Tom Hardy is reportedly playing Dr. Hugo Strange in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. The actor, most notable for his role in Nolan’s Inception, has already been confirmed as having a leading role in the film; Batman-News got the scoop from “a seemingly reliable source.” Here’s what that source had to say:
"I’ve heard that Tom Hardy is in fact going to play the villain. My source strongly believes that Hardy is going to be playing Hugo Strange. This is the first bit of information from this person that I’m publishing, however they have been accurate in the past.
For example, this person told me weeks before the recent Christoper Nolan interview that The Riddler would not be appearing in the film. They also mentioned that Rachel
Weisz and Anne Hathaway were in the running for the lead female role a couple of weeks before Deadline posted their list."
Strange is both an expert scientist and strategist of criminal activity, so expect him to be formidable foe for Bruce Wayne. Additionally, this should be a terrific role for Hardy. It will not only continue to build his awareness for the film's mainstream audience, but it will also give him an opportunity to again explore the method acting that put him on the map.
Unfortunately, there’s still no word on the identities of the two female leads or the actresses who will play them, but given the villain’s association with Catwoman in the comic book series, we might see her back in the game.
In any case, news on the female leads will likely come in the next few weeks, so stay tuned to Player Affinity for further updates. The Dark Knight Rises will hit theaters on July 20, 2012.
