The prologue to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated final "Batman" movie will be shown in 32 IMAX theaters across the U.S., Warner Bros. announced Friday.
(Scroll down to see the list.)
The prologue will be shown in advance of select screenings of "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" starting Dec. 16. It will debut in IMAX theaters in Canada that same day.
Starting Dec. 21, the prologue will hit IMAX theaters in the U.K.
Portions of the prologue were shot using IMAX cameras. It is rated PG-13.
Also read: 'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue to Hit Theaters Dec. 21
Nolan told Empire magazine that the "Dark Knight Rises" prologue is "basically the first six, seven minutes of the film" and will serve as "an introduction to Bane, and a taste of the rest of the film."
Also read: 'The Dark Knight Rises' Villain Bane: First Look (Photo)
For "The Dark Knight Rises," Nolan is using IMAX cameras more heavily than he did in his previous "Batman" movie, "The Dark Knight." That movie was the first major feature shot partially with IMAX cameras.
“Our experience on ‘The Dark Knight’ shooting and projecting IMAX 15 perf 65mm/70mm film was inspiring," Nolan said in a statement. "The immersive quality of the image goes beyond any other filmmaking tool available, and in revisiting Gotham, we were determined to shoot even more of the movie in this unique format."
Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Miranda Tate and Joseph Gordon-Levitt also star. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman return to the cast.
Nolan wrote the script from a story he wrote with David S. Goyer.
Nolan, Emma Thomas and Charles Roven are producing.
The movie is scheduled for a July 20, 2012 release.
Here are the U.S. cities where the prologue will be showing:
Austin, TX: Bob Bullock IMAX Theater
Chantilly, VA: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Airbus IMAX Theater
Chicago, IL: Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Council Bluffs, IA: AMC Star Council Bluffs 17 + IMAX
Des Moines, IA: Sci-Port IMAX Dome Theater
Detroit, MI: The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre
Fitchburg, WI: AMC Star 18 Fitchburg + IMAX
Fort Lauderdale, FL: AutoNation IMAX Theatre
Harrisburg, PA: Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts Select Medical IMAX Theater
Houston, TX: Houston Marq*E Stadium 23 + IMAX
Indianapolis, IN: Indiana State Museum IMAX Theater
Irvine, CA: Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 + IMAX
Los Angeles, CA: RAVE Motion Pictures 18 + IMAX
Minneapolis, MN: Great Clips IMAX, Minnesota Zoo
Nashville, TN: Regal Opry Mills 20 + IMAX
Natick, MA: Tempur-Pedic IMAX Theater at Jordan's Furniture
New York, NY: Lincoln Square 13 with IMAX
Ontario, CA: Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX
Orlando, FL: Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX
Palm Springs, CA: Desert IMAX Theatre
Philadelphia, PA: IMAX Theatre at Tropicana
Philadelphia, PA: Tuttleman IMAX Theater
Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Mills 25 w/IMAX
Providence, RI: Providence Place Cinemas 16 + IMAX
Reading, MA: Verizon IMAX 3D Theatre
Sacramento, CA: IMAX Esquire Theatre
San Antonio, TX: Alamo IMAX Theatre
San Francisco, CA: AMC Loews Metreon 16
Seattle, WA: IMAX at Pacific Science Center
Tampa, FL: Museum of Science and Industry's IMAX Dome Theatre
Universal City, CA: AMC Citywalk Stadium 19
West Nyack, NY: IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center