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Warner Bros. initially expected The Dark Knight to be a straightforward sequel—bigger villain, bigger budget, more toy-oriented merchandise. Yet Nolan had a different vision. Coming off Batman Begins, which garnered critical and audience praise for its authentic storytelling, Nolan and his team believed they had created a "seminal and epic" film that was both a hero’s origin and a thoughtful exploration of heroism. Nolan emphasized that he aimed not just to make a good Batman movie but to push beyond that—creating a film that couldn't be easily funded or conceived if it conformed to typical blockbuster formulas.