Even though The Dark Knight [1] has gone above and beyond the line of duty at the box office [2], earning an estimated $512 million domestically, Warner Bros. has announced it will get a re-release in January 2009 [3]. The Hollywood Reporter notes:

Warner Bros. domestic distribution president Dan Fellman acknowledged ongoing talks with IMAX execs over the prospect of restoring the Christian Bale starrer to some giant-screen venues in January. It's uncertain if Dark Knight also will reappear in conventional venues at that point.

January, eh? Also known as: Oscar season!

So, what do you think? Over-hyped and political? Or yay? The DVD will already be out in December, though I still haven't seen The Dark Knight in an IMAX theater as many times as I'd like, so this might be fun come the new year. Also, a re-release could certainly help the movie beat Titanic as the biggest earner ever.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. [4]