Batman Versus the Academy

America's favorite costumed vigilante has his sights set on a new target, an Oscar.

According to Reuters, Warner Brothers, the company behind The Dark Knight, plans to re-release the film in limited theaters during January, which is the heart of Academy Award season. The idea is to keep the film fresh in voters' minds when they cast their ballots.

The Batman Begins sequel doesn't just hope to nab one nomination, but several, perhaps for best direction, producers and cast. But there has been no greater Oscar buzz surrounding the film than that of the protagonist's archrival, the Joker, portrayed by the late Heath Ledger.

Warner Brothers is currently in the process of getting the blockbuster onto IMAX films and it's not clear at this point whether it will also return to standard theaters as well.

The Dark Knight has already grossed a total of $512 million in domestic box office revenue and has nearly matched that total internationally, making it the number two grossing film of all time, behind 1997's Titanic. However, the sequel is not expected to surpass the record, even with the possible January release.