year. The first of at least two sequels is scheduled for release on May 2, 2014, with director Marc Webb and actor Andrew Garfield set to return.

As a child, Peter Parker discovers his father Richard's study has been ransacked. His father gathers concealed documents before Peter's parents take him to stay with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. His parents leave, but are later killed in a plane crash.
As a teenager, Peter is a student at Midtown Science High School, where he is bullied by Flash Thompson, and is romantically interested in the beautiful Gwen Stacy, the daughter of police captain George Stacy. At home, Peter discovers his father's documents, and learns he had been working with scientist Dr. Curt Connors at Oscorp to combine human and animal DNA to cure illnesses. Peter sneaks into Oscorp to meet Connors, who is pressured by his superior Dr. Ratha to complete his serum, and cure the terminally ill head of Oscorp Norman Osborn. Connors wants the cure himself to restore his missing arm. Meanwhile, Peter breaks into a lab where a "biocable"-a high strength strand of webbing-is created by genetically modified spiders, one of which bites him. During a subway ride home, a fight reveals that he has developed superhuman speed, strength, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a heightened sense of danger.

Peter finds an algorithm in his father's documents and gives it to Connors−the missing key to his serum. In school, Peter damages school property during a confrontation with Flash and Ben is forced to work late so that he can pick up Peter. Ben tells Peter to escort May home that night. Peter ignores Ben in favor of helping Connors test their serum on a three-legged mouse. After he returns home, Peter argues with Ben about not picking up May, and Peter leaves. At a grocery store, the clerk rudely refuses to let Peter buy a drink, and when a thief steals money from the register, Peter lets the thief escape. Ben, searching the streets for Peter, confronts the thief, but is shot and killed. Peter responds to the gunshot and finds Ben's body. After seeing a police sketch of the suspect, Peter realizes it was the thief he let go.

Peter hunts the killer, taking out other criminals as a result and attracting police attention for his vigilante actions. During one confrontation he falls into an abandoned gym, where a luchador-wrestling poster inspires him to create a mask to hide his identity. He creates a costume for himself with a spandex suit, and builds wrist-mounted mechanical devices that shoot biocable strands. Peter, who, after going to Gwen's house for a dinner "date" with her family, later reveals he is the vigilante to Gwen and they kiss.

Seeing that the test mouse has regrown its missing limb using lizard DNA, Ratha demands human trials begin immediately. Connors refuses to risk innocent lives and is fired. Desperate, Connors tests the serum on himself and his missing arm regenerates. He learns that Ratha is going to test the serum on human subjects and goes to stop him, but his body begins to mutate. By the time he finds Ratha on the Williamsburg Bridge Connors has transformed into a large Lizard creature, tossing cars, including Ratha's, over the side of the bridge. Peter, now calling himself Spider-Man, manages to save Ratha and other civilians. Connors retreats into the sewer and reverts to human form.

Peter later meets Connors in his office and suspects he is the Lizard, and later unsuccessfully confronts Connors' Lizard form in the sewers, leaving behind his camera. Connors learns Peter's identity via the name on the camera and pursues him to Midtown Science High School where they fight. In response, the police start a manhunt for both Spider-Man and Lizard. Connors heads to Oscorp, intending to disperse his serum across the city and make everyone into lizards, while Gwen develops an antidote in Oscorp's lab. The police corner Spider-Man and Captain Stacy discovers that he is Peter, but lets him escape to go save Gwen. With the help of the father of a boy he rescued earlier, Spider-Man reaches Oscorp in time. Spider-Man manages to replace Connors' serum with the antidote, reverting Connors to human form, but not before Connors mortally wounds Captain Stacy. Spider-Man nearly falls to his death, but Connors saves him. Before his death, Captain Stacy makes Peter promise to stay away from Gwen for her safety. He initially keeps the promise, but later admits to Gwen that failed promises are the best kind.

In a post-credits scene, Connors, in a dark prison cell, is confronted by a man in the shadows who asks if Connors told Peter the truth about his father. Connors replies, "No", and demands Peter be left alone before the man disappears.

Snow White and the Huntsman

Snow White and the Huntsman is a 2012 British/American fantasy film based on the German fairy tale "Snow White" compiled by the Brothers Grimm. The film is directed by Rupert Sanders and written by Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, and Hossein Amini, starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, and Bob Hoskins (in his last role).

Snow White is the Princess of Tabor, daughter of King Magnus and Queen Eleanor. After his wife's death, King Magnus marries the beautiful Ravenna after rescuing her from the Dark Army, an invading force of glass soldiers. Ravenna, who is in fact a powerful sorceress and the Dark Army's master, kills Magnus on their wedding night after noting that men like him exploit the beauty of women and discard them. As Ravenna usurps control of the entire kingdom, Duke Hammond escapes the castle with his son William, but is unable to rescue Snow White, who is captured by Ravenna's brother Finn. Snow White is then locked away in the north tower of the castle.

 Tabor is left in ruins under Ravenna's rule as she periodically drains the youth from young women in order to maintain a spell once cast by her mother which allows her to keep her beauty. When Snow White comes of age, Ravenna learns from her Magic Mirror that Snow White is destined to destroy her unless Ravenna consumes the young girl's heart, which will make her immortal. Ravenna orders Finn to bring her Snow White, but she escapes into the Dark Forest, where Ravenna has no power. Eric the Huntsman, a widower who has survived the Dark Forest, is brought to Ravenna, who orders him to lead Finn in pursuit of Snow White. In exchange, she promises to revive his deceased wife, Sarah. Duke Hammond learns that Snow White is alive and has fled into the Dark Forest. William, Snow White's childhood friend, later infiltrates Finn's band as a bowman to find her.

The Huntsman tracks down Snow White in the Dark Forest but refuses to hand her over until he knows Ravenna will keep her word. When Finn admits that Ravenna cannot resurrect the dead, the Huntsman helps Snow White to escape, promising to escort her to Duke Hammond's castle in exchange for a reward of gold. The two leave the Dark Forest, escape the troll and pass through a fishing village where all the women have disfigured themselves in order to escape Ravenna, and where he learns Snow White's true identity. He then leaves her in the care of the women but returns when he sees the village being burned down by Finn's men. Snow White and the Huntsman eventually meet a band of dwarves — Beith, Muir, Quert, Coll, Duir, Gort, Nion, and Gus. Muir discovers that Snow White is the only person who can defeat Ravenna and end her reign.

As they travel through a fairy sanctuary, the group is attacked by Finn's men, resulting in Gus' death. The Huntsman kills Finn after learning he abetted in the murder of his wife. William reveals himself and helps defeat the soldiers before joining the others in their journey to Hammond's castle.

Ravenna disguises herself as William and tempts Snow White into eating a poisoned apple, but is forced to flee when the Huntsman and William discover her. William kisses Snow White — whom he believes to be dead — without seeing that she has shed a solitary tear. She is taken to Hammond's castle. As she lies in repose, the Huntsman professes his regret for not saving Snow White, who reminds him of his wife, and kisses her, breaking the spell; she awakens after a second tear has fallen. Snow White then takes command of the Duke's army and leads them into battle against Ravenna.

The Dwarves infiltrate Tabor through the sewers and open the gates, which allows the Duke's army to invade the castle. Snow White confronts Ravenna, but is overpowered. Ravenna is about to kill Snow White and consume her heart when she uses one of the moves Eric taught her on Ravenna and successfully kills her in the end, telling her that she cannot have her heart. Duke Hammond's army is victorious.

The kingdom is once again in order and peace as Snow White becomes Queen and in the end, Snow White and Eric share meaningful glances, indicating a possible romantic end for Snow White and the Huntsman Eric.

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan and the story with David S. Goyer. Featuring the DC Comics character Batman, the film is the third and final installment in Nolan's Batman film trilogy, and it is the sequel to Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008). Christian Bale reprises the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, with a returning cast of Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathan Crane. The film introduces two main characters to Nolan's series: Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a cat burglar whose appearance in Gotham City sets in motion a chain of events that leads Batman to come out of retirement; and Bane (Tom Hardy), a mercenary whose objective is to destroy Gotham.

 Christopher Nolan was initially hesitant about returning to the series for a second time, but agreed to come back after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note. Nolan drew inspiration from Bane's comic book debut in the 1993 Knightfall storyline, the 1986 series The Dark Knight Returns, and the 1999 storyline No Man's Land. Filming took place in various locations, including Jodhpur, London, Nottingham, Glasgow, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, and Pittsburgh. Nolan utilized IMAX cameras for much of the filming to optimize the quality of the picture, including the first six minutes of the film. A variation of the Batplane termed "The Bat", an underground prison set, and a new Batcave set were created specifically for the film. As with The Dark Knight, viral marketing campaigns began early during production to help promotion. When filming concluded, Warner Bros. refocused its campaign; developing promotional websites, releasing the first six minutes of the film and theatrical trailers, sending random pieces of information regarding the film's plot to various companies.

 

The Dark Knight Rises premiered in New York City on July 16, 2012. The film was released in Australia and New Zealand on July 19, 2012, and in North America and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2012. The film received positive reviews and has grossed over $1.08 billion worldwide. The Dark Knight Rises is currently the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, the second-highest-grossing film of 2012, and the second highest grossing superhero film of all time.

Eight years after the death of Harvey Dent, the Gotham City Police Department has nearly eradicated organized crime with powers granted by the Dent Act, legislation inspired by Dent. Batman has disappeared, with Bruce Wayne becoming a recluse. Feeling guilty over his role in the cover-up of Dent's crimes, Police Commissioner James Gordon writes a resignation speech confessing the truth, but decides that the city is not ready to hear it. While pursuing criminals in the sewers, Gordon is captured and his speech is taken by a terrorist named Bane. Gordon escapes and is found by John Blake, a patrol officer who has deduced Batman's true identity.

Wayne Enterprises is nearly bankrupt after Bruce invested in board member Miranda Tate's nuclear fusion project, only to shut it down after discovering the reactor core could be weaponized. Alfred Pennyworth, concerned that Bruce has not moved on from being Batman, reveals to Bruce that Rachel Dawes had intended to marry Dent before she died. Upon learning this, Bruce angrily dismisses Alfred. Meanwhile, Bane attacks the Gotham Stock Exchange and bankrupts Bruce using fingerprints obtained by cat burglar Selina Kyle. Fearing that his business rival John Daggett, who employed Bane to aid in a hostile takeover, would gain access to the reactor, Bruce asks Tate to take control of Wayne Enterprises.

Batman asks Selina to lead him to Bane, but Selina double-crosses him, leading him into a trap. Bane reveals that he knows Batman's true identity and intends to fulfill Ra's al Ghul's mission to destroy Gotham. Bane then cripples Batman and sends him to a foreign prison where escape is virtually impossible, telling him that he will torture the entire city of Gotham. While there, the inmates relate to Bruce the story of Ra's al Ghul's child, who was born in the prison and is the only person known to have escaped; Bruce deduces that the child is Bane. Meanwhile, using explosive concrete laid by Daggett's construction crews, Bane traps most of Gotham's police force underground and cuts Gotham off from the rest of the world, using the now weaponized reactor core to hold the city hostage. Bane reveals the cover-up of Dent's crimes and releases the prisoners of Blackgate Penitentiary under the pretense of starting a revolution. The wealthy and powerful are dragged from their homes and given show trials, presided over by Dr. Jonathan Crane, where the "convicted" die no matter the sentence.

Bruce spends months recuperating and retraining himself. He escapes from the prison and enlists Selina, Blake, Tate, Gordon and Lucius Fox to help liberate Gotham and stop the bomb from detonating. During a confrontation between the police and Bane's forces, Batman fights and subdues Bane by damaging his mask. Tate comes to Bane's aid and stabs Batman, revealing herself to be Ra's al Ghul's daughter Talia. It was she who escaped the prison as a child, aided by fellow prisoner Bane. She plans to complete her father's work by detonating the bomb and destroying Gotham. After Talia leaves, Bane is killed by Selina on the Batpod, while Gordon blocks the bomb's ability to be remotely detonated. Batman gives chase, attempting to force Talia to drive the bomb to the reactor where it can be stabilized. Talia's truck crashes, and she remotely floods the reactor chamber, before succumbing to her wounds. Batman realizes that the only way to stop it is to use The Bat, an aircraft developed by Fox, to haul the bomb away from Gotham. He flies the bomb out over the bay, where it detonates. In the aftermath, Batman is praised as a hero, while Bruce is assumed dead after the revolution. After Bruce's funeral, Wayne Manor is left to the city to become an orphanage, and Bruce's remaining estate is left to Alfred. Fox discovers that Bruce had previously fixed the Bat's on-board autopilot system, and Gordon finds the Bat-Signal refurnished. Alfred witnesses Bruce and Selina together in Florence. Blake, who resigns from the police force, inherits the Batcave.