Unsurprisingly, y’all were crazy for the full The Dark Knight Rises trailer that premiered this week.  Warner Bros. announced that the trailer was downloaded more than 12.5 million times in the first 24 hours on iTunes, breaking the record set by The Avengers in October.  That's amazing, and could very well be the first of a few dozen records the movie breaks.  The Dark Knight arrived on a perfect storm in July 2008, but the sequel poses a serious threat to that $533 million domestic.Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine star in the conclusion to Christopher Nolan‘s Batman trilogy.  The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20, 2012.  Read the press release and rewatch the trailer after the break.

TRAILER FOR “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES” SHATTERS RECORD WITH MORE THAN 12.5 MILLION DOWNLOADS ON iTUNES IN FIRST DAY

BURBANK, CA, December 23, 2011 – The new trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “The Dark Knight Rises” smashed the record for most combined downloads through the iTunes Movie Trailers site (www.itunes.com/trailers) and the iTunes Trailers iOS app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.  The trailer went online at 10:00 Monday morning, December 19, and was viewed more than 12.5 million times in its first 24 hours, breaking the previous record by well over two million.  The trailer can be viewed in HD at http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/thedarkknightrises/.

Opening on July 20, 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises” is the much-anticipated epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.  The film’s international all-star cast is led by Oscar^® winner Christian Bale (“The Fighter”) in the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.  The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar^® winner Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.  Reprising their roles from both “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” Oscar^® winner Michael Caine (“The Cider House Rules”) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar^® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”) plays Lucius Fox.

The film is directed by Nolan from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer.  The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on “Batman Begins” and the record-breaking blockbuster “The Dark Knight.”  Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull are the executive producers, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer.  “The Dark Knight Rises” is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.  Batman created by Bob Kane.

A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.