‘Dark Knight Rises’ Viral Campaign: Why Does Gotham Want Batman? New Posters Hint At Upcoming Film [PHOTOS, TRAILER]
The new viral marketing campaign for Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" immerses fans even deeper into the Batman storyline. The official website for the film has just launched a fictional wanted poster for Batman issued by Gotham City. Screenshot from thedarkknightr

The new viral marketing campaign for Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises immerses fans even deeper into the Batman storyline. The official website for the film has just launched a fictional wanted poster for Batman issued by Gotham City.

A series of 12 new promotional materials have been published on the website, such as a mock police report, wanted slips, rolls of camera film marked as evidence, and more. The mock-up police report cites DC's masked vigilante on eight separate charges. These include six counts of first degree murder, three counts of kidnapping, resisting arrest, 15 counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer, and various criminal weapon possessions. One of the murder victims referred to on the poster includes District Attorney Harvey Dent, known to some as one of Batman's former enemies Two Face.

The Batman has never been seen out of his mask and tactical uniform, the wanted poster reads. He has been known to drive a large military-type vehicle, but this vehicle is believed to have been destroyed and abandoned. He has more recently been seen driving a two-wheeled vehicle of an unknown make and model.

But one of the most alluring aspects of the new campaign is that fans are encouraged to search for evidence in the real world. This creates more than an advertisement for the upcoming film, making an authentic scavenger hunt for fans.

The perpetrator is skilled in infiltration, fighting, and evasion, the poster also reads. His body armor is believed to be bulletproof & flame retardant.

The documents also reveal that Harvey Dent Day is approaching, giving the police force all the more reason to track down Batman.

The Dark Knight Rises is set to be the last installment in Nolan's take on the Batman franchise, with Christian Bale once again portraying the caped hero. Anne Hathaway will play the role of Catwoman, and the movie is said to feature twice the amount of engaging IMAX footage than its predecessor. Other noteworthy cast members include Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman.

The new campaign to promote Nolan's final film in the trilogy offers a closer insight into what the movie will entail. This insinuates that Batman may have to cope with more encounters with legal figures in The Dark Knight Rises. There's also a hint of vengeance from the Gotham City police department, suggesting that Batman may have to persevere through consequences resulting from action and decisions from the previous movie.

Fans will have to wait until The Dark Knight Rises makes its debut on July 20th to know for sure, but check out the theatrical trailer in the meantime.