Short List Of Actresses Up For Roles In THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Here is a short list of actresses up for consideration by Christopher Nolan for major female roles in The Dark Knight Rises.

THR is reporting that Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Biel are set to test for roles in the next two weeks. Relative newcomers Kate Mara and Charlotte Riley are also testing for a role. Gemma Arterton was also scheduled to test, but she has now been cast as the lead in Paramount's Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and might now have scheduling issues.

There are two big female roles left to fill in the film, a villain and a love interest. Insiders say that one of the parts is for the role of Talia, the daughter of villain Ra's Al Ghul (portrayed by Liam Neeson)in Batman Begins. Talia is both Batman's lover and antagonist in the comic books, she ultimately becomes the mother to Bruce Wayne's son.

Knightley, Hathaway and Biel have experience in lead roles whereas Mara and Riley are up and coming stars. Mara starred in 127 Hours and Iron Man 2 in 2010. Her sister Rooney Mara is currently shooting David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the title role. Riley has only done TV work thus far and is engaged to Tom Hardy who has already booked an unspecified role in Dark Knight Rises.

Earlier we reported a rumor that Naomi Watts and Eva Green were up for roles and and this article confims that these are still just rumors. There has been some interest in Watts, but she is busy filming the drama The Impossible with Ewan McGregor in Thailand and can't attend meetings.  Green is set to star in the business drama Arbitrage with Al Pacino, which will film in April.

Which actresses would you like to see star alongside Christian Bale?