The Dark Knight Rises

[MacGuffin]

'Batman 3' Reportedly Looking For Female Lead
Source: The Playlist

We're tempted to file this one under, "no shit, sherlock," but a) we're back on our don't-be-outraged medication this week and b) we'll admit, this is, we suppose an interesting, if very foreseeable, development.

According to Australian site, MovieHole, Christopher Nolan's third, untitled "Batman" film (aka "Batman 3" for now), is on the hunt for a new female lead. Katie Holmes, then Maggie Gyllenhaal; there's already been two female leads in Nolan's previous Batman films, "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" (both played the romantic interest Rachel Dawes). With Dawes out of the picture (spoiler, she dies in 'TDK,' where have you been?) it seems only natural that Christian Bale's Playboy-ish Bruce Wayne character would have some sort female interest in his life.

So without providing many details, Moviehole says, that a "revolving door will be in operation for the better part of this week as director Christopher Nolan and producers meet with their prospective female lead." These are all apparently tentative meetings and while Moviehole claims to know names, they're not naming any.

Really a non-story (wait, why did we start this piece?), but Moviehole does say that insiders "suspect" this could be the often-rumored Catwoman role. Frankly, we think that Catwoman is a pretty ridiculous character in the Nolan-directed Batman world as much as geek sites would like to think otherwise. We're betting it's another Dawes-like character.

So far, no word has been made on new casting news in "Batman 3" other than actor-of-the-moment Tom Hardy ("Inception") who now has room on his schedule in 2011 thanks to "Mad Max: Fury Road" being pushed to a 2012 production start date. Christian Bale will be back and so too presumably will be actors like Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman , among others. "Batman 3" is eying an April, 2011 start date. No villains have been made, but that won't stop the Internet from claiming any faint trace of "evidence" means XYZ character is in the movie. If any familiar villains do show up (Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman), we expect them to appear in some stripped-down, far less cartoony than the comic books much like the way Nolan made The Joker and Two-Face seem like very plausible, psychotic antagonists.

[modage]

Christopher Nolan reveals title of third Batman film and that 'it wont be the Riddler'
Source: LATimes

Christopher Nolan's third Batman film will be called "The Dark Knight Rises" and though the Gotham City auteur isn't ready to reveal the villain of his 2012 film, he did eliminate one of the big contenders: "It won't be the Riddler," Nolan said in an exclusive interview with the Hero Complex.

Riddler rumors were off target.

Nolan was most eager to talk about the fact that Warner Bros. had  agreed with his argument that the film should resist the current 3-D craze and instead use high-definition approaches and IMAX cameras to strike out on a different cinematic path than the stereoscopic technology that, for better or worse, has become the dominant conversation in the blockbuster sector.

Check back here later in the morning for a more in-depth look at that decision and the Nolan ambitions and reasons behind it.

As for the title, it shows the writer-director's intention to keep his Bruce Wayne trilogy tightly stitched together. "We'll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we'll be introducing some new ones," Nolan said cryptically.  I had an odd thought: What if Nolan somehow brings back Harvey Dent? The only reason I even mention it is because, back during post-production on the second film, Nolan told me that the title "The Dark Knight" was just as much about Dent and his fall from the status of shining-knight civic crusader. Dent was plainly dead at the end of the last film, though, and Nolan has been intent on keeping his Gotham City film firmly rooted in a gritty gangland realism– this isn't a franchise that has veered off into the supernatural or even much super-science.

Nolan plays things close to the vest — he's one of the few filmmakers of his generation who actually does wear a vest — and he chuckled when I tried to get a few more details out of him. "Oh, you know me, I don't talk." He began our conversation by comparing it with a visit to the dentist's office. Well, if so, he's a patient who never opens wide. I asked if he could imagine a time when Warner Bros. would let a filmmaker shoot a Batman script where the villain isn't one of the signature creations from the comic books. "Ah, Geoff Boucher, master of the leading question," he said with a chuckle.

That's when he did agree, however, to eliminate a villain candidate, namely Edward Nigma, the green-suited Riddler, who many people (myself included) assumed was the next natural choice. That character could be taken in a lot of directions — think of Kevin Spacey's character in "Seven" as a compass point for one of those dark paths — but Nolan and his team are going a different way. As with "Dark Knight," the new film has a script written by Nolan and his brother, Jonah, and it's based on a story by the director and David Goyer. Earlier, I got Nolan to take Mr. Freeze off the list and, yes, this is like pulling teeth but don't think for a minute that I mind. Nolan makes sublime films, and any secrets he wants to keep in place are done so to protect the final product. As for me, I'm hoping now for Hugo Strange who, come to think of it, looks a bit like a dentist...

[polkablues]

I'm just going to keep calling it Three Dark Knight.

[Gold Trumpet]

Nolan still sucks with titles. However, I am happy there is no Riddler. I can't see how he could fit into a continuation of the story. With Catwoman, you can tweek supernatural aspects of her character, and make it fit for Wayne under the guise he wants to find a real love but somehow stay away from donning the cape in full hero mood again? A relationship with Selena Kyle could draw out that character in him again.

[modage]

Nolan still sucks with titles. However, I am happy there is no Riddler.

Explain.  Batman Begins isn't great, The Dark Knight is.  His other films are all fine.

[Stefen]

I like his titles, but I don't like the dark knight rises. sounds like a porno.

Three Dark Knight it is.

[Gold Trumpet]

I was thinking about the Batman trilogy so far and yes, the Dark Knight is fine. I guess I said it because Batman Begins may be one of the worst titles ever for me. The Dark Knight Rises falls into line with Batman Begins title-wise.

[Ghostboy]

I'm just going to keep calling it Three Dark Knight.

The Dark Kni3ht.

[Pubrick]

No no, Three Dark Knight is perfect.

This is polky's CMBB moment.

3DK 4eva!

[Ravi]

Batman III: 3 Dark Kni3ht in 3D

[cine]

3DarKnight

[Pubrick]

HEATH L3DKER

3DK421

3DARK 1Knight

3OH!DK

3==D K

[Stefen]

3==D K

HAHA.

[polkablues]

No no, Three Dark Knight is perfect.

This is polky's CMBB moment.

3DK 4eva!

Like Chere Mill, it's doomed to be unappreciated in its own time.

[modage]

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Nolan is lining up actresses he'll meet for two female lead roles in The Dark Knight Rises, the third installment of the Batfranchise which Warner Bros has dated release on July 20, 2012. I'm told one of the roles is a love interest for Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne, and the other is a villain. The actresses are: Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Keira Knightley. Nolan is keeping the roles under wraps, just the way that he did when he drafted his Inception star Tom Hardy to come aboard to likely play a villain. Deadline broke that story October 13. I'm still not sure what the role is and I believe Hardy took the job without knowing or reading a script that's still being tweaked.