After the immense popularity of The Dark Knight, it comes as no surprise Christopher Nolan (Inception) is hopping back on the Batman wagon. After rumors circulating for the past couple years of how the third and last installment of the Batman films, the Dark Knight Rises, will pan out, there has finally been some confirmation as to the new cast.
Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle. You’ll notice Warner Bros. never says “Catwoman” in its press release, for one of many possible reasons: 1. Copyright, 2. To distance the part from Halle Berry’s spin-off and box office bomb of the same name, or 3. Because this movie may focus on Kyle before her transformation into Catwoman. I’m not sure how I feel about this choice, seems like a new kind of film for Hathaway, but her career is thriving, so it seems like a smart choice at the very least.
We shall see if this film will be as popular as the last, though Nolan does confirm this will be his last Batman film (we’ll see how long that lasts). I doubt Hathaway can trump Heath Ledger as the villain, but I will say, I hope she doesn’t die trying, literally.
Tom Hardy from Nolan’s Inception will play Bane as well, but not the flexing, grunting abomination that you might remember from 1997’s Batman & Robin. This epically strong prison inmate will be a three-dimensional character, doomed to death if he stops taking the “Venom” that gives him his power.
Christian Bale will definitely be back as Batman, but it has yet to be confirmed if all the other characters will return. The film is scheduled to be released in June of 2012.
Here are a couple clips featuring the last 2 ladies who played Catwoman:
Halle Berry
