Batman's new beginning: Newsweek looks at Warner Bros.' attempt to reinvigorate the Batman movie franchise with Batman Begins:

"Warner Brothers might appear to be rolling the dice by handing over a $150 million summer blockbuster to a man who's never directed an action movie before. But the real risk isn't Nolan. It's Batman. Seven years ago, moviegoers' interest in the character had flatlined. Even Nolan admits he's not certain enough time has passed for audiences to get excited about a new Batman movie. 'But I know I am,' he says, laughing. So was the studio. When Alan Horn took over Warner Brothers four years ago, 'one of his mandates was to get Batman back out there,' says president of production Jeff Rabinov. 'But it took time to find the right person to redefine the franchise.' Nolan won the job by vowing to strip away the later sequels' bombast and return Batman to its roots in character drama."