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Exclusive : Hunt for Batman Female Lead Begins

Warner Bros’ new “Batman” film has switched to a higher gear (so much so the production’s leaving fire trails), concurrently hitting the gas, with an insider telling Moviehole that a ”revolving door will be in operation for the better part of this week” as director Christopher Nolan and producers meet with their prospective female lead.

Nolan began meeting with actors a few weeks back, one of whom was Tom Hardy who was recently reported to be playing an unspecified role in the big-budget blockbuster.

The hunt is now on for the film’s Bat babe.

Several young (“Late 20’s, early 30’s”) ladies are meeting with the Caped Crusader’s resuscitator this week to talk about the new film. Interestingly enough, quite a few of the ladies don’t actually know what role they’re being asked to read for/meet Nolan about (yep, security is tighter on this thing than the department store Jonathan Switcher worked at in “Mannequin” – Okay, maybe a bit tighter than that) they’ve just accepted an offer to “meet” with the filmmaker. Presumably, they’ll leave the meeting knowing quite a bit more.

I’ve the names of a couple of the young ladies meeting with Nolan, but I’ve checked in with them and they’ve kindly asked me not to name them – at least until they’re convinced they haven’t got the job (fair enough, don’t want to jinx it for anyone).
What I can say is that Nolan is open to casting a fresh face as the female lead; he’s not necessarily bringing in the big guns.

So who is Gotham’s new gal? Is it a replacement lover for Billionaire Bruce? Or is it – as my insider also suspects (but he can’t be sure; again, Nolan has the lid shut tight on this thing) – the oft-rumoured Catwoman? “Some of the beauties coming in to chat with Christopher, would suggest that”, we’re told.

It’s funny, I spent the last few days chatting to some fairly high-up chaps at Warner – that I got to know when I was working on “Howl” there – and not one of them had any clue as to what Nolan was planning with “Batman”. Every other film in the works there? No problem, they had a bevy of information, but Batman? Sealed like a dripping roof.

I’d expect the female lead to be announced over the next few weeks.

Previously…

Now that “Mad Max Fury Road” has been postponed [again], star Tom Hardy’s free to dive in search of other hidden treasure… at least until 2012, when the long-gestating “Thunderdome” sequel is said to be getting back up and thus, ‘Max’ will be required back at the beach (We’ll see).

According to Deadline, the actor may spend the majority of 2011 working with his “Inception” director Christopher Nolan on a little film called… “Batman 3″.

I know! Cool, right!?

No word on who Hardy is playing – it definitely isn’t Catwoman though. I can one-hundred percent promise you that. Hardy likes to keep the tight black one-piece and whip at home. He never, ever brings it to work – ask his lawyer. Maybe he’s playing Crocodile Head or whatever the fuck that ridiculous Bat villain is called (Killer Croc! that’s it!), isn’t that who Batman’s apparently going to be pitted against in the new movie? Shit, I suppose if anyone can make a half-crocodile half-man villain somewhat grounded it’d be the Nolan/Hardy combination. Still, I doubt that’s who he’s playing…. more likely some sort of corrupt senator or a boy toy for Alfred, maybe?

Suddenly the “sorry folks, Mad Max has been postponed” line is music to everyone’s – including Hardy’s, I imagine – ears, right!?

Quick News – October 26, 2010

Moviehole at the Back to the Future BD junket