Queen Studios 1/3 TDK Batman Story Behind The Statue

As a child, Bruce Wayne stood by helplessly, as a stranger killed his parents in a dark Gotham alley. Devastated by their unjustified death. Lord Wayne dedicated his life to fighting Gotham’s criminals. Not only does the Batman seek to uncover corruption which, in time, would destroy the city. But to also expose the motivation behind his parents’ murder. Under the tutelage of Ra’s al Ghul (the man of the shadows), Bruce achieved a higher purpose and became the Dark Knight.

In this post we'll share the story behind the Queen Studios 1/3 The Dark Knight Batman statue and give you some unique insights into why and how we made this incredible collectible. 

INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BATMAN STATUE

The Dark Knight Trilogy not only shifted the blockbuster landscape. It set a precedence for what is expected from a superhero movie. We, the audience, are no longer a passive observer. We are engaging with what we see on the silver screen.

At Queen studios, it’s this realism that we want to bring to you, the fans. In Nolan’s instalments of the Dark Knight trilogy, we follow Batman, played by Christian Bale. From the origins of the ‘bat’ in Batman Begins, to the psychotic quandary in The Dark Knight. And finally, to finish off, a mass destruction of not only Gotham, but the ‘Bat’ himself in The Dark Knight Rises. The Dark Knight Trilogy together collected a box office of over $1 billion. Not only making the franchise one of the biggest in the DC universe but also in Hollywood history.

In 2019, you may remember, we released the 1:3 Joker, from Nolan’s second instalment, The Dark Knight. Which received great praise from critics and fans alike. Hence, why we are excited to bring to you The Dark Knight, in all his glory.

WHY WE CHOSE THE POSE?

Our 1:3 statue of Heath Ledger’s Joker from the infamous interrogation scene from The Dark Knight. Paying homage not only to a great performance, but the late actor himself. Gotham’s finest finally catches the clown at large, and they have him in a holding cell. The Joker is not willing to speak. Commissioner Gordon leaves the interrogation room. But to the Joker’s surprise, there’s a bigger conspiracy taking place. The ‘Bat’ appears behind the Joker from the dark. He slams the Joker’s head into the table, and a dance between good and evil commences.

We have chosen this scene as it is the first time the two interact with each other. And the ever-shifting power contrasts the characters. Making both statues, as the Joker would say “complete” each other.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BASE

Fans and collectors of our work know that we pride detail and authentic art, and the bases we design are no exception. The base can play an integral part in the presentation of the statue, and help tell the characters story. Therefore, we have designed two bases for TDK 1/3 scale Batman.

The first allows the Dark Knight to be displayed independently on a bat-mobile inspired base (see image above).

While the second is an extended base which can be used to display Batman alongside the Queen Studios 1:3 Joker statue, recreating the iconic interrogation scene.

DESIGNING THE STATUE: THE 3D SCULPT

Once we have created the concept based on the scene and pose we would like to capture, we can get started on the real work. The 3D sculpt!

To create a statue faithful to The Dark Knight’s giant fanbase. Scaling was the most challenging aspect of the process. As there is no reference for the physical equipment used on the set of The Dark Knight. Our team needed to constantly use references from the movie to accurately capture the scene and guarantee that every single detail and measurement of the Batman, and his armour were accounted for.

You the fans, will see first-hand the sophistication of the design. When comparing our take of the Dark Knight to similar adaptations. There will be a stark contrast, not only in quality, but also in complexity. The mixed media accompanying the statue comprises of 110 intricate parts. Our design team have worked side by side with our production team during assembly. Making sure every aspect of the final product is a true representation of the Bat. And is as authentic as Christian Bale’s performance in the trilogy. 

The classic forearm wrist strap and blades are one of the most noticeable facets of the Dark Knight’s suit of armour. We see the Batman use it countless times throughout the movie, most noticeably in the Joker’s final scene. The two are fighting. The Joker has Batman pinned down. He is half-heartedly explaining how he got his iconic scars. The bat then activates his forearm blades. Shooting them into the Joker, then proceeds to throw the clown prince of chaos off of the building. We have placed these blades on the back of the forearms of the 1:3 scale statue. Though they are not detachable and cannot be sheathed. They protrude adding an awesome, daunting element to your collection.

The Dark Knight’s most iconic contraption is his ‘utility belt’. Functional, yet simple. It stores his ‘batarangs’, aluminium thermal combustion magazines, and allows him to grapple. Although these functions are not included with this 1:3 statue. We can guarantee excellency in the design of the finished product. That is parallel to the bat belt we see worn by Christian Bale.

In the trilogy, “memory cloth” was used to create Batman’s cloak. The design is compromised from aspects of the previous movies and comics. Not only does it play an important role in his combat functionality. But also, during the Batman’s defensive and static scenes. The cloak must appear to be capable of stopping bullets and gliding through the air. Therefore, for this 1:3 statue, we wanted to create a cloak that would look like it could achieve these fêtes.

THE PHYSICAL MODEL

Following the 3D sculpt, a 3D physical model is produced. At this stage we need to check to see if we have nailed the character likenes, and check the overall quality of the sculpt.

Once we are happy with the 3D printed sculpt, and the moulds have set, our artists get out their brushes and begin painting. The skill of our painters is seen in their command of the colour. How they highlight the subtle tones in the skin and bring the character to life is an artform in itself. The same techniques are also applied on the Batsuit to give it a matte finish, similar to the style of the suit worn by Christian Bale in The Dark Knight. 

THE FINAL STATUE

To add to our 1:3 Batman, we will include two different replacement head sculpts. One head sculpt will feature Batman with his cowl, while the other features a head sculpt with full Christian Bale likeness. Both of which will be made of polystone.

For collectors who havel ordered the 1:3 TDK Heath Ledger Joker, collectors can order the extended display base so both the Batman and Joker can be displayed together. 

After a lot for hard work, we're extremely proud of the results, and we'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of this page. 

GET THE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES

Post by Luke Wainhouse