Movie promos have been around for a long time as they significantly help attract the audience. Take Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023) for example, the film’s massive marketing budget, which is reportedly more than $150 million, is one of the main reasons behind the film’s financial success. Many clever marketing techniques have been witnessed over the years but no one can forget Christopher Nolan’s marketing move.
Long before Deadpool appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote Deadpool 2, actors Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart appeared on Gotham Tonight, which was a part of special features from DVD Extras of Batman: The Dark Knight. The fake talk show was made to promote 2008’s The Dark Knight.
Christopher Nolan’s excellent marketing strategy for The Dark Knight (2008)
Not many people know that a six-episode miniseries was included in DVD Extras of Batman: The Dark Knight which was director Christopher Nolan‘s marketing strategy for the movie. The Gotham Cable News Program, Gotham Tonight featured fake interviews of actors Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, and Eric Roberts. The talk show covered the political state and crimes in Gotham City, which was indeed a unique way to promote the movie.
The second episode of the series focuses on the lifestyle of billionaire Bruce Wayne and how the tragic death of his parents made him the man he is. The sixth and final episode of the series is an interview with Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Such marketing strategies are common nowadays but doing this in the late 2000s was indeed a genius move.
The Dark Knight Trilogy was a massive success
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy consisted of three films: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and without a doubt, all these films played a key role in reviving the popularity of the character. These films have collectively made over $2 billion at the global box office.
The film earned many prestigious awards and nominations but it is to be noted that Heath Ledger’s exceptional performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight (2008) received widespread acclaim, earning him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. No matter how many Batman iterations fans get, the Dark Knight Trilogy will always remain special for everyone.
The Dark Knight Trilogy is available for streaming on HBO Max while the Gotham Tonight program is available on DVD & Blu-Ray.
