June arrived.
The filming of Between Life and Death was nearing its end.
Two months earlier, Warner Bros.' "New Batman" had already completed post-production and was gearing up for release.
This was Warner's ambitious reboot of the DC comic book universe. Especially after the failure of the Black Catwoman film, the studio had pinned high hopes on the new Batman—it was a project that could not afford to fail.
At the same time, it was also a passion project for Christopher Nolan.
If it succeeded, he would gain more resources and opportunities.If it failed, it could mean a devastating blow to his career—falling out of favor with major studios and returning to the world of indie filmmaking.
Because of this, both Warner and Nolan held extremely high standards for the film. During editing, even the slightest dissatisfaction meant scrapping everything and starting over.
Even Martin, still shooting Between Life and Death, was frequently pulled in to offer his input.
Fortunately, the post-production timeline for the "New Batman" was generous. With Warner, Nolan, Martin, and others meticulously polishing it, they didn't miss the scheduled media preview.
The day after post-production was completed, Warner Bros. held an internal screening. Executives and professional screeners alike were blown away by what they saw.
AMC's senior screening consultant, Mark Blum, summed it up best:"This movie floored me. Martin's writing paired with Nolan's direction—together, they've fused commercial appeal and artistic vision perfectly!"
Everyone present wholeheartedly agreed.
Alan Horn let out a partial sigh of relief.
"Partial" because the film had yet to face the real test—the box office.
The first installment of what would become the Batman Dark Trilogy was officially titled: Batman begins . Promotional efforts began ramping up immediately.
Trailers, posters, media interviews—bits of information about the film began trickling out, gradually stoking anticipation among fans.
"Wow, a new Martin-penned movie! So hyped!"
"Who's Christopher Nolan?"
"This director's pretty solid. Memento and Insomnia were both great!"
"Ben Affleck as Batman? Really? He doesn't have that aristocratic vibe like George Clooney!"
"What aristocratic vibe? Isn't Batman just supposed to be tall, strong, and handsome? Besides, the Clooney version flopped at the box office anyway."
"Saw the trailer. It's definitely dark, but not that gothic Tim Burton dark—more grounded and realistic."
Soon after came the media screening.
Over a hundred media outlets sent reporters to attend.
During the screening, the theater was dead silent.
Sitting in the last row, Martin leaned toward Ben Affleck and said, "Buddy, get ready to be famous."
Affleck, visibly nervous, replied, "Thank you, thank you Mr. Meyers for this opportunity!"
"Just call me Martin," Martin chuckled.
On his other side, Anne Hathaway leaned in, blowing softly into Martin's ear before teasing, "Martin, what about me?"
"Aren't you already famous? If you want to take it to the next level, forget Batman—wait until The Devil Wears Prada drops."
"Huh? You really think that movie'll blow up? Isn't it just some fashion office drama?" Anne asked, puzzled.
"Trust me—it will," Martin said quietly.
("Because the feminist wave is about to explode," he added silently.)
Once the media screening concluded, critics and outlets alike began showering the film with praise—though most of the credit went to Nolan. There was still a degree of skepticism around Martin.
"A bold and outstanding superhero film. Batman isn't even the highlight—it's Nolan."
"Nolan imaginatively fills in the journey of Bruce Wayne, heir to a vast fortune, as he transforms into the dark savior Batman. The film departs from the previous exaggerated, cartoonish takes, adopting a more realistic tone. Details like Batman's early clumsy combat skills and the crude, primal designs of his first suit and vehicle all add credibility. The film knows when to go big with explosions and car chases—it's highly entertaining…"
"Nolan faithfully captures the gritty, daring realism of Frank Miller's 1986 The Dark Knight Returns, and his use of IMAX film adds the operatic scale he was aiming for."
"In an interview, Nolan said the film focuses on Batman's origin, completely discarding what Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher had done before. The timeline goes back to Bruce Wayne's childhood, charting his emotional journey from pampered rich boy to Gotham's guardian…"
Of course, Martin wasn't completely left out of the praise.
Warner-owned media outlets launched a coordinated campaign emphasizing the immense impact Martin had as the screenwriter. Everyone knew this young man had a massive fan base—across film, music, and literature.
Within just a few days, thanks to a media blitz across TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines, even casual moviegoers with no interest in comics knew one thing:
This summer… Batman is coming back.
Throughout May and early June, no matter where you turned—TV, newspapers, the radio, or even on the street—"New Batman" was everywhere. Billboards advertising Batman begins over highways.
Even Martin, who had started pulling back from public appearances, was now actively promoting the film.
If this first installment succeeded, the next two would shoot back-to-back—and Martin's long-awaited Joker would finally hit the screen.
He had been waiting a long time for that role.
As promotional efforts grew more intense, fan anticipation for Batman begins hit fever pitch.
And so, amid all the noise and hype, the calendar rolled forward to June 15.
The premiere of Batman begins was held at Hollywood's TCL Theatre.
Unlike previous launches, this time the premiere was accompanied by 2,450 advance screenings nationwide on Thursday night.