Paul Franklin talks ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ visual effects

Christopher Nolan is known for using as little CGI and special effects as possible in his movies. When he does need to achieve the impossible, he calls on his visual effects supervisor, Paul Franklin. Franklin has worked on many of Nolan’s movies including Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and most recently, Inception. He’ll be back to work on The Dark Knight Rises with Nolan later this year. Screen Junkies caught up with him for an interview after his Visual Effects Society Award win last night. Franklin was asked if the recently cast Anne Hathaway would have a digital stunt double (like Halle Berry did in 2004′s Catwoman) in The Dark Knight Rises. Here’s what he had to say:

No, no, not at all. We always start something like this trying to keep it as real as possible. We would only ever resort to digital doubles for some stunt moments or things like that. We try to keep them real. That’s the way Chris likes to make a film.

The conversation then switched over to Tom Hardy, who will be playing the freakishly strong Bane. Screen Junkies asked if there would be any CGI work with Tom Hardy’s character, to bring him to life the way he’s often portrayed in the comics. Franklin wasn’t sure about that question, stating that Christopher Nolan would be the best person to answer it.

Will Bane’s appearance be enhanced with CGI the way Two-Face was in The Dark Knight, or will Tom Hardy hit the gym and portray Bane in a more realistic manner? Let me know what you think in the comments.

SOURCE: Screen Junkies [via Latino Review]

  • Manoschaos

    I think Bane is gonna be a hardened criminal,very leathal and cunning just like De Niro in Cape Fear, only more buff. No steroid juice and stuff. He’s gonna climb in the prison food chain and start setting up things for a mob overtake in Gotham City. He may pump some kind of muscle growth juice into his body only later in the film or in the end, just as a “superhuman illusion” technique. Minimal to no CGI

  • JimmyFraska

    Please Nolan, give us a zero-CGI Bane.

  • John

    I’m expecting Hardy’s Bane to look like his Bronson

  • madmex

    so i guess we’re gonna see catwoman

  • Anonymous

    THIS is why Nolan is my favourte flm-maker right now! He prefers to use REAL effects rather then crappy cgi that anyone would be able to see is fake!

  • E BOSTOCK

    The CGI in The Dark Knight Rises is going to have to be impecable , As Chris Nolan and Wally Physter have stated their gonna shoot as much as they can possibly shoot in IMAX , This makes the CGI Shots so much more difficult ! But this is the team behind INCEPTION so i have complete faith . Can not wait ! p.s No CGI on BANE .

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MJTPX42RL23YISZHPYXWFM2KVE Drew

    Don’t think I want any CGI with Bane either. But they could make it look pretty cool as long as he’s not giant.

  • Juztun85

    yes please no cgi bane! i hope they keep him as real as possible! basically he is a smart, mentally and physically strong criminal who is addicted to steroids!lol

  • http://twitter.com/Corporal_Nosaj Nosaj Illerrob

    this being Nolan’s last and finial Batman, i think the Bane might break the bat’s back finishing him form working, and then maybe near the end of the film you will see the bat getting better, and then he still working the streets, i think, I HOPE the bane is a more realistic Bane, although I really liked the recent portrayal of Bane in the Arkham Asylum video game, done recently. For the Nolans Films this will have to just like in the original story line from the comics, A thug life child brought up in the prison system got big an strong surviving the prison and then released and taking control in Gotham as his new stomping grounds, and becoming even bigger!
    I would have really liked to see a Riddler, or for me it would have been even cooler to see a tribute to the up coming video game Nolan do a Hugo Strange rather then a Catwoman. but I give Nolan all my faith and cant wait to see what will be an EPIC movie!

  • Geeky Randy

    I think Bane will be very similar to The Tooth Fairy from “Manhunter” and “Red Dragon”. Very buff guy who slips a mask on. Maybe Nolan will replace venom with steroids?

  • North London

    Com on every one, what kind of Bane are we talking about here no mask, no big cgi muscles.
    Nolan should mix it up and make him transform into big style Bane, just like Hide in the league of
    Extraordinary Gentlemen. Banes always bin like this, to change it now is just wrong man Nolan gona
    mess it up.

  • Brandon Risden

    As little and sckinny as Tom hardy is he would either need platform shoes and some steroids OR CGI…. If they are trying to keep it true to the comic