'Dark Knight Rises': IMAX prologue

After two months of whispers, unauthorized announcements, and studio “no comments,” Warner Bros. officially announced today that the six-minute opening sequence of next July’s The Dark Knight Rises will premiere before certain IMAX screenings of Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol on Dec. 16.

“Our experience on The Dark Knight shooting and projecting IMAX 15 perf 65mm/70mm film was inspiring,” said Christopher Nolan, in the statement. “The immersive quality of the image goes beyond any other filmmaking tool available, and in revisiting Gotham, we were determined to shoot even more of the movie in this unique format. Giving the fans an early look at an IMAX sequence is a great way to draw attention to what I believe will be an incredible way to experience our story when it comes out next summer.”

Buried in that cinematic geek-speak is a detail that might effect your moviegoing plans. Not every IMAX theater is a 70mm IMAX theater. In fact, the PG-13 clip will only screen at 42 locations across North America. For the compete list, click here:

Austin, TX – IMAX Theater Austin – Austin

Boston, MA – Jordan’s IMAX – Natick

Boston, MA – IMAX 3D Theatre in Reading – Reading

Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Theatre Chinook 16 – Calgary

Chantilly, VA/Washington, DC – Udvar-Hazy Center IMAX – Chantilly

Chicago, IL – Navy Pier IMAX Theatre – Chicago

Des Moines, IA – SCI IMAX Dome Theater – Des Moines

Detroit, MI – Henry Ford IMAX – Dearborn

Edmonton, AB – Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton – Edmonton

Harrisburg, PA – Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts – Harrisburg

Houston, TX – Houston Marq*e Stadium 22 + IMAX – Houston

Indianapolis – White River IMAX – Indianapolis

Los Angeles, CA – Irvine Spectrum 20 + IMAX – Irvine

Los Angeles, CA – RAVE 18 + IMAX – Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – Ontario Palace Stadium 22 + IMAX – Ontario

Los Angeles, CA – Citywalk Stadium 19 with IMAX – Universal City

Madison, WI – Star 18 Fitchburg with IMAX – Fitchburg

Miami, FL – AutoNation IMAX – Fort Lauderdale

Minneapolis, MN – Great Clips IMAX – Apple Valley

Montreal, QC – Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal – Montreal

Nashville,TN – Opry Mills Stadium 20 + IMAX – Nashville

New York, NY – Lincoln Square 13 with IMAX – New York

New York, NY – Palisades IMAX – West Nyack

Omaha, NE – Star Cinema 16 with IMAX – Council Bluffs

Orlando, FL – Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX – Orlando

Ottawa, ON – Silvercity Gloucester + IMAX – Gloucester

Palm Springs – Desert IMAX Theatre – Cathedral City

Philadelphia, PA – IMAX & the Tropicana – Atlantic City

Philadelphia, PA – Tuttleman IMAX–Franklin Institute – Philadelphia

Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX – Tempe

Providence, RI – Providence Place 16 with IMAX – Providence

Quebec City, QC – IMAX Le Theatre At Quebec – Quebec City

Sacramento, CA – Esquire IMAX – Sacramento

San Antonio, TX – IMAX at RiverCenter – San Antonio

San Francisco, CA – Metreon 16 with IMAX & ETX – San Francisco

Seattle, WA – Boeing IMAX–Pacific Science Center – Seattle

Tampa, FL – Museum of Science and Industry – Tampa

Toronto, ON – Coliseum 12 Mississauga + IMAX – Mississauga

Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto + IMAX – Toronto

Toronto, ON – Colossus 18 Woodbridge + IMAX – Woodbridge-Vaughan

Vancouver, BC – Colossus Langley + IMAX – Langley

Vancouver, BC – Silvercity Riverport 18 + IMAX – Richmond

This strategy duplicates the tease from four years ago, when audiences who saw Will Smith’s I Am Legend in an IMAX theater were treated to a prologue of The Dark Knight — the bank robbery scene that introduced Heath Ledger’s nihilistic Joker — as an appetizer. When the Batman sequel officially came out seven months later, it went on to become the second biggest blockbuster of all time (since surpassed by Avatar).

Read more:

Christian Bale is done with Batman

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ trailer