'Dark Knight Rises' Viral Campaign: Batman Wanted By Gotham Police

"The Dark Knight Rises" is poised to have a pretty big week. Not only does the film debut a new trailer in front of the already successful "Marvel's The Avengers," but a new bit of viral marketing has appeared on the "Dark Knight" website .

Over at www.thedarkknightrises.com , fans are encouraged to click through an eight-page police report detailing the crimes and misdemeanors of The Batman. The "anonymous vigilante" is wanted for murder, kidnapping and the aggravated assault of a peace officer. Per the Gotham City Police Department, Batman killed District Attorney Harvey Dent and two other police officers. (Fortunately, he merely kidnapped Commissioner Gordon.)

As the papers ("papers") say, with Harvey Dent Day (!) on the horizon, capturing The Batman is one of the department's highest orders of duty.

Starring Christian Bale as the "villainous" Batman (no "The"; it's cleaner), as well as Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, "The Dark Knight Rises" arrives in theaters on July 20. Expect it to compete with "Marvel 's The Avengers" for summer supremacy.

For more on the viral campaign, head over to the "Dark Knight Rises" website .

[via Indiewire/The Playlist ]

PHOTOS: "The Dark Knight Rises"