Hathaway and Hardy will co-star in Christopher Nolan's final Batman outing...

In an official press release, spread across the airwaves courtesy of Hero Complex, Warner Brothers announced today that Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Love & Other Drugs) has been cast as Selina Kyle, while Tom Hardy (Star Trek: Nemesis, Inception) will portray Venom-infused villain Bane, in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Batman three-quel The Dark Knight Rises.

Hathaway has evidently come out on top among a select group of actresses that included Keira Knightley and Jessica Biel, among others, for the coveted role in one of the most hotly-anticipated films of 2012. Intriguingly, Warner Bros' release does not mention the role of Catwoman specifically, but rather only lists the part as 'Selina Kyle'. As Nolan has unequivocally stated that his next outing to Gotham City will be his last, it will be interesting to see if he closes the door on his Batman trilogy by playing Selina Kyle as a pure love interest for the Caped Crusader or if Kyle's Catwoman persona will indeed make an appearance, as is widely assumed.

Hardy's hiring had been common knowledge for weeks, although widespread speculation had Hardy pegged as portraying Golden Age Batman villain Hugo Strange. The choice of Bane will likely raise some eyebrows, as the relatively-recent Caped Crusader enemy is not only supremely intelligent but also depicted as a hulking brute that famously broke Batman's back in the comics while under the influence of the super-steroid Venom. 'Supremely intelligent' Hardy can surely pull off without a problem, but a hulking brute he isn't. Fans of the franchise will undoubtedly be anticipating Nolan's take on the controversial character, but one expects that it will be better than Joel Schumacher's Bane as lumbering, imbecilic goon in Batman & Robin.

Earlier reports that Nolan also plans to cast an actress as Talia al Ghul, daughter of Batman Begins' Ra's al Ghul (played by Liam Neeson), have yet to be confirmed or denied. Regardless of the truth of that particular bit of gossip, it would seem, at the very least, that Mr. Nolan listened to me. Snort.

The Dark Knight Rises will open in the US July 20, 2012.

Hero Complex

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