Though it has been states many times over, The Dark Knight Rises will in fact be Christopher Nolan’s last Batman installment. News this week surfaced in regard to unused footage of Heath Ledger in the role of the Joker. Rumor had it that Nolan was planning on using some of this footage for the new film.
According to Comingsoon.net, Nolan spoke to Thompson on Hollywood to refute the rumors about the Joker footage and give some ambiguous information (in true Nolan fashion) about The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan said that the rumors are all false. The Joker will not appear in the new film. Nolan did reveal that Tom Hardy, who we have been speculating about for some time, will have an important role in the film. Of course Nolan didn’t say whether Hardy will be playing a hero or a villain. Nolan loves his secrets!
The director is still working on the script which is a collaborative effort between him and his brother Jonathan. The script is due in January and Warner Bros. has set the release date of the film for mid July right in the middle of summer blockbuster season.
