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Over the past few years, the IMAX format has begun to sneak into the mainstream. Earlier this year 300 became the largest IMAX debut, grossing $3.6 million in its opening weekend in just IMAX theaters.

It appears that IMAX is about to take a small step forward next year, as USA Today reported yesterday on Christopher Nolan’s intentions to use IMAX to film 4 key action scenes in his highly anticipated film, The Dark Knight. The article reveals that not only will Nolan use IMAX format for action sequences, but he will also use it to introduce the world to his version of The Joker, played by Heath Ledger. A moment that will undoubtedly be one of the more exciting moments of the film. In reference to IMAX, Nolan told USA Today, “There’s simply nothing like seeing a movie that way. It’s more immersive for the audience. I wish I could shoot the entire thing this way.”

This sort of news is definitely a big step in the right direction for IMAX, as more and more films have begun to embrace this format. And as the article explains, while IMAX has not yet shown a big financial payoff for studios, it continues to get attention for large blockbusters. “It doesn’t have a huge effect yet on the money you bring in,” says Chris Aronson, a distribution chief with 20th Century Fox, which carried Night at the Museum on IMAX. “But it does help make your movie more of an event.”

For those of us on the “Dark Knight” fan bus, it just makes this project that much more exciting. The scoop from USA Today also yielded a few new shots from the film, one which can be seen above and another, which you can enjoy below:

The Dark Knight is set for release on July 18, 2008. It is being produced by Warner Brothers in association with Legendary Pictures and stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart.