GOTHAM CITY — At Spike TV's Guys' Choice Awards, Mark Wahlberg said, “I’m good friends with two Batmans. One single-handedly destroyed the franchise — George (Clooney) openly admits it — and the other one single-handedly revitalized the franchise.”

Wahlberg was referring, of course, to actor Christian Bale, who accepted the Most Anticipated Movie award with director Christopher Nolan for “The Dark Knight Rises,” which opens July 20.

"Most Anticipated" may be an understatement for some, myself included. Or was I the only one wearing a Batman T- shirt to a showing of "The Avengers"?

Then again, if you take your Bat-films seriously, there has been plenty to worry about in preparation for "Rises," including actress Anne Hathaway's Catwoman, new villain Bane's incomprehensible voice and what some have deemed the insurmountable task of competing with the last installment. But if I may slightly repurpose a campaign slogan from that film: I believe in "The Dark Knight Rises."

In 2005, “Batman Begins” was the reboot that would define all reboots. It rescued Batman from years of what is called “development hell,” which resulted from Joel Schumacher’s awfully campy take on “Batman and Robin” in 1997. The latter was aimed at younger audiences and perhaps fans of the 1960s television series, completely ignoring the more recent and relevant versions of Batman, such as Frank Miller’s “Year One” and the 1996 series “The Long Halloween.” Nolan and cowriter David S. Goyer wisely drew from this material for both “Begins” and its sequel “The Dark Knight” (2008), which, in most critics’ eyes, surpassed its predecessor and paved new territory for the superhero genre.

Seven years later, posters for “Rises” tell us “the legend ends” with this final installment in Nolan’s trilogy. Even if you haven’t caught on to the sudden avalanche of trailers, TV spots and magazine promos, it’s possible you’re aware of what Bane connotes, his pathetic role in “Batman and Robin” notwithstanding. Throughout Batman media — whether the “Knightfall” storyline, Bruce Timm’s animated series or the “Lego Batman” video game — Bane is remembered as “the man who broke the bat.”

Therefore, in “The Dark Knight Rises,” the largest question on everyone’s mind is not if Bane will conquer Batman, but how? And if you’re reading this article, it’s assumed you’re open to a little speculation. As I tell my students, the first step to answering a cloying question is to determine the difference between what’s possible, what’s probable and what’s proven — and we won’t know the last until the film's premiere.

The most predictable plot, which is easily pieced together from what shots we’ve seen, entails Batman’s early defeat by Bane (Tom Hardy), then a slow rise to victory by the end, with Catwoman acting as partner to both men during their respective highpoints. But is it possible Batman will die in the process — that the legend himself will truly end?

Marketing materials have already confirmed much of this speculation. One month prior to the film’s release, Warner Bros. debuted yet another full-length trailer, which shows a confident Bane approaching Batman and referring to him as “Mr. Wayne.” We’ve seen plenty of other influence from the “Knightfall” and “No Man’s Land” comic book arcs and “The Dark Knight Returns” graphic novel: prisoners escaping, bridges blowing up, politicians and stockbrokers taken hostage, public gatherings under siege. Some media analysts even erroneously replace “Rises” with “Returns” when referring to the film.

But has all this spoiled the film’s release? Hardly. As I said, I believe in "The Dark Knight Rises." And there’s still so much we only think we know.

It’s merely possible that Cillian Murphy will reprise his role as the Scarecrow. Though coy about confirming or denying his involvement, the actor was reportedly spotted on set. What’s more, an appearance would make him a consistent presence in Nolan’s entire trilogy, which is noted for its tight continuity. Without an official word, we can dream that his appearance in “Rises” will redeem, perhaps even explain, his lackluster cameo at the beginning of “The Dark Knight.”

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It’s possible that other Bat-villains will have cameos, though small ones. I would almost call this probable if not for the “Nolanverse” precedent, which is that only the most realistic characters translate to these movies. “Begins” included five (Joe Chill, Carmine Falcone, Zsasz, Scarecrow and Ra's al Ghul) and "The Dark Knight" had four (Scarecrow, Sal Maroni, Two Face and Joker). "Rises" deserves to have just as many, if not more.

Part of the fun of these endless retellings is seeing what new contributors can do with them. For example, I wish it were true that Philip Seymour Hoffman, as rumored a few years ago, was playing the Penguin — though a character far-removed from Danny DeVito’s in “Batman Returns.” A Nolanverse Killer Croc, for instance, might resemble Goyer’s version from the direct-to-DVD animated anthology “Batman: Gotham Knight” (2008), set between the first and second films.

Then again, it’s probable if not proven that there will be no Joker homage, because Nolan said so himself, out of respect to the late Heath Ledger. When Bane frees prisoners from Blackgate and/or Arkham Asylum, we probably won’t watch him deliberately leave the Joker’s cell untouched or hear him opine, “He’s not part of the plan.”

Nolan and Bale also remarked years ago that Robin would not appear in their story. Those still reeling from Schumacher are probably pleased by this, but I have to admit to initially being disappointed. Why? Because Robin is actually pretty cool. Look at the two-part episode “Robin's Reckoning” in the classic “Batman: the Animated Series.” Look at “Teen Titans” and "Young Justice." They are different, but both cast Robin as a Batman-like leader. Or there’s “Under the Red Hood” (2010), which subtly contrasts the darker Robin Jason Todd and the older, more jovial Dick Grayson, now Nightwing. I can't help but wish that Robin would carry over as successfully, if not more so, into the live-action incarnation.

But Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes in the first film, Maggie Gyllenhaal in the second) was an original character, killed off by the Joker in a very Jason Todd-like fashion. It’s probable that Joseph Gordon-Leavitt’s character is just what we’ve been told — John Blake, a Gotham City beat cop. Would it also work if that was merely an alias for Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, aka the grown-up Robin? Probably not.

Similarly, Marion Cotillard has insisted that she is not Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter Talia, but a new character named Miranda Tate. This might be just as easy to accept if not for the fact that Joey King was cast to play “Young Talia al Ghul,” proving that she at least shows up in a flashback, making an adult appearance seem likely. What’s also suspicious is how little we’ve seen of Cotillard in all the various marketing campaigns. More than anything else, her role in the film is still hidden in shadow.

More than all this, what we don't know about "Rises," and won't until we see it, is the full impact of its thematic relevance. "Begins" was all about fear, "The Dark Knight" about chaos. While the former showcased a believable hero's journey, the latter threw that hero to the dogs. Like a saint, a martyr, Batman took the blame for others' evils, embodying principles of sacrifice and loyalty in a summer blockbuster. Is the third and final film capable of synthesizing a similar message? Gary Oldman, who plays Commissioner Gordan in the trilogy, told Collider over a year ago, "You think you can't top 'The Dark Knight' and I think he (Nolan) may have."

I, for one, am not worried that the full movie — all 165 minutes of it — will be lacking in surprises and satisfying plot twists. All this various marketing does is just what it's supposed to: fuel the fire. The official album art and track listing, or each 30-second audio sample, doesn't spoil the film's plot, but foretells it like a well-placed literary device. I look forward to seeing which of my favorite scenes from the comics are translated, and how. I trust that the action, though intense, will be as tastefully rendered as the previous films.

Again, I believe in "The Dark Knight Rises." And I’ll be waiting in my seat opening night.

Andrew Bud Adams is a college writing instructor. He is married to an elementary school teacher and enjoys watching cartoons with his three children. For more of his writing, visit andrewbudadams.blogspot.com.

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