Wearing a mask may feel like a new aspect of daily life to many, as they continue to be staples of the current global health crisis. But for many movie villains, it’d be just another day in life. Has anyone else seen Darth Vader rolling through the grocery store to get essentials yet? It turns out a lot of people are getting inspired with their face covering choices, and The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane is an especially popular choice.
In the past month, there has been a spike in sales for Bane masks in particular on costume sites, with some even being rendered completely sold out. Costume.com spokesman David DeJac has confirmed that the spike led them to be completely out of stock of the Batman villain face covering, but there’s a ton of accompanied Bane costumes untouched.
David DeJac told THR that it’s rare for sales to reach this kind of peak during this time of the year, confirming the sales are associated with the pandemic. It should be noted that plastic adult masks such as these sold-out Bane masks are not approved by medical professionals as appropriate wear to combat the virus. There has also been a sudden rise in independent Etsy sellers who are recreating Tom Hardy’s iconic Bane mask out of cloth.
Movie fans are already taking to social media to talk about the villain from the 2012 Christopher Nolan flick more than usual. Here’s one from Twitter:
Another user sympathized with Tom Hardy’s famed role, with these words:
Wow, so Bane is suddenly relatable? Here’s another one:
Finally, we have this user, who's opinion of Bane has shifted due to current vents.
Avengers: Endgame’s Sebastian Stan also had a realization while putting on his own mask: he looks just like Winter Soldier again. Arnold Schwarzenegger is selling masks for charity that say “We’ll Be Back,” and Disney has made available a selection of face masks with characters such as Baby Yoda on the front. Following health guidelines can be fashionable too!
Besides the actor’s character finding new popularity this past month, Tom Hardy is the star of a recent straight-to-video release, Capone. Directed by Chronicle and Fantastic Four’s Josh Trank, Hardy portrays Al Capone in his final year as he suffers from hepatitis and dementia. The movie received mixed to negative reviews, averaging 38% on Rotten Tomatoes. CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave the film 3.5 stars in his review.
Tom Hardy is set to return as Eddie Brock in Andy Serkis’ Venom: Let There Be Carnage in summer 2021. Robert Pattinson has taken on the role of the new Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ noir-influenced The Batman, but Bane is not among the long roster of villains joining the DC flick. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more DC news as it comes our way.
