Christopher Nolan Considering Weisz, Watts, Lively, Portman, Hathaway, and Knightley for Love Interest OR Villain in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

by Matt Goldberg Posted 2 years, 220 days ago

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As we previously reported, Christopher Nolan was looking for a new love interest for The Dark Knight Rises, which wasn’t a huge shock. Now, Deadline has some impressive possible candidates to for not only the love interest but also a separate female villain. Nolan is reportedly considering Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, and Keira Knightley for the roles. It’s worth noting that Deadline makes it clear these are two different roles so don’t go shouting “Catwoman!” just yet. Deadline also says it’s likely that Tom Hardy, who was previously cast in an unspecified role, is playing a villain.

Hit the jump for my wild speculation on who Batman’s female nemesis may be. The Dark Knight Rises is set to open on July 20, 2012.

Assuming that Nolan hasn’t written a new character who isn’t in the comics, my guess to the female villain would be Catwoman. She fits best within Nolan’s “real” Gotham City. The other major female rogues in Batman’s gallery are Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, and Talia Al Ghul. However, Poison Ivy’s powers are supernatural, Harley Quinn doesn’t really work without The Joker (who Nolan has made clear he won’t bring back), and it would be weird to bring in Ra’s Al Ghul’s daughter after Ra’s death back in the first movie.

As for the love interest, they could easily be a new character as was done previously with Rachel Dawes or Dr. Chase Meridian. People don’t seem to care if the love interest is from the comics or not. I would be curious to see how folks would react to a villain created from scratch.

As for Hardy, if he’s playing a villain, we only know that it won’t be The Riddler or Mr. Freeze. Of course, all these assumptions are based off Nolan not re-inventing characters like Poison Ivy and keeping them close to their comic origins.

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Tags:

Anne Hathaway, Batman 3, Blake Lively, Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, Keira Knightley, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy

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Comments:

Liam

I think it’s funny when people say Harley doesn’t work without the Joker. She’s been “without” the Joker most of her career. She may be obsessed with him, but he’s not been a major player in her life since the cartoon. She did have her own title (and Gotham Girls) with only a few guest star spots for Mistah J. She very easily stands on her own.

For this film I think she’d be perfect. She was the Joker’s girl, Batman killed him and she’s fucking crazy over it. Makes sense to me and gives her a darker origin making her a darker character (something I think she desperately needs!). Gives her a reason to really hate Bats too.

Either way Nolan has not disappointed. I’m sure whatever he does will be a perfect third movie for the trilogy.
- MrRich316
  
  Batman didn’t kill the Joker. He left him hanging upside down.
  - http://twitter.com/ketling Ketling Ambriz
    
    LOL
Pete

I take Rachel Weisz
- MCP
  
  I’d take her as well!
- MCP
  
  I’d take her as well!
  - Tom
    
    Rachel Wesz hands down.
  - TragicVillain
    
    Down where?
    
    hand check.
Tidybowlboy182

” it would be weird to bring in Ra’s Al Ghul’s daughter after Ra’s death back in the first movie.”

How? It seems quite perfect she’d want revenge.
- MrRich316
  
  Sounds right for a trilogy,tie the last movie to the first. Maybe Talia and Bane. A bounty hunter seems like a good fit maybe Huntress?
- http://twitter.com/Pruben P. Ruben H.
  
  I agree, Talia would definetly seek revenge, and possibly do as much as she can to be Batman’s (maybe Wayne’s?) love interest, before she kill him in the right moment. That doesn’t very creative compared to what Nolan have done earlier.
  But do we know if Ra’s Al Ghul actually died? (even though the explosion was big)
- Blastman
  
  It would be a little weird considering she wasn’t an enemy of bats. She was the mother of his son Damian Wayne the fifth Robin.
Ifikr2

Phantasm por favor.
http://senzafineonline.net/ Yahzee

Catwoman… that’s it… but… who could top Michelle Pffeifre?
- http://senzafineonline.net/ Yahzee
  
  P.S. from all those names I only like Naomi Watts for this movie… but since these are just rumors I’ll shut up
Christophercantos

Nolan is seriously teasing us and it is annoyingly fun.. LOL
Christophercantos

Deadline’s pretty reliable source if you think about it.. all Nolan connected rumors that they reported turned out to be true.
Dfsprod

Poison Ivy doesn’t even have to have powers necessarily. Ras al Ghul didn’t have powers. Nolan could indeed do a new interpretation on Ivy if he wanted to. Think of the craziest PETA/Greenpeace member and give her all the characteristics of Ivy. She could launch a campaign against Wayne Ent. because of pollution or something. Basically, I wouldn’t be selling the possibility short.
DKnight007

Good solid and yummy list reported by Deadline regarding females being looked at by Nolan for B3. I’m still hoping the two female roles are for Catwoman and Talia.

Don’t want to see Hathaway, Lively or Knightley in the Batman film. Lively is already going to be Carol Ferris and maybe Star Sapphire in the GL film(s). I see Nolan going for better overall actress’ than her also.

I would want to see Portman, Weisz or Watts under the direction of Nolan in this Batman TDKR film.

I can also see some of these actress’ be considered for the role of Lois Lane in the Nolan produced and Snyder directed Superman Man Of Steel film also!

Depending on the age Lois Lane is in the MOS script….I can see Hathaway, Weisz, Portman and Knightley as contenders for Lois.
Ringbearer1420

Phantasm for the win
bubuh30

just change the fucking batsuit!! the one in Batman Begins was good. the one in TDK was too techy. you cant even see the bat emblem anymore.
Anonymous

PORTMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I am against CATWOMAN but I guess I should prepare myself in case it is. I’m sure NOLAN would make her radass!!!!!

I am against it because we’ve already seen a CATWOMAN. I know we’ve already seen a JOKER too before Heath. But they got really lucky Heath was awesome.
Collin V.

how is having Talia al Ghul in the third film weird?
Guntherberg

They have brunettes as love interest in 2 last Batman movies. I think it boils down to Rachel Weisz or Natalie Portman. Natalie is cast in another Warner comic book/superhero movie V FOR VENDETTA, & Rachel in CONSTANTINE, so they can be quite comfortable in big budget FX movies. However it would be interesting to see Naomi Watts under Nolan direction. She is my first choice as Bruce Wayne’s love interest. Choosing an actress for a female villain will be tougher. Has anybody considered Carla Guigino? She is great as a villainous agent in ENTOURAGE TV Series. I always loved to see Lucy Lawless as Catwoman if they decide to go with this. Look her up in Starz’s SPARTACUS.
- http://twitter.com/ketling Ketling Ambriz
  
  Gugino is hot, but too old.
http://twitter.com/SaadGKhan Saad Ghafoor Khan

Keira Knightley (Poison Ivy), Natalie Portman (Harley Quinn)and Anne Hathaway (Cat Women) …
Why not Rachel McAdams? that’s sad she auditioned for Katie holmes role but lost it and then again Maggie Gyllenhaal got the part.
Love Blake Lively but this movie is too Big for her…
Rachel Weiz and Naomi Watts and Comic books Heroins doesn’t go along! they are good for indie movie… wouldn’t you agree if a main stream girl has done Batman movies before … she could have touch the stardom but Both Katie Holmes touched Tom Cruise and Maggie Gyllenhaal talented but not Gorgeous enough to Rule Hollywood.

***I still doubt that they will choose a Mainstream girl, Christopher Nolan likes to keep Focus on his Men Momento (Carrie Ann Moss), The Prestige (Piper Perabo and Scarlett Johansson), BatMan Begins (Katie Holmes), The Dark Night (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Inception (Ellen Page and Marion Cotilard). so this list indicates that he likes talented girls but not Top Media Personalities because it takes the focus away from Movie.
P.S among them Scarlett Johansson is Huge but her role was like cameo in The Prestige.
- Tom
  
  Rachel Weisz is the best actress on that list. She has the acting chops and the range.
BOOM_STICK

I think “Rises” will have BOTH Catwoman and Talia al Ghul… think about it… Both characters could work into capping Nolan’s “trilogy”. Remember, “Batman Begins” and (especially) “The Dark Knight” were heavily influenced by “The Long Halloween”. In that story, Catwoman was the illegitimate daughter of Carmine Falcone… Catwoman/Selina could very well be the “love interest” and Talia al Ghul could be the “villain”… so both choices work. Thematically it really sets up a brilliant conclusion for Nolan’s batfilms… “Begins” was about acceptining fear… “Knight” was about accepting escalation… and “Rises” can be about accepting legacy… Will Bruce Wayne/Batman live up to the legacy of his father (justice)? Will Selina Kyle/Catwoman be destroyed by the legacy of her father (crime)? Will Talia be consumed by the legacy of her father (revenge)?
ProfezzorGreen

NO CATWOMAN PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://twitter.com/kailashiyer Kailash Iyer

Tom Hardy could be Ra’s Al Ghul again. Maybe he really is immortal, or Liam Neeson was just another duplicate.
Garybruce

Rachel Weisz & Naomi Watts have the acting chop
Natalie Portman & Kiera Knightley have the connection
Blake Lively & Anne Hathaway have the OMG
Guess which one Nolan will take?
Rachel & Naomi – if this is really shortlisted.
Natalie is in THOR & Lively is in GREEN LANTERN, I doubt they will be
cast in another movie of the same genre. Kiera is too “diva” for Nolan.
This anorexic “child” has none of the discipline of Rachel or Naomi.
The choice is clear. Of course Nolan can do the unexpected and cast
Marion Cortillard. She is basically a villain in INCEPTION.
- Anonymous
  
  Love your breakdown GB!
  I think Blake will get the role if the short list is correct.Portman is too damn preppy. Watts has a shattered presence that is a distraction, at least for me. Keira to me is just too damn sleuthy of an actress. Weisz has range, think Mummy(not part 2) and then the Constant Gardner.
  Blake has shown she can be not only be sexy as fuck(born that way) but her performance in The Town was awesome.
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tbone

Not Portman cause she’ll kill the ambiance with her goddamn New York preppy delivery. Knightly doesn’t connect as a heroin. She’s a sleuth actress with athletic delivery. Watts is a detached actress with a shattered grill. And Hathaway is just too fucking Disney.
Weisz and Watts may be the same age but Weisz has a range(think Mummy then Constant Gardner) that puts some of the aforementioned gals to shame.
Oh, I forgot Blake. She tore it up in The Town. Love her voice and she can really become her character.
You know, I think she’ll get the role(speculating) because she is on par, IMHO, with Weisz. Plus like it or not marketing is everything to Hollywood
So if that shot list is correct, never know, I think Blake will get the role.
Art3mis

NO Blake Lively please!!! I will be so bitter if she is in Batman… just, no!
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Dane

I think the woman should be Red Claw or Lady Shiva. No Catwoman, I am so sick of her. No Posion Ivy or Talia. Or they could bring in the Huntress. Natalie Portman as the Huntress would be hella dope!!! and no Harley. cause her & the Joker goes together. Or maybe even the Royal Flush Gang!!
- Giltedge
  
  Megan Fox, as Catwoman, she’s got the smouldering sensual looks, in the Julie Newmar style, just needs a harder edge on the acting !!!!
NileRyan

The two villains are going to be Hugo Strange and Talia Al Ghul; the love interest will be Vicky Vale.
NileRyan

The two villains are going to be Hugo Strange and Talia Al Ghul; the love interest will be Vicky Vale.
Angelpix23

Ra’s.. dead? Really.. does he EVER die.. lol

I’d like to see Rachel Weisz as Talia… Everyone else is.. “predictable” I mean Blake is on Green Lantern… honestly.. I’m just going with Rachel… as ANYTHING lol.
Ititsmague

I think Piper Perabo would work best as a villian, she’s been in a Nolan movie as well.
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Mike Vargas

I would go with actress Claire Forlani as Talia al ghul, to me she dose have the looks to play Ra’s al ghul’s daughter and also having actress Naomi watts as Vicki vale I can;t say who else to have. Claire has always been on my mind for years now.
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Christina

Claire Forlani should have been cast as Bruce’s childhood friend Rachel Dawes. I agree Mike, Claire would be great as Ra’s al Ghul’s daughter. I’m so sick of catwoman, so many other villians, Nolan needs to get creative and pick another female villian character.

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