HEADS OR TAILS: MIND GAMES OR HINT?

Speculation is rife once again as Aaron Eckhart toyed with fans in an interview with CBS news last night. The prospect of Two-Face  returning in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is one in which all Batman fans will be relishing, especially considering his apparent “death” in Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’. The questions is, is Nolan and Eckhart simply playing mind games with fans to throw them off track for the eagerly anticipated third instalment, or are we actually going to see one of the most popular villains claw themselves back from the dead? After all, being such a high profile villain, how could Two-Face only unleash his sinister side in the last third of the film?

It is easy to say that Nolan’s directing genius would enable him to bring back Dent from the dead successfully, so there be no need to fear over risky storylines. In actual fact, there is a good chance that this is one of the major tricks that Nolan can so effortlessly pull out of the hat. The only evidence we have so far of Two-Face featuring in the film is Eckhart’s numerous visits with Nolan. When asked about these meetings in the interview, Eckhart was careful to divulge in whether or not it was for the ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, again, just leaving even more room for speculation.

The last we saw of Gotham’s most psychotic D.A was in the final action seen of ‘The Dark Knight’, falling down a flight of flats, leading to his apparent death. The most hopeful factor for Dent’s return is the fact that we never got to see the once named ‘White Knight’s’ body. Purposeful or not, Nolan has something up his sleeve. The interview with CBS news sees Eckhart reply “I’m not?” when asked if he was definitely not making a reappearance as Two-Face in 2012. That cheeky grin of his didn’t help either.

3 ACTRESSES CONTENDING FOR ROLE IN SUPERMAN FILM…BUT NOT FOR LOIS LANE?!

Just days after Zack Snyder’s confirmation of Henry Cavill playing the role of Clark Kent/Superman, the attention has now turned towards the female roles, with many rumours bursting onto the scene.  But these aren’t just any rumours. It has been suggested that there are 3 actresses who are all competing for the same female role, but shockingly, it is believed that this will not be the assumed Lois Lane. It looks like Snyder has more than one surprise in store for us for his ‘Superman: Man Of Steel” reboot, which is expected to be released in December 2012.

The three main contenders for the unknown female role are Rosamund Pike, Alice Eve and the more recognised Diane Kruger. It seems as though Snyder’s knack for recruiting low profile actors and actresses continues, with Pike and Eve being the two least known. Pike’s appearance as Miranda Frost in ‘Die Another Day’ is perhaps what made her an appealing prospect to Snyder, who likes to experiment with fresh talent. Alice Eve’s latest film saw her play Erin in last year’s ‘Sex and the City 2’, whilst Kruger, perhaps the most experienced of them all has featured in successful films such as ‘King Kong’ and ‘National Treasure’. It is no doubt that for each of these three actresses, landing this role would mean starring in their most high profile film yet.

The question is, whose identity could Pike, Eve or Kruger play if it is not Lois Lane? Could this possibly mean that the conventional Lois and Clark melodrama will not be at the centre of attention in Snyder’s take on the film? It is also believed that Christopher Nolan, David Goyer and Snyder are all on the hunt for a villain to face the man of steel.  So far, Snyder has not let anything out of the bag, but we can be sure that whatever he is planning, it will be nothing short of a surprise.

CAVILL FINALLY GETS HIS BREAKTHROUGH

Move aside Brandon Routh, it looks like Henry Cavill has just taken your role as the most iconic superhero of all time. Yes that’s right, Henry Cavill has just been announced as our very own Superman by Warner Bros. What is expected to be a mind blowing film taking into consideration the let down that was Superman Returns, it would seem that Zack Snyder, the director of the film, is not afraid to shake things up a little with this reboot.

So who has heard of Cavill before? No, me either. It would appear that Snyder is following in the same footsteps as his DC rival director, Christopher Nolan who is also producing this eagerly anticipated Superman film. The newly appointed Superman has featured in films such as ‘Stardust’ and ‘Immortals’, which is set to be released later on this year. Perhaps you may be more familiar with our British Superman from his time at British television series, ‘The Tudors’.

In the previous 6 years, Cavill has attempted to land prestigious roles including ‘James Bond’, Superman and even Nolan’s sought after Batman but lost out respectively to Daniel Craig, Brandon Routh and yes, Christian Bale. So really, you could say that it is about time that he filled the shoes of such a high profile character.

I am surprised that Routh didn’t continue to be the man of steel considering his great portrayal of the Justice League hero in ‘Superman Returns’. Evidently, Snyder wants to start from scratch. After announcing who will play Clark Kent, Snyder said: “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honoured to be a part of his return to the big screen.  I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry.  He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”

As it stands, the pictures of Cavill posing as Superman can be described as nothing but encouraging.

BANKER BY DAY, ‘STATESMEN’ BY NIGHT

Britain has its very own superhero?! Yes it’s true. All suited and booted, the anonymous banker by day prowls the streets at night, becoming our very own vigilante. This is Kick-Ass at its best. As revealed by the Daily Mail yesterday, the masked hero tries to keep the streets of Birmingham in check for four nights of the week, helping the homeless, preventing burglaries and stopping drug dealers.

Christopher Nolan had better watch out with this year’s Batman outfit, as this hidden hero could give him a run for his money. Dressed in a Union Jack T-shirt, ‘The Statesmen’ is proud to serve the nation. Following in the footsteps of Zorro, this outfit is also accompanied with a black mask so as to hide his identity like any other true superhero. That’s not all. The previous Territorial Army soldier is armed with a utility belt, military boots, a first aid kit, a torch to surprise his villains, a notepad to record any relevant information and a mobile phone to contact the police if needed. Like Batman, his fists are his forte, with the banker saying: “I’ve been boxing since I was 11 and I’m still training, it helps me to judge things and be reasonable”. Could he be any more superhero like?

Aware that his true identity is crucial to remain a secret, the banker strives to keep his family protected. This is Superman at his best, as even his own girlfriend is unaware of his heroic antics. “It helps that I have a lot of hobbies. I say I’m playing late-night poker matches with friends or watching a pay-per-view sports” he said. Is this the new Lois and Clark? When asked about his vigilante name, the banker said: “A statesman is an ambassador, a diplomat and somebody who delivers a message. Something that’s meaningful and positive, and that’s something I feel that represents what I do”. Now if those aren’t the words spoken by a true superhero, I don’t know what is.

NOLAN REVEALS HIS TWO VILLAINS

The months of speculation and gossip are now finally over. The days of eliminating every villain imaginable is behind us. The numerous bets among friends can now stop. Yes it has been confirmed, the biggest movie of 2012 will be seeing both Catwoman and Bane. Christopher Nolan finally unveiled the most sought after information in relation to ‘The Dark Knight’s sequel, ‘The Dark Knight Rises earlier on this week.

So Selina Kyle and Bane. Interestingly, Nolan has cast Anne Hathaway to fill in Catwoman’s boots. I’m sure I am not alone in thinking that the director’s choice of Hathaway came as somewhat of a surprise. Rumours of Angelina Jolie, Rachael Weisz and Kiera Knightley were probably the most heard of, but not so much Hathaway. It will be interesting to see how the actress who has starred in many romantic comedies including ’27 Dresses’ and ‘Valentines Day’ takes on the role of one of Batman’s most illustrious villains. It will most definitely be the one character in which all Batman fans will be closely scrutinizing, after Halle Berry’s poor portrayal.

Nolan’s second recruitment sees him reunite with ‘Inception’ actor Tom Hardy, who will taking on the role of Bane. Hardy who played ‘Eames’ in what can only be described as the most mind blowing film of 2010 is an exciting prospect. The director’s reputation for casting low profile actors and actresses has proved to be a success so far, so let’s hope Nolan’s knack for this doesn’t fail him now. Christian Bale who is returning to the role of DC’s most renowned character has spoken about the tough battle to compete with possibly the best Batman film ever produced – ‘The Dark Knight‘, but with these two new additions, Nolan could be prepared to amaze and pull the rabbit out the hat.