'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue Launches Friday

The long-rumored Dark Knight Rises prologue has been confirmed by Warner Bros., the studio releasing the much-anticipated Christopher Nolan Batman movie.

Talk started circulating months ago that a six-minute trailer for the film, which is to be released next July, would screen before showings of Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol. Despite a series of leaked then retracted confirmations, a recent rating of PG-13 to the trailer (which is said to be the first sequence of the film) basically was a giant confirmation.

So, beginning Friday at IMAX screenings of Ghost Protocol, moviegoers will be able to check out the next chapter of Nolan's Gotham City tale, which includes what we're most excited about: Tom Hardy as new villain Bane.

Check out the original trailer for the movie below.