With The Dark Knight Rises closing out director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, fans may be suffering from a lack of this popular superhero in their lives. Fret not, though, because indie filmmaker Brett Culp is coming to your rescue, so to speak, with his new documentary Legends of the Knight. The first trailer, poster, and photos have been unleashed, to promote the film's new Kickstarter campaign, which is seeking funds to finish the film. This movie examines folks just like me and you, whose lives have been impacted greatly by this legendary superhero. Take a look at the first footage and photos, then read on for more details.

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The trailer for the new documentary film Legends of the Knight debuted online on Thursday. The not-for-profit film collects the stories of Batman fans around the world whose lives have been significantly impacted by the legends and tales of the Dark Knight. Here's what director/producer Brett Culp had to say.

"Batman has become contemporary mythology. We want to show how enduring stories like this shape us. Our goal is to inspire everyone on the planet who loves Batman to embody his spirit, engage with the world, and make a difference. Together, we are Batman."

Culp is a life-long Batman fan. Over the past year, he and his team have filmed stories in 12 cities, recording 48 interviews. They captured the stories of individuals whose love of the Dark Knight has inspired them to overcome devastating obstacles, to motivate and encourage young people, and to contribute to their communities.

Well-known Batfans who appear in the film include:

  • Michael E. Uslan - executive producer of Batman, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises
  • - Denny O'Neil - legendary Batman writer
  • - Lenny B Robinson - visits children's hospitals around the country as Batman
  • - Jill Pantozzi (The Nerdy Bird) - Superhero journalist with the spirit of the Caped Crusader
  • - Rabbi Cary Friedman - author, "Wisdom from the Batcave"
  • - Dr. Travis Langley - author, "Batman & Psychology"; teacher of university course in psychology called "Batman"
  • - Gotham Chopra - co-author, "Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes"; son of best-selling author Deepak Chopra

The film's production team is offering a unique opportunity for supporters to interact and ask questions via a free online video webcast on Saturday, February 23 at 2 PM EST. The webcast will be hosted on WeAreBatman.com. Here's what Brett Culp had to say in an additional statement.

"Human beings have always been stirred to greatness by the tales of heroes. We connect with Batman because he is the super hero with no super powers. Just as he has committed himself to making the world better, we can dedicate ourselves to a noble cause and make a difference. This type of inspiration is a core function of storytelling in society."

The production team for Legends of the Knight is now raising funds through Kickstarter to finish the film. The 30-day funding campaign gives supporters of the project the opportunity to pre-order copies of the finished film and other incentives as a way of funding this documentary project.

The campaign raised nearly $5,000 in pledges in the first 12 hours.

In the spirit of Batman, all revenues generated by the completed film that are beyond production, screening, distribution, and administrative costs will be donated to charitable organizations.

Release date will be Summer 2013.