Latest 'The Dark Knight Rises' Casting News

AintItCoolNews.com highlighted a Deadline report that Christopher Nolan is casting two female roles for the upcoming Batman movie:  one is a love interest for Wayne/Batman and the other is a villian.  The report also identifies six actresses that Nolan will be meeting with about the roles:  Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Kiera Knightley, and Blake Lively.  For the record, Deadline is who broke the Tom Hardy news, and that appeared to be correct.

More after the jump, including photos, character speculation, and my opinion on which actresses should play which character...

(Top: Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively. Bottom: Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley.)

So, what do I think?  I have very mixed feelings about this list.  I'm going to run with the assumption that the female villian is Catwoman.  Frankly, I think the concensus is that if there is a female villian, it will be the Cat.  However, there is a very realistic shot that the female villian is Talia Al Ghul.  She, of course, is the dark, sultry, and seductive daughter of Liam Neeson's character from Batman Begins.  Though this could make sense and give the trilogy a "full circle," I think introducing this character and a revenge plotline may be more cumbersome and difficult than Nolan would want to deal with.  It could also be a distraction from the Batman character arc.  So, I'm leaning towards Catwoman. 

As for my thoughts on the actresses on the list:

1.  Natalie Portman is attached to EVERYTHING these days.  I'd like to see someone else have a shot.  She also seems, to me, too youngish for a Wayne love interest and not quite vixen enough for a female villian.  I'll pass. 

2.  Kiera Knightley is played out, IMO.  She is also a little too over-the-top in some of her performances.  I'll pass for either role. 

3.  Blake Lively is sexy.  I'll give her that.  But she is currently playing the lead female in another DC comic movie.  I think she is unlikely, though based on her performance in The Town, I think she could probably pull of the trashy, psychotic Catwoman. 

4.  Anne Hathaway.  I don't know what to think about her.  But based on what I've seen her in, I cannot imagine her as Catwoman or Talia Al Ghul.  I just can't see her in those roles.  I can see her as a perfect match for a Wayne love interest, however. 

5.  Naomi Watts.  She's a little older than the rest, and can sometimes look washed out or earthy.  But I actually like that about her.  She is very believeable and beautiful in a non-glam way.  I actually can see her playing a more grown-up love interest for Bruce Wayne.  I could see her as Catwoman before I could Hathaway, but I still think she'd be more in line for the love interest.

6.  Last, but CERTAINLY not least, Rachel Weisz.  Hearing her name rumored for this movie was music to mine ears.  About the only person out there that I think would make a better Catwoman is Marion Cotillard.  And her name is not on the list.  If Rachel Weisz were cast as Catwoman, I'd probably get a hotel at the Mall of Georgia and watch the IMAX release every night for a week see it twice in the theatre.  Man, I hope this is our Catwoman.  Of course, she'd make a perfect Talia Al Ghul as well.

So, if I had my choice, I'd probably chose Rachel Weisz as the villian and Naomi Watts as the love interest.  However, my second choice would be that these ladies simply switch charactes.  My third choice would probably be Lively as Catwoman and Hathaway as the love interest.    

Make no mistake about it, these will be two of the most hotly sought after roles in Hollywood.  After how big Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Inception were, the women who get these roles - especially the villian - will get uber stardom from it.  So, I 'spect Nolan will have his pick of the litter.

Meow.