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References |
The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced, and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is the sequel to 2005's Batman Begins and the second installment in Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy. In the film, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) forms an alliance with Police Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to dismantle organized crime in Gotham City, but are thwarted by a criminal mastermind known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) who seeks to undermine Batman's influence and create chaos in Gotham. The film also stars Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne's butler (Alfred Pennyworth), Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. It was released in Australia on July 16, 2008.
The Dark Knight grossed over a billion dollars worldwide,[1] becoming the fourth film in history to gross more than $1 billion worldwide[2] and the highest-grossing film of 2008. It is currently the 47th highest-grossing film of all time. The Dark Knight also received a high critical acclaim, accumulating an approval rating of 94% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.[3]
The Dark Knight garnered numerous awards and nominations with particular praise for Heath Ledger's performance of the Joker. The film received eight Academy Award nominations at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, winning two for Best Sound Editing and Best Supporting Actor (posthumously awarded to Ledger). Notably, the film's Best Sound Editing win prevented Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire from having a clean category-sweep.
At the People's Choice Awards—in which the winners are determined by the choices of the people (audience) in the Gallup polls—The Dark Knight won five awards, including: Favorite Movie, Favorite Action Movie, Favorite Superhero (Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman), Favorite On Screen Match-Up (Christian Bale and Heath Ledger), and Favourite Cast.[4] The film was included in top-ten films of 2008 lists by multiple publications, including the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards | February 22, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [5] | ||
Best Art Direction | and Peter Lando | ||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Best Film Editing | |||||
Best Makeup | and Conor O'Sullivan | ||||
Best Sound Editing | |||||
Best Sound Mixing | , Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick | ||||
Best Visual Effects | , Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin | ||||
African-American Film Critics Association Awards | December 19, 2008 | Best Picture | [6] | ||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Alliance of Women Film Journalists EDA Awards | – | Best Supporting Actor | [7] | ||
Special Mention Award | – Joker's first scene | ||||
American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards | February 15, 2009 | Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic | [8] | ||
American Film Institute Awards | N/A | Movies of the Year | [9] | ||
American Society of Cinematographers Awards | February 15, 2009 | Outstanding Achievement Award – Theatrical Release | [10] | ||
Art Directors Guild Awards | February 14, 2009 | Excellence in Production Design – Fantasy Films | [11] | ||
Austin Film Critics Association Awards | December 16, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [12] | ||
Best Picture | |||||
Best Director | |||||
Best Adapted Screenplay | and Jonathan Nolan | ||||
Best Original Score | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Australian Film Critics Association | – | Commendation for Best Overseas Film | |||
Australian Film Institute Awards | December 5–6, 2008 | International Award for Best Actor | [13] | ||
British Academy Film Awards | February 8, 2009 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | [14] | ||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Best Costume Design | |||||
Best Editing | |||||
Best Film Music | and James Newton Howard | ||||
Best Makeup and Hair | |||||
Best Production Design | and Peter Lando | ||||
Best Sound | , Richard King, Ed Novick and Gary Rizzo | ||||
Best Special Visual Effects | , Nick Davis, Paul Franklin and Tim Webber | ||||
Boston Society of Film Critics | December 14, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [15] | ||
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards | January 8, 2009 | Top 10 Film of the Year (#4) | [16] | ||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Acting Ensemble | , Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman | ||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | December 18, 2008 | Best Picture | [17] | ||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Director | |||||
Best Original Score | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Best Adapted Screenplay | and Christopher Nolan | ||||
Cinema Audio Society Awards | February 14, 2009 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing | , Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo | [18] | |
Costume Designers Guild Awards | February 17, 2009 | Excellence in Fantasy Film | [19] | ||
Critics' Choice Awards | January 8, 2009 | Best Picture | [20] [21] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Acting Ensemble | cast | ||||
Best Action Movie | |||||
Best Composer | and James Newton Howard | ||||
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | December 17, 2008 | Top 10 Film of the Year (#3) | [22] [23] | ||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Best Director | |||||
Directors Guild of America Awards | January 31, 2009 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film | [24] [25] | ||
Empire Awards | March 29, 2009 | Best Film | [26] [27] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Actor | |||||
Best Sci-Fi/Superhero | |||||
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | December 18, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [28] | ||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Golden Globe Awards | January 11, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | [29] | ||
Golden Trailer Awards | – | Best in Show | [30] | ||
Best Action Trailer | |||||
"Batman Teaser" Poster | |||||
Best Summer 2008 Blockbuster Poster (teaser) | |||||
Best Motion Title/Graphics | |||||
Grammy Awards | February 8, 2009 | and Hans Zimmer | [31] | ||
Houston Film Critics Society Awards | December 17, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [32] | ||
International Film Music Critics Association Awards | – | Film Score of the Year | and Hans Zimmer | [33] | |
Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Iowa Film Critics Awards | January 12, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [34] | ||
Japan Academy Prize | February 20, 2009 | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | |||
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | – | Best Supporting Actor | [35] | ||
Best Fantasy or Horror Film | |||||
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Awards | December 18, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | |||
London Film Critics' Circle Awards | February 4, 2009 | Actor of the Year | [36] [37] | ||
British Director of the Year | |||||
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | December 9, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [38] | ||
Best Film | |||||
Best Director | |||||
Best Production Design | |||||
Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards | February 21, 2009 | Best Sound Editing: Music in a Feature Film | and Daniel Pinder | [39] | |
Best Sound Editing: Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Film | , Hugo Weng, Linda Folk, and Michael Magill | ||||
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects and Foley in a Feature Film | , Christopher Flick, John Roesch, Alyson Dee Moore, Michael W. Mitchell, Hamilton Sterling and Michael Babcock | ||||
MTV Movie Awards | May 31, 2009 | Best Movie | [40] | ||
Best Male Performance | |||||
Best Villain | |||||
Best Fight | vs. Heath Ledger | ||||
National Board of Review Awards | January 14, 2009 | Top 10 Films of the Year | [41] | ||
National Movie Awards | September 8, 2008 | Best Superhero Film | [42] [43] | ||
Best Performance – Male | |||||
National Society of Film Critics Awards | January 3, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [44] | ||
New York Film Critics Online Awards | December 15, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [45] | ||
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | March 28, 2009 | Favorite Movie | [46] [47] | ||
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards | December 23, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [48] | ||
Top Ten Film of the Year | |||||
Online Film Critics Society Awards | January 19, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [49] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Best Picture | |||||
Best Original Score | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Best Adapted Screenplay | and Christopher Nolan | ||||
Best Editing | |||||
People's Choice Awards | January 7, 2009 | Favorite Movie | |||
Favorite Action Movie | |||||
Favorite Cast | , Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman | ||||
Favorite Male Action Star | |||||
Favorite Leading Man | |||||
Favorite On-Screen Match Up | and Heath Ledger | ||||
Favorite Superhero | as Batman | ||||
Producers Guild of America Awards | January 24, 2009 | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | , Charles Roven, Emma Thomas | [50] | |
Project Fanboy Awards | March 1, 2009 | Best Comic Book to Movie Adaptation | [51] | ||
Best Comic Book to Movie Adaptation: Actor | |||||
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | December 15, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [52] [53] | ||
Best Film | |||||
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards | December 15, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [54] | ||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Satellite Awards | December 14, 2008 | Best Sound (Editing and Mixing) | , Lora Hirschberg, and Gary Rizzo | [55] | |
Best Director | |||||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Visual Effects | , Chris Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin | ||||
Best Film Editing | |||||
Saturn Awards | June 25, 2009 | Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film | [56] [57] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Writing | and Christopher Nolan | ||||
Best Actor | |||||
Best Actress | |||||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Music | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Best Costume | |||||
Best Make-Up | and Conor O’Sullian | ||||
Best Special Effects | , Chis Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin | ||||
Scream Awards | October 18, 2008 | The Ultimate Scream | [58] [59] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Screenplay | and Jonathan Nolan | ||||
Best Sequel | |||||
Best F/X | |||||
Best Comic Book Movie | |||||
Best Fantasy Actor | |||||
Best Superhero | |||||
Best Villain | |||||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
The Holy Sh!t Scene of the Year | Big Rig Flips over | ||||
Best Line | – "I believe that whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger!" | ||||
Best Fantasy Movie | |||||
Best Fantasy Actor | |||||
Best Fantasy Actress | |||||
Best Villain | |||||
Best Supporting Actor | |||||
Best Line | – "Why So Serious?" | ||||
– "I'm gonna make this pencil disappear!" | |||||
The Holy Sh!t Scene of the Year | |||||
Screen Actors Guild Awards | January 25, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [60] | ||
Best Stunt Ensemble | |||||
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | December 15, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [61] | ||
Top Ten Film of the Year (#4) | |||||
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | December 15, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [62] | ||
Best Special Effects | , Chris Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin | ||||
Best Music | and Hans Zimmer | ||||
Best Director | |||||
Best Picture | |||||
Best Cinematography | |||||
Taurus World Stunt Awards | May 12, 2009 | Best Stunt Coordinator and/or 2nd Unit Director | , Rick LeFevour, Tom Struthers | [63] | |
Best Fight | , Richard Hansen, Mark Mottram, Andy Pilgrim, Dominic Preece, Marvin Stewart-Campbell, Buster Reeves, Steen Young | ||||
Best High Work | , Luke Kearney, Tom Lowell, Mark Mottram, Brian A. Peters | ||||
Best Specialty Stunt | |||||
Best Work With a Vehicle | , Richard Burden, Gillie, McKenzie, George Cottle, Tobiasz Daszkiewicz, James Fierro, Terry Jackson, Tom Lowell, Rick Mille, Jean-Pierre Goy, Jim Wilkey | ||||
October 10, 2009 | Film Sound Production | The Dark Knight | [64] | ||
Teen Choice Awards | August 4, 2008 | Choice Movie: Summer – Action | [65] | ||
Choice Movie: Rumble | vs. Heath Ledger | ||||
Choice Movie: Summer Actor | |||||
Choice Movie: Summer Actress | |||||
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | December 17, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [66] | ||
Utah Film Critics Association Awards | – | Best Supporting Actor | [67] | ||
Best Director | |||||
Best Picture | |||||
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards | January 13, 2009 | Best Supporting Actor | [68] | ||
Visual Effects Society Awards | February 10, 2009 | Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture (Garbage Truck Crash Models and Miniature) | , Forest Fischer, Branden Seifert, Adam Gelbart | [69] | |
Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture (IMAX Gotham City Scapes) | , David Vickery, Philippe Leprince, Andrew Lockley | ||||
Outstanding Special Effects in a Motion Picture | , Peter Notley, Ian Lowe | ||||
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | December 8, 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | [70] | ||
World Soundtrack Academy Awards | October 17, 2009 | Soundtrack Composer of the Year | (also for (Frost/Nixon and Angels & Demons)) | ||
Writers Guild of America Awards | February 7, 2009 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan; Story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer | ||