Empire Magazine has a pretty big deal with their new cover story on The Dark Knight Rises, and they're promoting it for all it's worth. Over the weekend they unveiled the two cover images, then this morning they let loose the detail that the film would take place 8 years after the action of The Dark Knight. Now we're getting a glimpse at what the magazine holds inside, though not officially via Empire, but from magazine scans.

Coming Soon got their hands on four of the images from inside the magazine, featuring Batman on a snowy street, Bane holding up a picture of Harvey Dent on steps that look a lot like the ones from this scene, and more. Check them all out below.








I'm most intrigued, of course, by the shot of Bane holding the photo of Harvey Dent. Now that we know the action of the movie is happening 8 years after The Dark Knight, it's even more interesting that Bane might be harping on the death of the former District Attorney, a death that Batman was blamed for. Is he using the photo to rile up Gotham's masses against Batman? Given the promises of how violent Bane will be, I wouldn't doubt it.

Let us know what else you see in these photos in the comments below, and don't forget, we're getting a much more detailed look at The Dark Knight Rises when the film's prologue runs in front of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in certain IMAX theaters on December 21. The Dark Knight Rises, as you probably know, opens July 20 next year.