Some would call it the most anticipated film of the summer. Others will remember it for giving us one of Heath Ledger's last performances. The Dark Knight, which is a direct follow-up to 2005's Batman Begins, reunites director Christopher Nolan with star Christian Bale, who reprises his role as Batman on the big screen. In the new film, Bruce Wayne raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham only as The Joker. We recently met up with both Chris Nolan and Christian Bale for an exclusive chat about their upcoming Batman Begins sequel. Also on hand were actors Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, and Gary Oldman. To watch our exclusive video featurette, click on the clip below:

The Dark Knight swings into theaters on July 18th, 2008.