No need to change your underwear just yet – guessing that won’t need to happen until the stars are announced, or someone tweets that Joel Schumacher has been spotted on set – but exciting to hear that Christopher Nolan hands in his script for “The Dark Knight Rises” in just a few hours. That manilla envelope hits Robinov’s desk sometime Monday, so I’m guessing ‘Mr Robinov won’t be taking calls’ for a few hours after it’s arrival.

So what does this bit of news (supplied by Variety’s David S.Cohen over on Twitter) have to do with us? Well it means we’re close to finding out who the villains are, who are playing those villains, and who, both character and cast wise, will be cuddling up to Bruce Wayne in the film. Expect that news to start trickling through in a few weeks, once Warner signs off on the Jonah Nolan/David Goyer written script.

Nobody knows what the story of the new film is about, but that hasn’t stopped every man and his dog from making a guess. And most seem to think the story will be based on the ‘Prey’ comic, which fixes on Gordon (Gary Oldman’s character in the films) leading a taskforce to hunt down the Caped Crusader (which was set up at the end of “The Dark Knight”).

Tom Hardy, who Nolan has confirmed is indeed onboard the film, is rumored to be playing Dr. Hugo Strange, a nutbag who plans to not only kill Batman, but gets around town dressed as him.

It’s also been widely reported that Catwoman will likely pop up in the film, with Talia al Ghul also probable. No word on Mr Freeze yet… and hopefully, that word will never come.

“The Dark Knight Rises” hits cinemas with a thump in 2012.