Nolan ya yi wahayi zuwa ga fim din Joker ne na farko na littafin wasan kwaikwayo a 1940, littafin zane-zane na 1988 The Killing Joke, da kuma jerin 1996 The Long Halloween, wanda ya sake bayyana asalin Two-Face. An fara amfani da sunan "Dark Knight" ga Batman a Batman # 1 (1940), a cikin labarin da Bill Finger ya rubuta. An yi fim din Dark Knight ne a Chicago, da kuma wasu wurare da dama a Amurka, Ingila, da Hong Kong. Nolan ya yi amfani da kyamarorin fim na IMAX 70 mm don yin fim din wasu jerin, ciki har da bayyanar farko na Joker a cikin fim din.
Shekaru na 1940