First Showing (.net) are reporting that a reliable insider source has all but confirmed that the Riddler will be the villain for the third Batman film – and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the now fan-favorite – is listed as “Interested” for the role:
We’ve gotten word from a reliable inside source with a studio casting grid that The Riddler is listed as a character for Chris Nolan’s highly anticipated to the sequel to The Dark Knight, which is still called Batman 3 at Warner Bros. Even more interesting, the actor currently listed in the same grid to play the assumed villain is none other than Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose status is just listed as “interested.”
So, what the hell is a casting grid?
A casting grid is used in the industry to keep production companies, agencies, etc. in the loop on a project’s progress and the roles available for actors to potentially take. These documents are used for business planning in the industry and by no means would use internet speculation to list a character that may not even appear in the film. But when it comes to listing actors, this is info that can change at anytime, and just because an actor or studio is interested in one or the other, does not mean it will actually happen.
So, it seems this may be some pretty reliable news that the Riddler will be the villain in the third film, but you can never be sure until the studio makes an official announcement. Coming off of just seeing Inception over the weekend I am even more all for Joseph Gordon-Levitt taking on the role. I think he’s got more than enough acting chops and he’s a bold actor not afraid to try new directions; similar to Heath Ledger’s Joker. I’m sure I’m not the only one pulling for him to land the role, so let’s keep fingers crossed!