Director Christopher Nolan is filming four action sequences in The Dark Knight in IMAX format, according to USA Today.
The article, which includes a first look at an IMAX-filmed image (see it here at right), notes that one of the scenes includes the introduction of the Joker, played by Heath Ledger.
The inclusion of the specially filmed scenes will make the Batman Begins sequel the first feature to be partly shot in the IMAX format. Typically, a traditional 35mm film will be re-mastered and stretched out to fill the enormous screen in IMAX theaters, which can negatively effect picture quality. But scenes filmed with IMAX cameras will fill the entire screen without effecting quality and will appear more vivid when viewed on standard screens.
SHH has posted a second image as well as the official press release.
The Dark Knight opens in standard and IMAX theaters on July 18, 2008.
I don’t understand. Why not go all or nothing? That’s still going to make all of the scenes that aren’t IMAX look like crap on the gigascreen, and it’ll probably be jarring watching the transition.
Surely once you’ve already made the investment in the cameras, using them on the rest of the movie can’t be that terrible (next to this monster’s budget)?
@Nentuaby: The filmmakers are doing this to stand apart from other films, to make their feature more of an “event.” According to the USA Today article sited in this entry, shooting in IMAX is difficult and the film is costly. Also, shooting with the bulky cameras is loud and interferes with the dialogue. Lastly, there’s no financial benefits to doing the entire movie in IMAX at this point. But look at the publicity the film is getting just for the four scenes they are doing in IMAX — LOTS, which of course, is worth the effort for them.
[...] Upcoming movie, Dark Knight, will be filmed partially in IMAX footage: ‘Dark Knight’ to Film Scenes in IMAX Format [...]