The first look at the preview for the next instalment of the Batman movie
franchise.

WARNER BROS. -

 Gotham City's Caped Crusader is back: the preview to the new Batman
movie received it's world-wide debut on Monday (May 5).
    The follow-up to the Batman series prequel/reboot, 'Batman Begins',
'The Dark Knight' continues the tale of the comic book hero, played again by
Christian Bale, with Batman joining forces with Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary
Oldman, also returning from 'Batman Begins') and District Attorney Harvey Dent
(Aaron Eckhart) to smash crime in Gotham City. The situation escalates when
the trio try to take on a deranged maniac who has burst on to the criminal
scene.
    Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental overdose of
prescription drugs in January, stars posthumously as Batman's most famous
nemesis, The Joker.
    Also new to the cast are Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, and Maggie
Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes as crusading lawyer and confidant to Bruce
Wayne/Batman, Rachel Dawes.
    Academy Award winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman will reprise
their roles from the first film and director Christopher Nolan ('Batman
Begins' and 'The Prestige') is once again behind the camera.
    'The Dark Knight' is scheduled for release in July.