In fact, Christian Bale had some questions about why Batman's transformation had become so grounded, and he had discussed this with Gilbert.
"This is the work I want to do," Gilbert explained to Christian Bale. "The biggest problem with DC heroes in the past was that they were too perfect, making them feel unreal.
So I want to pull Bruce Wayne down from the pedestal and let the audience see the side of him beneath the Batman mask that nobody knows."
At this point, Gilbert asked Christian Bale, "What do you think are the admirable qualities of a superhero?"
Christian Bale thought for a moment before answering, "Kindness, integrity, courage, a spirit of sacrifice and dedication."
"You're right about all of that," Gilbert said, then asked, "Now, do you think superheroes have flaws?"
"Probably not!" Christian Bale answered instinctively. "After all, they are superheroes."
"Really?" Gilbert shook his head with a smile. "Even superheroes are fundamentally human. Humans have flaws.
It's these flaws that allow superheroes to combine humanity with divinity.
In my understanding, if a superhero had no humanity, how could they love?"
Christian Bale nodded, half understanding. "I think I get it. From a creative perspective, this approach makes the superhero's identity feel more real and believable.
With that realism, the audience can feel like these heroes could exist in our own lives."
"Exactly. I call this grounded. So we need to show Bruce Wayne as an ordinary man, letting the audience relate to him," Gilbert said.
Talking with Gilbert gave Christian Bale a deeper understanding of his character, making his performance more natural.
Even Bruce Wayne, compared to ordinary people, has a gap. After all, he was born into a wealthy family and lived a life of luxury from childhood.
If someone else were in his place, even after losing their parents, they might just be sad for a while and then move on.
Fortunately, Bruce Wayne was different. He actively studied criminals and learned combat skills. Later, he realized that revenge alone could not quell his anger and hatred.
He cared about the people of Gotham, wanting to save them from the city's criminal abyss, and thus became Batman.
He hoped Batman would serve as a symbol, striking fear into criminals and restoring confidence among the people, encouraging them to confront evil.
Henri Ducard, however, differed somewhat from Bruce Wayne. He also experienced the loss of his family.
But in his heart, there was only anger. He wanted revenge and projected his hatred onto innocent people, which is why he sought to destroy Gotham.
The League of Shadows was his tool to achieve this, filled with people as extreme as he was.
Bruce Wayne recognized this and left the League of Shadows. Not wanting to become like Henri Ducard, he even saved him.
Henri Ducard's true identity is the League of Shadows' leader, Ra's al Ghul, meaning "Head of the Demons."
According to the comics, Ra's al Ghul discovered the Lazarus Pit centuries ago and gained immortality by immersing his entire body.
He later founded the Assassins' League, recruiting fighters worldwide and training them to serve only him.
Ra's al Ghul's sole goal is to annihilate humanity and create his ideal world.
He has lived for about 700 years, is extremely powerful and cunning, with followers scattered across the globe. He also knows Batman's true identity, making Batman vulnerable to him.
Ra's al Ghul once studied alchemy in China, which provided justification for Gilbert's adaptation. Since he studied alchemy, it made sense for him to also learn Chinese martial arts.
While traveling from China to the Arabian Peninsula, Ra's al Ghul discovered an underground cave containing a strange swamp.
He found the swamp had miraculous healing properties, curing injuries and restoring health. He studied it carefully and met his beloved wife, Sonia, there.
A nearby prince fell seriously ill and sought Ra's al Ghul's help.
Ra's al Ghul brought the prince into the swamp, but the prince's character changed. He killed Sonia and refused to admit his crime.
The prince trapped Ra's al Ghul with his wife's body, causing him immense suffering.
After escaping, Ra's al Ghul swore vengeance for his wife, believing justice must be served by his own hand.
He spread a disease, and when the king sought his help again, he killed the king and the prince's entire family, leading his followers to massacre all the residents.
He then abandoned his original name, taking the name Ra's al Ghul.
He founded the League of Shadows, believing humanity's inherent evil was unforgivable and that wrongdoers must be punished to create a better world.
This explains the League of Shadows' origin and Ra's al Ghul's story. Gilbert adapted it carefully, not randomly.
Although the new Batman series is based on a realistic context, some original comic elements remain, so it's not a complete rewrite.
Henri Ducard serves as a foil to Bruce Wayne. The two mirror each other, allowing each to see aspects of themselves.
This is a significant aspect in The Dark Knight Rises, and the exploration of fear, anger, and hatred provides the audience with something to reflect on.
Frankly, Warner and DC were initially concerned that the script was too heavy, especially the second film's script.
But Gilbert's fame was immense, and Warner, having collaborated with him for years, knew his capability.
Thus, Warner Studios placed immense trust in Gilbert, giving him full control over the entire Batman film series.
After several weeks of shooting in Iceland, the outdoor scenes there were completed, and the crew moved to the United Kingdom to film some scenes at Wayne Manor and the Batcave.
The set design team's modifications to the Batcave were very successful. They created an artificial river from a nearby stream, flowing from above the cave entrance to form a waterfall scene.
If the water flow was insufficient, they could increase the volume.
The interior modifications of the cave were also successful, meeting Gilbert's requirement for a dark and damp Batcave. Inside, a liftable platform was installed, which could be raised when needed.
Most importantly, the cave entrance was large enough, yet sufficiently concealed, so the Batmobile could drive through the waterfall and enter directly.
The first scene in the UK involved the Batmobile flying into the Batcave. This Batmobile had been specially transported from Los Angeles and would complete its mission after this shoot.
According to later plans, the Batmobile would appear during UK promotions, and placing it at a roadshow would surely attract attention.
The Batmobile was launched into the Batcave from a temporary road beside the cave. The position had been set in advance, and for safety, the car was automatically launched.
Scenes inside the car were filmed separately and then edited together.
"Prepare on set…"
"Ready…"
"OK," said executive director Sam, looking at Gilbert. Gilbert nodded slightly, and Sam used the walkie-talkie to notify all departments to prepare.
Once the car was ready and the cameras rolling, the countdown ended, and the lightened Batmobile was launched into the cave entrance, completing the shoot.
To outsiders, this scene looked thrilling and dangerous, but for Gilbert's crew, it was routine.
Our director is like this—there always has to be something real. Who knows, one day he might drive a train onto the street or stage a plane-versus-plane heist.
That's the way of a practical-effects fanatic; you get used to it.
By the end of the UK shooting schedule, it was already November, and the summer box office battles had faded.
The Flase ultimately failed to hold its North American third-place box office position, overtaken by Spider-Man 2 and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Spider-Man 2 earned $373 million in North America, surpassing The Passion of the Christ to become the second-highest-grossing film there.
The global box office reached $789 million, falling short of Sony Columbia's expectations.
This was a sequel film—the follow-up to Spider-Man—yet The False had a $720 million box office, and Spider-Man 2 only reached $789 million.
This is one reason Warner had confidence in Gilbert, believing that his superhero films would produce different results.
The success of Spider-Man 2 further convinced Warner that Gilbert's era of superhero films was arriving.
Although Marvel's superhero films had been the primary successes so far, the trend was promising.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban narrowly defeated The False with $305 million, ranking third at the North American box office that year.
Its overseas box office was strong, with a global total of $937 million, second only to Shrek 2, which earned $1.009 billion.
Compared to Spider-Man 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban did not suffer a significant quality decline. In fact, under Gilbert's direction, the quality and reputation were well maintained.
The series continued to improve, even generating more revenue than The Lord of the Rings series, becoming a flagship series for Disney and Warner Studios.
Another film from Melon Studios released this year, The Adventurous of Jackie Chan 2, also performed well. It has currently earned $191 million in North America, surpassing $200 million, and is expected to reach $250 million.
Worldwide, it has earned $488 million and continues to accumulate, with a final estimate of $650–700 million in global box office.
Notably, Matt Damon, in addition to a cameo in The False, also starred in The Bourne Supremacy 2.
Although this spy film received good reviews, its North American box office was only $171 million, with a global total of $334 million. Compared to James Bond and Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne was still a bit inexperienced and less well-known.
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