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Action thriller

The Dark Knight (2008): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch

The Dark Knight (2008) movie poster

The Dark Knight is a 2008 action thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger. It is inspired by Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. It runs 2 hours 32 minutes and earned $1.01 billion worldwide on a $185 million budget. It won 2 Oscars, including Actor in a Supporting Role and Sound Editing, and 9 awards in all. Critics gave it 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 9.0/10. Stream it on HBO Max and TBS, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

IMDb rating
9.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes
94%
worldwide gross
$1B
Oscars won
2
Where to watch Watch the trailer
The Dark Knight (2008) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 32m (152 min)
Director
Christopher Nolan
Genres
Action , Drama , Thriller , Crime
Original language
English
Studio
Warner Bros. Pictures
Budget
$185M
Inspired by
Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Dark Knight About?

The premise of The Dark Knight without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

As darkness engulfs Gotham City, Batman works with Lieutenant Gordon and District Attorney Dent to dismantle the criminal underworld. Their efforts are disrupted by the arrival of the Joker, a chaotic mastermind who unleashes a wave of violence and throws the city into turmoil. Faced with the Joker's unpredictable attacks, Batman must confront his ultimate challenge and fight to restore order while battling for the soul of Gotham.

The Dark Knight Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • psychopath
  • moral dilemma
  • superhero
  • criminal mastermind
  • clown
  • dual identity
  • based on comic book
  • clown mask
  • electronic music score
  • psychological manipulation
  • billionaire
  • batman character
+38 more
  • star died before release
  • batmobile
  • sequel
  • joker character
  • skyscraper
  • tragic hero
  • evil clown
  • neo noir
  • opening action scene
  • disfigurement
  • second part
  • sequel to a reboot
  • no opening credits
  • no title at beginning
  • title at the end
  • epic
  • urban setting
  • love triangle
  • mobster
  • human monster
  • race against time
  • henchman
  • jujitsu
  • magic trick
  • face paint
  • mafia
  • organized crime
  • dark hero
  • blockbuster
  • famous score
  • anti hero
  • false confession
  • city hall
  • hero
  • electronic music score in style of orchestral music score
  • famous line
  • alfred pennyworth character
  • district attorney
Where to watch

Where to Watch The Dark Knight

Stream it on HBO Max and TBS, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Stream 6

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Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

The Dark Knight Cast

Christian Bale leads the cast, with Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger. Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Ratings

The Dark Knight Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Dark Knight 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 9.0/10.

Plot

The Dark Knight Plot Summary

What happens in The Dark Knight from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film opens with a daring bank heist orchestrated by a crew clad in clown masks, all of whom are there to steal the mob’s substantial cash reserves. As the robbery unfolds, a conflict arises among the clowns over their share, leading to chaos where they begin turning on each other. In a shocking moment, a school bus crashes through the bank wall, causing more mayhem and leaving one clown dead. In a tense confrontation, one surviving clown, a mob bank manager, realizes the clowns are far more dangerous than they appear. The clown kneels in front of him and chillingly states, > “I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you… ” before revealing his identity as The Joker.

Full summary

The whole story of The Dark Knight, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Dark Knight Box Office & Budget

The Dark Knight grossed $1.01 billion worldwide on a $185 million budget, 5.5 times what it cost. $535 million came from the US and Canada and $477.5 million (47%) from the rest of the world.

2008 box office

Worldwide gross

$1B

5.5× its budget

US & Canada
$535M
International
$477.5M
Budget
$185M
US & Canada 53% Rest of the world 47%
Awards

The Dark Knight Awards & Nominations

The Dark Knight won 2 Oscars, including Actor in a Supporting Role and Sound Editing, and 9 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Oscars 2009, with 2 wins from 8 nominations.

9 wins32 nominations8 ceremonies

Show all 8 ceremonies
Videos

The Dark Knight Trailers & Videos

9 videos: 2 trailers, 6 clips and 1 featurette.

All 9 videos
Official Trailer
  • Trailer Original Theatrical Trailer
  • Clip Mr. Reese's Plan Clip
  • Clip Harvey Dent and The Joker Clip
  • Clip The Joker's Interrogation Clip
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Dark Knight?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What method does the Joker use to escape from the police after being arrested?
Cars

Cars in The Dark Knight

48 cars on screen, including the Batpod and the Tumbler/Batmobile.

All 48 cars
  • Batpod in The Dark Knight Batpod Main role
  • Tumbler/Batmobile in The Dark Knight Tumbler/Batmobile Main role
  • Chevrolet Step-Van in The Dark Knight Chevrolet Step-Van Important role
  • 1999 Ford Crown Victoria in The Dark Knight 1999 Ford Crown Victoria Important role
Details

The Dark Knight Also Known As

52 alternative titles, including “Batman: The Dark Knight” and “배트맨 다크 나이트”.

Also known as
  • Batman: The Dark Knight
  • 배트맨 다크 나이트
  • Batman
  • Le Chevalier Noir
  • Темный рыцарь
  • Mroczny Rycerz
  • Batman II: The Dark Knight
  • Batman - The Dark Knight
  • The Dark Knight 2: The Dark Knight
  • ダークナイト：2008
  • سوارچاكی تاریكی
  • El caballero oscuro
+40 more
  • Hiệp Sĩ Bóng Đêm
  • Batman (El caballero oscuro) - 2. El caballero oscuro, შავი მხედარი
  • Խավարի Ասպետը
  • 蝙蝠侠6：黑暗骑士
  • Batman II - The Dark Knight
  • Yön ritari
  • 蝙蝠侠：黑暗骑士
  • Тёмный рыцарь
  • Il cavaliere oscuro
  • The Dark Knight : Le Chevalier noir
  • A Sötét lovag
  • Kara Şövalye
  • O Cavaleiro das Trevas
  • Temný rytíř
  • Черният рицар
  • האביר האפל
  • Мрачни витез
  • Ο Σκοτεινός Ιππότης
  • Temný rytier
  • ダークナイト
  • แบทแมน อัศวินรัตติกาล
  • 다크 나이트
  • Темний лицар
  • شوالیه تاریکی
  • Tumšais Bruņinieks
  • Cavalerul negru
  • Batman: O Cavaleiro das Trevas
  • 黑暗騎士
  • Batman: El caballero de la noche
  • El cavaller fosc
  • Vitez tame
  • ദ ഡാർക്ക് നൈറ്റ്
  • Tamsos riteris
  • 蝙蝠俠—黑夜之神
  • Kỵ Sĩ Bóng Đêm
  • Vitez teme
  • O Cabaleiro Escuro, ბნელი რაინდი
  • فارس الظلام
  • Pimeduse rüütel
  • बैटमैन 2: द डार्क नाइट

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From the blog

Articles About The Dark Knight

21 articles about The Dark Knight. The latest: “The Legacy of Cult Directors and Their Impact on Cinema”.

Search the blog
FAQ

The Dark Knight FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and awards of The Dark Knight, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Dark Knight?

The Dark Knight runs 2 hours 32 minutes (152 minutes).

When was The Dark Knight released?

The Dark Knight was released on July 18, 2008.

Who directed The Dark Knight?

The Dark Knight was directed by Christopher Nolan.

More films by Christopher Nolan

Who is in the cast of The Dark Knight?

The Dark Knight stars Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger.

Where can I watch The Dark Knight?

In the US, The Dark Knight is streaming on HBO Max, TBS and TNT and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did The Dark Knight make at the box office?

The Dark Knight grossed $1.01 billion worldwide ($535 million domestic, $477.5 million international) on a budget of $185 million.

How is The Dark Knight rated?

The Dark Knight has 9.0/10 on IMDb, 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85 on Metacritic and 85% on TMDB.

What awards did The Dark Knight win?

The Dark Knight won 9 awards from 32 nominations, including Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars 2009.

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