After 'The Dark Knight' fans of the Batman franchise are eagerly anticipating the newest Christopher Nolan outing, but what should we expect?

With the incredible death-defying stunts and sheer carnage we saw in the last movie, audiences were given a treat, with a darker Batman, but critics also noted that performances were less than spectacular. It's easy to lay in on Christian Bale's gruff voice, subject of many spoofs, but will it overshadow the latest and final release in this trilogy?

Christian Bale has taken the caped crusader to new heights, in pop culture, and for movie fans who love super-hero stories. Gotham City has been encrusted in motion picture history from the first Batman to today's almost completed 'Dark Knight' and there is something magical about the qualities of our caped hero that we can identify with.

We expect to see some clever direction, an increase in the stakes, and of course, some superb special effects above the values of the last movie. Expectations are high also because Nolan's last movie will deliver his final touch to Batman. Will it become a cult classic, and will Batman's new foes out-do Heath Ledger's masterful 'Joker'? Let's wait and see.

The Dark Knight Rises - Production Info

Director : Christopher Nolan
Starring : Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Liam Neeson, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
Budget : $250,000,000
Production Companies : Warner Bros / Legendary Pictures / DC Entertainment
Release : 2012