Tom Hardy as Bane in 'Dark Knight Rises'

Now that is a formidable looking villain!

Only a few days into the official production of The Dark Knight Rises and we already have our first official picture of Bane (Tom Hardy). As expected, this is a pretty fearsome looking adaptation—true to the real world approach that director Christopher Nolan has brought to these films.

The Dark Knight Rises is scheduled for a July 20, 2012 release date.