WEDNESDAY

In 2012 both Nolan's third Batman movie (The Dark Knight Rises) and the new Superman movie are scheduled to release. Being a major fan of the DC Universe, this is very exciting for me.

Zack Snyder (who directed Watchmen and 300) will be directing the new Superman movie (titled Man of Steel). I think Louie told me this a few months ago but I only became fully aware of that fact today. I think the director choice is pretty decent. Snyder's movies are always visually impressive, as long as he have too many of his trademark slow motion shots. In any case, the Nolan brothers are pretty involved (Christopher Nolan is producing) so that's reassuring. They've already casted this British guy called Henry Cavill as Superman. Judging by this photo, he'll look convincing enough with a good shave.

Much more surprising news though, was news that Anne Hathaway is set to play Catwoman in the new Batman movie. She's actually cast as 'Selina Kyle' which is Catwoman's real name so I'm guessing that her character will undergo some kind of transformation like Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Selina Kyle is also Batman's love interest in the comics and acts as both his ally and enemy so that will probably be in the movie too. Catwoman was a pretty logical choice as a character for the new Nolan film though casting Anne Hathaway was really unexpected. She looks way too happy and innocent to fit the image. But she's a great actor so I guess that's all that really matters.


Another confirmed casting was Tom Hardy (who played Eames in Inception and Handsome Bob in RocknRolla) as Bane. This is the villain in the comics who freed every inmate of Arkham Asylum to wear down Batman then went to his house and broke his back. It's a very iconic image.

I'm wondering right now how he's going to look in the movie. Nolan tries not to suspend disbelief in his Batman series by introducing superpowers or implausible mad science which is why he stayed away from villains like Mr Freeze or Poison Ivy. Bane is supposed to get super strength from a drug called Venom that gets pumped in his body. I'm guessing Nolan will handle that aspect very carefully to maintain the feel of his previous movies.

There will also be another female character, who is yet to be announced. The movie will have more sequences shot in IMAX than The Dark Knight, which will be really cool. Also, this movie will be made with the intention of making it the last, which is quite rare because usually a few loose ends are kept for future profitable sequels. Anyway, an ending for Batman will certainly be very interesting. Knowing Nolan, it'll probably be something ambiguous and abrupt like Inception.