Anne Hathaway is Selina Kyle, Tom Hardy is Bane in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

January 19, 2011

It's official folks! Warner Bros. issued a press release just moments ago, confirming that Anne Hathaway will be playing Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman), and Tom Hardy will be playing Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.

BURBANK, CA, January 19, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.” She will be starring alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Christopher Nolan stated, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story.”
In addition, Tom Hardy has been set to play Bane. Nolan said, “I am delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies.”
Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven.
“The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

What do you guys think about this casting news? Let me know in the comments!

The Dark Knight Trilogy

Anne Hathaway, Bane, Casting, Catwoman, Press Release, Tom Hardy

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Simmonscorpllc
January 19, 2011
TO THE FANBOYS: Please realize that Nolan's casts are picked based on acting ability. Not height, nor direct resemblance to the character or even how "hot" they are. Please be excited someone is making a Batman movie with interesting choices for villains. Camera trickery, production, and makeup can affect so many things in a film, but they don't affect the raw acting. Stop being miserable.
Love, Regular Fans
25 likes
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1. SuperherooftheMonth
  January 19, 2011
  Finally, some common sense. Seriously, no one has seen an ounce of film and already it's a pissfest.
  14 likes
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Bastian Starkmann
January 19, 2011
Haha some of you are freaks, Christopher Nolan is a genius, Inception, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and you are questioning him?! Haha Christopher Nolan is the man with the plan, and if anyone is going to make an end all be all Batman trilogy, I can think of no one better. His character choices will be perfect in a year when we see the movie for the first time. Have faith and stop bitching. The Dark Knight Rises will be epic.
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1. Manos Jester
  January 19, 2011
  Amen brother.
  I can't wait for Bruce to stand before his parent's graves in his rebuilt mansion while gazing at the night sky.
  Bane is a perfect villain, he's gonna enforce the terrorist actions that started with Joker and Catwoman will make the dark knight "rise". Just kidding on the latter.
  3 likes
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  1. SuperherooftheMonth
    January 19, 2011
    Hear, hear. Christopher Nolan is the guy that made Christopher Priest sit on the edge of his seat, wondering how the adaptation of his novel, The Prestige, would end!
    5 likes
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2. Stephenpbell
  January 20, 2011
  Godfather.
  Godfather 2.
  Godfather...3
  1 like
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Bryanbreguet
January 19, 2011
I really wonder how Nolan will portrait Bane in a realistic settings. I'm surprised by this choice and from what I've read about the characters, I was much more excited about Hugo Strange and Talia As Gul. But hey, we'll see.
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1. SuperherooftheMonth
  January 19, 2011
  People wondered the same thing with Heath Ledger and the Joker, and look what we got.
  8 likes
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2. Moisehuchard
  January 19, 2011
  same here, i thought Hugo Strange would have been an excellent choice. And i never thought bane was an interesting foe
  1 like
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  1. Aaron
    January 19, 2011
    oh u guys need to read up on your Bane...oh do you...
    5 likes
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
nolan is loosing his "credibility"
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1. SuperherooftheMonth
  January 19, 2011
  How?
  9 likes
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2. Marty Jay
  June 13, 2012
  hahaha dick head
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Fribledib
January 19, 2011
this was a LONG time coming for me.
Excellent choices, characters and actors!
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Manos Jester
January 19, 2011
I just came
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TheDarkestKnight
January 19, 2011
For those who are complaining that Hardy is too small for this part, think of this: Rocky III, Hogan played a GIANT compared to Stallone. Hogan is only a few inches taller than him but thanks to movie magic, they made him into an Andre the Giant figure. My point: trust Nolan. He did a brilliant job with Batman Begins and he definitely exceeded our expectations in The Dark Knight. I seriously can't wait for July 20, 2012.
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
hardy is too fuckin SHORT to play bane!!
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1. SuperherooftheMonth
  January 19, 2011
  And Ledger was too much of a "pretty boy" to play the Joker. Remember how that turned out?
  26 likes
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  1. Collin V.
    January 24, 2011
    That turned out into a posthumous, 29 award-winning role. R.I.P. Ledger :(
    8 likes
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2. torpedo
  January 19, 2011
  thats what i said lol
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3. darthknight666
  January 20, 2011
  Bane IS short AND thin!!! Thats the whole point! He only gets Big and Muscular when the venom gets injected into him.
  4 likes
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  1. Thepaperbag000
    July 15, 2011
    no... he's really freakin fit even without the venom being injected into him.
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
hardy playin bane would be same like michael duncan clarke playin the penguin lol
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1. SuperherooftheMonth
  January 19, 2011
  Whatever.
  1 like
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Thebatmatt21
January 19, 2011
Catwoman is great news, but Bane? Really? We only get one more chance to see Nolanized villains and half of that chance is getting wasted on Bane. Garbage. Im calling it, The Dark Knight Rises is the new Spiderman 3. You heard it first here, folks.
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1. Lee
  January 19, 2011
  We heard it first from you? doubt it. bane is one of batman's most intelligent and physically capable villains. we just have a bad taste in our mouth of bane ever since Shumacher's horrible vision of the character
  6 likes
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  1. Roob
    January 19, 2011
    yeah that is true, that movie completely ruined my vision of bane. but still, Strange would have been an excellent enemy
    1 like
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2. DarkKnightrunner
  January 19, 2011
  You're a dumbass.
  1 like
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3. Dacenar
  May 21, 2011
  LOL Wow you're a real fortune teller. You just predicted something that has a 50%/50% shot either good or bad. And because of the inclusion of Bane you are calling it a dud already! LOL Don't be so sure about it. Remember The Dark Knight was Great! It will be so very hard to top it. You know so many people will sound off they didn't like it...but remember this movie may surprise you. Bane can be an awesome villian...it's not the villian it's what they do with it. Nolan has an overall plan we know nothing about. But number 3s are the dud in a series usually. So I'll give you 40%/60%.
  1 like
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4. Jack Blakk
  June 19, 2014
  Man you really called it -.-
  smh
  This is exactly why I pay no attention to the people who have problems with Batman V. Superman :P
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
lets see if hathaway will show her boobs in this movie,there arent much movies with her where she didnt showed her tits lol
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1. Markamayo
  January 19, 2011
  god I hope so
  2 likes
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GuanoMan
January 19, 2011
It is hysterical to watch people say "BUT HUGO STRANGE WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA" like Nolan had ever pitched the idea or was on fan forums day in and day out.
So is the growing division on this website between "fanboys" and "non-fanboys."
The truth is, there is no way of knowing whether or not this film will be amazing. However, based on on Nolan's past work and the time he seems to have put into writing and casting (as well as screen testing) this film, it should be another great addition to the series.
I definitely was not expecting these choices, but the surprise is delightful. This is a classic Nolan move where he throws a total curve ball and every single Batman fan freaks out until a trailer is released or even until the film itself is released.
Basically, my reluctance to believe this decision is the best seems to be what indicates Nolan is going to blow us all away, a third time.
And for the record, Tom Hardy is a brilliant actor. There is no doubt his performance as Bane, a character whose image was tainted by a horrible film, will be terrific. There is lots of new ground to cover with these characters. It's a complete new start for them.
I'm all in.
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Guest
January 19, 2011
Wow wow wow!!! Stop the presses! Nolan throws a curveball yet again! NOBODY was expecting Hardy as Bane, just like NOBODY expected Ledger as the Joker. You heard it here on this site first fellow Batman fans, if there was EVER a way to come close to Ledger's performance as the Joker, Hardy playing Bane is it. Sheer genius on the part of Nolan! Hardy playing a cop would have been lame, and playing Strange would have been mediocre. Bane is one of the most bad ass Batman villains of all time. He's super bad-ass in the comics, he's just never been portrayed properly on screen.
Oh and I'm the same guy who mentioned in the other thread Jett sucks. You want to know why Jett sucks? For MANY months now Jett claimed that his "connections" were telling him it was a good bet Strange would be in the movie, and more recently the "word" from his "sources" were saying Talia would be in the film. Looks like Jett was WRONG on BOTH accounts. Jett got fed misinformation from his "sources", plain and simple. Other people did as well, but other people did not boast anywhere near as much as Jett.
Also you KNEW Catwoman HAD to be in this film, and Nolan did NOT disappoint. Looks-wise, I think Hathaway is almost perfect for the role. The only other actress I would have considered for the role looks-wise would be Eva Green. Hathaway getting the role is a bit of a curveball, but I think she will do good.
Like I said though, you heard it here first on this site, Hardy's performance as Bane will go down as being legendary and after the film comes out will be compared to Ledger's performance as the Joker as well as Nicholson's performance as the Joker.
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1. One-eyed Willie
  January 20, 2011
  Don´t forget the joker is a marvelous, brilliant, fantastic character... Heath´s done so well ´cause the character helped a lot. And Bane? Bane is a good character, just it - good. Not a brilliant one.
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  1. Guest
    January 21, 2011
    The Joker has decades of stories and history. Bane is a relatively newer character with less comic history. There is LOTS of room for development and interpretation of Bane. Who's to say Nolan and Hardy won't come up with a brilliant interpretation of the Bane character?
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SuperherooftheMonth
January 20, 2011
Anyone saying this is going to "suck": Look at Nolan's track record: On Rotten Tomatoes, his lowest rated film, The Prestige, is at 75%, and his highest, TDK, is at 94%. Does TDKR have a lot to live up to? Of course, but Nolan's not had, critically, a "bad" film yet. He's proven over and over that he knows what he's doing. Give him the benefit of the doubt.
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SuperherooftheMonth
January 19, 2011
I think this is awesome. I would have preferred Eva Green over Hathaway, but I think she'll do a fine job. And I LOVE that Hardy is Bane. That character got a cheap shot from B&R (well, that whole "film" was a cheap shot) so it will be nice to see the character get a proper story.
I have a feeling Nolan's going to do it again. :) This casting news is AWESOME.
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
@SuperheroOf theMonth let me tell u somethin':size DOES matter!!!! if your girl(or maybe a boy;) tells u that size doesnt matter then you've got a "little" problem;)
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AndersCules
January 19, 2011
Bane will break Batman. That is pretty much how the trilogy will end, with Batman in coffin. Maybe two.
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Thejokersmiles13
January 20, 2011
Awesome!!! wasn't expecting Bane but the Nolans must have a trick up their sleeve if they went with Bane, can't wait to be see this interpretation unlike the atrocity of B & R. Excellent choice for Selina Kyle i think she's gonna do the part very proudly and i'm wondering if she will in fact be Catwoman cuz she's only be confirmed as Selina Kyle so I'm wondering if maybe there is hope still for Black Mask or Hugo Strange cuz either of those two would be awesome but who knows, this is getting very exciting now can't wait for more casting news ahead
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Zubeida_ct
January 21, 2011
Can't explain how excited I am about this. And when we are talking about Tom Hardy's height, it doesn't matter. I mean, come on folks ! After seeing Heath Ledger in movies like Casanova, Brokeback mountain ( just to mention a few) People said that he couldn't play the role as Joker. He was too much of a pretty boy . But he proved them wrong. Look at what he gave us. Personally I wanted for Nolan to use The riddler as the villain in the dark knight rises, but Bane is going to be great, as well as Anne Hathaway. I think that it will be G-R-E-A-T !
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SuperherooftheMonth
January 19, 2011
Another positive of this is that it should debunk those "leaked script" rumors!
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RustyKoi
January 19, 2011
Catwoman! YES! I really can't express how happy I am that Nolan's doing these characters - they deserve, NEED, to be done by him.
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Jayceon
January 19, 2011
Why? It's been done before and these characters are so boring. Had a great start and gonna flop to end it.
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1. MDGL
  January 19, 2011
  2 reasons. 1) 'Done Before' should never be an excuse to not use the material provided to you if you have any degree of imagination, because that's only going to limit options for no substantial benefit. 2) Old saying goes 'There are no small parts, just small actors" applies here. What you have seen before was just shoe-horned characters, half-fast approaches, and some guy in a gimp suit.
  I never understood the fan-base's need to shoot everything down, especially given who we're talking about, Nolan, who managed to turn the entire Batman film series on it's head and get not only a decent film, but a quality movie-goer's expirence.
  Let's think about this for a minute. We have a character who for once is physically able to break the Bat, and is smart enough not to just go charging head-long like some stampeding bull. You're also seeing escalation in Nolan's Gotham which was a question asked in the first film.
  What I would instead ask you is, what would it take for this to work? Is there a specific character arch you want Batman to go through? Does Bane have to be writen off as a static obsticle, or is this a chance to make the character more than his previous movie adaptation?
  But then again, I guess it's easier to just write off the movie as a whole rather than discuss any possibilities or directions Nolan can go with his choices.
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2. Batfan
  January 19, 2011
  You are an ignorant fool. Please refrain from posting your opinions.
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  1. Aaron
    January 19, 2011
    ha-Troll!!!
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  2. Corporal
    January 22, 2011
    no offense, but that was uncalled for, he actually spoke to you in a normal mature manor, you have been closed minded to any idea of this film simple because you don't like the casting.
    TRUTHFULLY, I don't like the casting either. BUT Nolan, has done some Amazing things with the past films. Why not instead of argue how horrible casting was, discus what it would take to make it a decent film. You do realize, from video games to movies, they take ideas from common widely known blogs.like this, and by "they" I mean people who work for Nolan to help field Ideas.
    That is Known FACT..
    So lets actually talk about this, Because honestly I do not like the casting, I do not understand who the character Bane is gonna work or fit into the realistic aspect of Nolans Gotham world.
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
hardys bane is going to be much shorter than alfred(caine) and fox(freeman)?? yeah what a MENACE LOOOL
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1. AndersCules
  January 19, 2011
  What? Have you seen in Bronson!? He was one bad ass m'therf'cker! No doubt in my mind he can pull this off!
  7 likes
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2. DarkKnighrunner
  January 19, 2011
  Could you be any more of an idiot? Fan boys = the most unimaginative people on the entire planet.
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Rachael
January 19, 2011
Beyond disappointed.
1 like
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Keith_v
January 19, 2011
I was hoping that Hardy was gonna play Bane, but didn't think it would really happen. I can't think of a time I was more excited for a movie.
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Rossjg
January 19, 2011
Exciting news. A nonconformist choice, to be sure. I don't know how these press releases work - what's the chance of a plot synopsis?
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1. ChrisBatman News Archive
  January 19, 2011
  We didn't get an official plot synopsis for The Dark Knight until April 2008. It might be a while before we get something "official" but I'm sure things will leak out.
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  1. Nolan_fan
    January 20, 2011
    I'm on pins and needles all the time!! I need more info all the time, more importantly I just need the movie to come out already!! i can't wait!
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Dknight007
January 19, 2011
Surprised Anne won the role over the others, but I she has the talent and the looks and obviously Nolan was impressed with her readings and screentests over the other actress's to cast her. She will do a bang up job...no doubt. I wonder who will be cast in the other female role? Knightley or Watts as Talia? Hmm...
Hardy as Bane will epic and bad ass as well!
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Rml227
January 19, 2011
This news made my day!
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Mel-Phleg
January 19, 2011
Watch this youtube video of Anne as a secret agent facing a man who is actually the size of Bane in the comic books:
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
I think she'll do fine, but I envisioned someone like Alexander Skarsgard as Bane (with him being 6'4 and all, plus a fine actor). Nolan is really reinterpreting the character with Hardy.
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Nicohajduk
January 19, 2011
im glad we won't see the AWFUL actress called jessica biel in this movie...
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