'Batman Begins' Footage During 'Smallville' Season Finale

Two DC Comics legends, Clark Kent and Batman, will unite on Wednesday, May 18 (8:00 p.m. ET) as The WB presents the world premiere of an exclusive eight-minute special footage preview of the highly anticipated theatrical release Batman Begins, which will air within the 90-minute presentation of the season finale of the network's hit drama, Smallville.

"This is a great night for fans of the two most popular superheroes in the history of American Pop Culture," said David Janollari, President of Entertainment at The WB. "Fans of 'Smallville' will not want to miss this special extended version of what will be the series’ best-ever season finale. Broadcasting exclusive footage of the summer's most anticipated feature film, 'Batman Begins', makes this a very exciting night for us and a natural fit for the fans of 'Smallville'."

“We are thrilled to share this exclusive preview of 'Batman Begins' with fans of 'Smallville'," said Dawn Taubin, President of Domestic Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures. "Not only does this special event bring together two seminal American superheroes, but both 'Smallville' and 'Batman Begins' give fans the opportunity to delve deeper into the mythology behind their heroes. May 18 promises to reveal exciting new chapters in the history of these legends, and kick off a summer that fans will never forget."

Smallville's 90-minute season finale is packed with murder, betrayal and an unforgettable graduation day for all.

"Superman and Batman have always been inextricably linked to each other, so it seems fitting that a show chronicling the Man of Steel's youth give you the first look at the birth of the Dark Knight," said Al Gough, executive producer, 'Smallville'. "Christopher Nolan is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we couldn't be more excited and honored to have our season finale complimented with exclusive footage from 'Batman Begins'."

Batman Begins, which opens in theaters on Friday, June 17, explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force of good in Gotham. The film stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe and Morgan Freeman.

A Warner Bros. Pictures release, Batman Begins is directed by Christopher Nolan and produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Larry Franco. The screenplay is by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, story by David S. Goyer, based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics. The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan.

Smallville stars Tom Welling, Kristen Kruek, Michael Rosenbaum, Jensen Ackles, Allison Mack, John Glover, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider and chronicles the life of Clark Kent as a teenager in the years preceding his emergence as Superman.