Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy To Star As "Catwoman" and "Bane" in The Dark Knight Rises

This just in for ComicBookResources' Facebook update.

Multi-talented actress Anne Hathaway was selected to play as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman alongside Christian Bale's Batman in Christopher Nolan's final Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises as confirmed by Warner Bros.  She will serve as the love interest and nemesis of billionaire-playboy Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Here is the announcement from WB's press release:

Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. She will be starring alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Christopher Nolan stated, "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story."

 

In addition, Tom Hardy has been set to play Bane. Nolan said, "I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies." Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven. The Dark Knight Rises is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

Hmm... I'm trying to imagine her in that sexy catsuit...

Damn, can't we just have pictures already? Oh I got an idea: try to imagine her in that catsuit while striking a pose like the one she did in the rated-R movie Havoc (where she appeared nude... yes, I'm probably going to hunt down a torrent of that movie):

Meow. Now tell me she's not fit for the role. Plus she's got a great rack.

Hmm... it could work. She could bring all that oozing sex appeal to the movie and maybe do a couple of hot scenes for the fans - not a bad idea, no? Even Batman should not have a hard time "rising" if that happens. We'll see.

Plus, my wish of seeing Bane in the movie were granted! Tom Hardy (yep that copycat guy from Inception) was also selected to portray the big-bad guy who once broke Batman's vertebrae in the comic books. Bane is a Latino in the comics and Hardy is hardly a Latino... but what the hell. Nolan did Ras Al Ghul as a white guy (Liam Neeson) before, so who cares about that. As long as they will portray the characters well, I've got no beef with it.

Image courtesy of ComicBookMovie

This might not be the combo I was expecting, for I was thinking more of a Hugo Strange-Bane for the third flick, but a sexy-as-hell-cat-burglar and a big-guy-who-can-give-a-big-can-of-whoop-ass could possibly be a formidable tandem to foil the Caped Crusader's crimefighting schemes and give him a legitimate ass-kicking of a lifetime before the whole thing ends.

Just one more wish: NO ROBIN. And I don't have to explain why.

The Dark Knight Rises is scheduled for release on June 20, 2012.

Facts About The Third Batman Film

Been keeping an eye on the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise and I was able to get some pretty nice facts about the upcoming film, which is slated to hit the cinemas on July 20, 2012. Thanks to Hero Complex for scoring a good interview with Nolan himself who verified a couple of things about the film.

First, the movie title is The Dark Knight Rises. Not a bad choice and a catchy one at that. There's some mystique to it as to what the story and ending would be for our Caped Crusader's adventures.

Another thing that Nolan confirmed is that the villain is NOT - again folks, not - The Riddler. Rumors have spread all over the internet that the ever puzzling enigma is the next big villain to get a shot at the movies, with some reports saying that rapper Eminem is being cast to the role.  Though Riddler has been a great villain to the Bat over the years and thought I like Slim Shady's raps - I don't think its going to work mainly because the character doesn't have that "it factor". Just look at Batman Forever with Jim Carrey in it and tell me I'm wrong.

Now since The Riddler, The Joker and Ras Al Ghul  have been all out of the picture (Joker was used last year in the Dark Knight, and Ras was the bad guy in Batman Begins), who would be the villain? Don't even think about The Penguin, Catwoman or Poison Ivy - all of those guys we're used in the 90's, so we're left with... Bane, Killer Croc, Hugo Strange and maybe Harvey Dent (Two-Face).

It would be intriguing on how Nolan would use these aforementioned villains as the ultimate challenge for Batman. All have that "killer-instinct" and insatiable desire to defeat the Dark Knight, but the guys that I want to see in the film would be Bane and Hugo Strange. The former broke Batman's back and almost put him to retirement in the comic books so there's that long history and angle they could bring in to the movie, while the latter is probably one of the most underrated villains in Batman's rogues gallery. It would be  very interesting to see. Who knows? He might even do a combination of Hugo Strange + Bane or Hugo Strange + Killer Croc or any of those formulas. Let's see how Nolan would play this out.

What do you think guys? Who would be the the villain? Who's your pick?