The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is a 2008 film created by Christopher Nolan, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger and others.
Synopsis
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero crime thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, who also shares writing credit. It continues the story of Batman in Gotham City and leans on the style of a modern crime drama.
Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne, the wealthy businessman who protects the city at night as Batman. Alongside police lieutenant Jim Gordon, played by Gary Oldman, and the new district attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart, he is pursuing a plan to break the hold that organized crime has on Gotham. Dent's public success makes Bruce hope that the city might one day no longer need a masked vigilante, which also leaves room for his friendship with Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Michael Caine plays his butler Alfred Pennyworth and Morgan Freeman plays Lucius Fox, who supplies his equipment.
Their progress is disrupted by the arrival of the Joker, played by Heath Ledger, a criminal with no clear motive who introduces himself with a daring bank robbery. He soon approaches the city's crime bosses with an offer, and his methods unsettle everyone on both sides of the law. The film turns on the question of how far a hero can go to stop a threat that cannot be bargained with.
Crew & production
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
- Screenwriters
- Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, Jonathan Nolan
- Producers
- Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
- Director of photography
- Wally Pfister
- Composers
- Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
- Editor
- Lee Smith
- Production companies
- DC Comics, Legendary Pictures, Syncopy Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures
- Original language
- English
- Filming locations
- Chicago, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Pinewood Studios
- Budget
- $185 million
- Box office
- $1.01 billion (worldwide)
Trailer
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Top cast
29 people
Christian Bale
Michael Caine
Heath Ledger
Gary Oldman
Aaron Eckhart
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Morgan Freeman
Eric Roberts
Colin McFarlane
Chin Han
Anthony Michael Hall
Melinda McGraw
More cast
- Nathan Gamble
- Nestor Carbonell Mayor Anthony Garcia
- Cillian Murphy Scarecrow
- Keith Szarabajka
- Michael Jai White Gambol
- Beatrice Rosen
- William Fichtner Bank manager
- Ritchie Coster Chechen
- Edison Chen
- Nicky Katt
- Monique Gabriela Curnen
- Tommy Lister Jr.
- Sarah Jayne Dunn
- Vincent Riotta
- David Dastmalchian
- Richard Dillane
- Joshua Harto Coleman Reese
Sources
- Wikidata (Q163872), accessed October 2026
- Cast photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each profile
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