The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan‘s fond farewell to the good people of Gotham City (that’s budgeted at $250 million), is without a doubt the movie event of 2012. Therefore who else would grace the cover of Entertainment Weekly’s 2012 Preview issue but the Dark Knight himself, played by franchise star Christian Bale, in all his caped-and-cowled splendor?

You can check out the EW cover along with three Dark Knight Rises stills featured in the issue here below.

There’s nothing to be gleamed about the movie’s plot from these images but they ooze intensity like infected sores. Tom Hardy in particular looks amazing in his shot and I liked being able to study Bane’s face mask and breathing apparatus in greater detail.

The Dark Knight Rises opens on July 20, 2012.

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[Source: Entertainment Weekly via Cinema Blend]