Batman's Winter of Discontent

While we've yet to see any missile-launching penguins in it, has anyone else noticed some of the (admittedly superficial) similarities between The Dark Knight Rises and Batman Returns? Such as:

Both TDKR and Returns are set in dreary wintertime. (Ironically, TDKR was shot in sweltering hot Pittsburgh and New York City during the summer and early fall.) The elements add to the bleakness of the peril Gotham finds itself in, and for TDKR it adds a different aesthetic to how Gotham has been seen in the last two Nolan films. And let's face it, everything seems worse when you have to shovel snow.



Both films have Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle meeting out of costume for a dance at a masquerade ball, except Michelle Pfeiffer never gave Michael Keaton an earful about being a member of the 1%. And judging from the new TDKR trailer, it looks like the bad guys raid the shindig (which appears to be held at Wayne Manor) to wreak havoc, which also happens in Returns.






Both Returns and TDKR have political subplots. The former has Max Shreck engineering the recall of Gotham mayor so that the Penguin can take his place. The second TDKR trailer reveals that the decorated GCPD officer played by Matthew Modine is being egged on to assume Jim Gordon's spot as the city's top cop once Mayor Garcia steps down.

Granted, these are (again) just superficial similarities (kind of like the sonar vision from The Dark Knight being similar to that used in Batman Forever). We're NOT saying Nolan's remaking Batman Returns! It's just interesting as a fan to note the parallels between the two Bat-franchises.

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer #2

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