Ever since Marvel announced release dates for a slew of new comic book-related films yesterday, the internets have come alive with scoopers. We were a bit burned on the last rumor Cinema Blend reported, so take all three of these with a huge grain of salt.

Captain America: According to CB, Matthew McConaughey is the first name to hit the possible cast list. The film, now titled The First Avenger: Captain America, has been given a release date of May 6, 2011, and so I wouldn't expect a name to sign on for awhile. That's not to say there isn't a wish list floating around -- and, if one did exist, I imagine McConaughey's name would be on it, along with several others. I'm sure fans already hate the idea of seeing Mr. Rom Com himself show up as their beloved Captain America, but I actually think it's a good choice -- an interesting choice -- and one I'd definitely support. With the right script, he'd bring the looks, the muscle and the charisma. (Actually, I could kinda see him playing Thor, too.)

Iron Man 2: Yes, work will begin on this monster right away as a release date of April 30, 2010 is already in place, giving Jon Favreau and his team two years to get what will soon become the world's most highly-anticipated sequel in the can. But what will it be about? Well, CB claims that one of the plot lines being considered involves Sam Jackson returning as Nick Fury in order to team up with Stark to go after a terrorist called The Mandarin (featured prominently in the comic books as one of Iron Man's greatest villains). They also claim Marvel may throw a Thor cameo into the sequel to further tie The Avengers thing together, and also because Thor will debut his own film a couple of months later on July 4, 2010.

And the Bats???

So today is the day we've all been waiting for. Apparently, there are a couple things to watch out for in the land of Gotham City. First off, the Joker has already kick-started his April Fools nonsense by unveiling a list of locations throughout the world along with this message: "Ready to have a ball? A special bag of fun awaits the first to claim it, but you'd better strike fast, there's no time to spare." As of now, only a few actual international locations have been revealed, with spots throughout the United States still left to be uncovered. The cities are all there, though, with the exception of New York City. What gives Joker? But it does include Philly, San Francisco, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, etc ...

One imagines each location in each city will be revealed as we pass a certain time in the day. Last time Joker did something like this, it was mass chaos -- and I believe (if I can remember correctly) we walked away with a photo of the Joker. So there's definitely something that will be unveiled today, and I doubt it will be a photo of the Joker. Perhaps a new trailer? A photo of Two Face? Dunno. Another site to keep an eye on is I believe in Harvey Dent. Supposedly, Dent is holding a press conference this afternoon at 3PM (EST?), so be on the look out for that too.

Of course, if you should find anything at any of these locations, definitely let us know what it is. The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

UPDATE: More cities, including some in the United States, have been revealed.

Okay, so it's not exactly a photo of Aaron Eckhart from the actual movie, but it is a blurry photo (click on the image for a larger version) of the new Two Face action figure recently showcased at a restricted press event during the New York Toy Fair. Of course, throw up the word 'restricted' and there's bound to be at least one dude with a hidden camera phone. Dark Horizons nabbed the photos, which are indeed fuzzy, but enough to make out what the character will look like. This also means that, yes, Eckhart will most definitely make his transformation in The Dark Knight from Harvey Dent to the villainous Two Face. But when he does it, and for how long he's on screen, we do not know.

Some have suggested that Two Face will make an appearance at the very end of the film, for one or two scenes, as a teaser into the third installment. Seeing as it's been confirmed that Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and Joker (Heath Ledger) will both be included in the film, it's my hope that this is the way they go. Last thing we want is a rushed Two Face storyline; I'd rather more focus on the Joker and for Two Face to team up with another Gotham baddie in the third installment. What do you think?

The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

The Los Angeles Times spoke to director Christopher Nolan recently with regards to whose story we'll really be seeing when The Dark Knight hits theaters later this summer. While the marketing plan from Warner Bros. has so far concentrated almost exclusively on the Joker (as played by Heath Ledger), Nolan has stepped up to explain just how important the Joker is to the plot of this movie. He says, "Harvey Dent is a tragic figure, and his story is the backbone of this film. The Joker, he sort of cuts through the film -- he's got no story arc, he's just a force of nature tearing through. Heath has given an amazing performance in the role, it's really extraordinary."

Hmmm ... fascinating. But it definitely makes sense. You'll remember that in the opening IMAX scene, it appears the Joker is already somewhat established as a widely-known criminal in Gotham City. So taking Nolan's comments into account, we probably won't see some sort of Joker flashback origin story unless Batman does research and digs up some old newspaper articles (the likely route in any Batman film -- head to the newspaper articles!). This also means that Harvey Dent (played by Aaron Eckhart) will almost certainly make his transformation to Two Face at some point before the end of the flick. The big question is, though, will the Two Face story end in The Dark Knight, or will Nolan tease Two Face into a third film? Additionally, The LA Times also confirms that Cillian Murphy will be reprising his role as Scarecrow in the sequel.

Here's where I make my plea to Warner Brothers: Please, pretty pretty please, do not unveil a photo of Two Face prior to the film arriving in theaters. This is the only secret we have left, and I would love to go into The Dark Knight not knowing what Nolan did with the look of Two Face. I'm on hands and knees Warners. Please.

I've stayed away from this story for a few days to see how it develops, but now seems to be a good time to point you toward The Dark Knight viral site WhySoSerious.com, as it appears they're using a candle inside a carved-out pumpkin to count down toward some kind of announcement ... on Halloween, perhaps? Not long ago, this pumpkin with a candle inside appeared on the site, and folks immediately began to look for its purpose. Right from the start, it was obvious this was a nod to the pumpkin that appeared on the cover of Batman: The Long Halloween, which was a 13-issue comic book series that director Christopher Nolan used, in part, as a source for The Dark Knight. Among other things, The Long Halloween tells of Two Face's origins -- and, as we all know by now, this will be touched upon in the follow-up to Nolan's Batman Begins (with Aaron Eckhart playing Harvey Dent, aka Two Face).

What's interesting about the pumpkin and the candle, is that with each day that passes, the candle burns down a little -- leading many to believe that the candle will burn out completely on Halloween, at which time we'll be given some sort of Dark Knight trick or treat. What will they give us? Photos? Another teaser trailer? More riddles? Absolutely nothing? Who knows, but it's got the online community buzzing and we've got only 12 more days before the mystery will (hopefully) be over. So bookmark WhySoSerious.com, and you bet we'll be back here to let you know whatever it is that appears (or doesn't) on that page once the candle burns out. Any ideas? The Dark Knight will arrive in theaters on July 18.

I'm such a bastard sometimes, because I know exactly what you're thinking: "Seven minutes of The Dark Knight! Online! And I can watch it now!" Unfortunately, no, but the good news is you'll be able to watch it very soon. According to a report over on Collider (via a Portuguese website who just attended a Dark Knight set visit in London), six or seven minutes of next summer's Batman follow-up will screen before the IMAX version of I Am Legend. This won't be an extended trailer of sorts; from what we know, this will be an entire scene -- they're calling it a prologue about the Joker. That's all we have to go on now, but if you planned on seeing I Am Legend when it hits theaters on December 14, you might as well skip over to the local IMAX and check it out there. No word on whether a new Dark Knight trailer will come attached to Legend in conventional theaters, but I've heard there may indeed be something.

We already know Christopher Nolan shot a certain amount of scenes in IMAX, one of which was a bank heist scene, but this sounds like it might be different. Additionally, and also coming from the same set visit, Collider reports that Gotham City will go through a "white night," though there's no explanation as to what that is. They say "Two Faces will be in the film" -- not sure if that was a typo, meant to read 'Two Face,' but it appears that way. And, also, Batman will be traveling outside Gotham City for the first time to Hong Kong (which we already knew). I haven't been to an IMAX film in a long time (too friggin' big for this old man), but I may just have to suck it up and catch I Am Legend for the Batman footage. How about you? Would you rather wait until the film comes out, or are you eager to soak up any and all things Batman-related right now? The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

I wonder if we'll ultimately spend more time this summer talking about The Dark Knight than we will next summer when the film actually comes out? Ryan already alerted us to the rumor that the Batman sequel will unveil a teaser in front of The Simpsons Movie on July 27, as well as at San Diego ComicCon on the same day. Hopefully that also means one will hit the online, because I won't be at ComicCon, nor will I be seeing The Simpsons in theaters (I'm reviewing it, so I'll check it out at one of them advanced screenings that don't show previews). So that was yesterday. Today, we have new pics of Heath Ledger as The Joker, courtesy of The Dark Knight's Unofficial Movie Blog. It's probably important to point out that I'm not positive this is Ledger (it could be a stunt double), but there's no question it's Joker. Additionally, the site also provides video of Joker's truck.

Aside from these Joker pics, folks from just about every movie news site have been attempting to hit up Aaron Eckhart for more Two Face info while the dude has been out promoting his latest flick, No Reservations. Although he's been doing his best to keep quiet, MTV Movie News managed to obtain confirmation from Eckhart that he will be donning the Two Face costume at some point during The Dark Knight. He says, "I play Harvey Dent. Harvey Two-Face. They are both in the movie." He wouldn't go much further than that, but he did say he was looking forward to shooting a specific scene this October. As to what that scene entails, Eckhart coyly answered: "I don't know. There might be anger involved. There might be tears. It might be a cathartic day. It might be a lot of love." Man, July 27 can't come soon enough -- I'm dying to see some actual footage by now. The Dark Knight hits theaters July 18, 2008.

Before I begin, I'd like to state two things: First off, the following are rumors and nothing is official until we see it with our own eyes. Also, what I'm about to tell you might be deemed spoiler-ish, so if you don't want to know anything about The Dark Knight (rumor or not), then I suggest not reading this story. Are we clear? With that, Batman on Film is reporting a few interesting little nuggets via one of their top secret sources, "Miranda Fox." The most fascinating of these rumors being the possible appearance of The Scarecrow in The Dark Knight. There's no word on where, why or how he would make an appearance, but Fox notes: "The Scarecrow, played by Cillian Murphy, will be back." If this is true, then that means there's a good chance Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) will not make his Two Face transformation in this film unless he does so at the very end and they use it as a cliffhanger.

Aside from that, here are a few other scoops from Miranda Fox: "The Joker is "The Joker" throughout the film. There could be some classic Nolan "flashbacks" that vaguely hint at his origin, but there is no big "Joker origin story." As far as Joker descriptions go, it appears some Chicago extras are beginning to spill their guts: "My guy "Chicago Extra" was correct in his description of The Joker (Heath Ledger), but there is a reason that The Joker's neck isn't white, but is "flesh-colored" (and I'll leave it at that). The Joker will wear purple in the film. It may not be a literal translation from his comic book suit, but he wears purple. A "gash smile" is a better description of The Joker's grin than "cut smile." Also, Fox adds that Rachel Dawes (as played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) will have a much bigger role in the sequel.

On another front, BoT reports via a New York Post story that Eric Roberts will indeed play the gangster Sal Maroni. According to the paper, "Roberts will play Mafia kingpin Sal Maroni. Landing the role is a blockbuster coup for Roberts, who was reportedly hand-picked by director Christopher Nolan over rumored candidates James Gandolfini and Bob Hoskins." Oh, and the film is currently shooting in London. Any thoughts on all this? How do you figure Christopher Nolan will work in Scarecrow?

For those of you who are up to date on your Batman history, the thought of gangster Sal Maroni playing a major role in The Dark Knight is far from an insane idea. After all, Maroni is the one who originally throws acid at Harvey Dent, scarring his face -- an event that paves the way for Dent to become the villain Two Face (who is being played by Aaron Eckhart in the new flick). This scene -- which takes place in a courtroom -- is briefly touched upon in Batman Forever via a news report on TV; in that film, Boss Maroni (as he's referred to) was played by Dennis Paladino.

Batman-on-Film reports that Maroni will once again make an appearance, though director Christopher Nolan might be looking to beef up his role. Early rumors suggest that none other than Tony Soprano himself, James Gandolfini, is being looked at to play Maroni. However, Aussie actor Alan Dale is also rumored to have been cast as a villain in The Dark Knight, leading some to believe he will be playing Maroni, not Gandolfini. BoF claims Dale's role is a small one; if that's the case -- and he is playing Maroni -- that means the gangster will not have a major role and, instead, will probably show up toward the end to throw acid at Dent. Regardless, this old school storyline is a fun one, especially if Nolan decides to include Carmine Falcone and the infamous serial killer Holiday. Perhaps Gandolfini is Maroni and Dale is Falcone? I don't know, what do you think?

UPDATE: Yes, I'm a moron for not realizing (or remembering) that Tom Wilkinson played Falcone in Batman Begins. Thanks for pointing that out folks!

For those of you playing along at home, you can take out your giant "cast rumors" book and flip open to the "Harvey Dent, AKA Two-Face" page. Scan down the list past Ryan Phillippe, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Liev Schreiber until you get to Hugh Jackman. Then take out a writing utensil (preferably a pencil, because those suckers have erasers for when this news undoubtably changes in the rumor mill sometime next week) and cross Jackman's name right out.

That's right, good old fan favorite Hugh Jackman, who finds his name attached to literally every superhero movie (did you hear the one about Jackman as Wonder Woman?), has officially denied any involvement with Chris Nolan's Dark Knight flick: "I think because I'd worked with Chris Nolan. I think it was just fanboy stuff." This leaves us with two rumor holes to fill, fans. First, we can expect a new nomination to join the ranks of Two-Face hopefuls. After that, it'll be a race to see what superhero flick can link Jackman to itself next. The way he's going, it'll probably be a movie that doesn't even exist.

Looks like a bunch of folks were able to sit in on an editing session with Christopher Nolan as he was wrapping up The Prestige and, subsequently, brought back some more info regarding that Batman sequel, The Dark Knight.

While Nolan is certainly not spilling the beans as far as plot goes, he did chime in on those rumors that had Ryan Phillippe up for the role of Harvey Dent/Two Face and Philip Seymour Hoffman playing the Penguin. When asked about the actors possible participation in the sequel, Nolan laughed and replied, "No truth, no truth to any of those rumors. All interesting ideas though." So, does that mean we're back to square one as far as Dent and Penguin go? Personally, I'd take Nolan's comments with a grain of salt -- I mean, Hollywood often works in mysterious ways.

Nolan also alluded to the fact that there may be a bit more action in The Dark Knight as the film will begin with Bruce Wayne as Batman, making it easier to jump right into the mayhem, rather than spend a ton of time on backstory. The Dark Knight is tentatively scheduled to hit theaters in June of 2008.

Now that the role of Joker is unofficially in the hands of Heath Ledger, rumors are heating up regarding the other major baddie in Christopher Nolan's Untitled Batman Begins Sequel. Harvey Dent, Gotham's young assistant D.A. ultimately transforms into one of Batman's greatest villains -- Two Face. Word is Dent will not become Two Face until the third film, making it so whoever signs up for the role must do so for at least two films.

So far, a ton of names have been mentioned: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Josh Lucas and Jake Gyllenhaal, to name a few. Personally, I think it would be hilarious if Gyllenhaal nabbed the role -- Brokeback Batman, anyone? The latest name being circulated around the Bat-cave is that of Crash star and Mr. Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe. Ugh. Actually, make that a double ugh.

Yes, I'm one of those people who cannot stand Ryan Phillippe. Besides the fact he is as boring as they come, the guy just can't act. Once past those pretty-boy looks, it's all empty space. Ledger I can deal with, however, I draw the line with Phillippe. Please. I beg you. Don't do it.

[via Moviehole]

Josh Lucas recently announced his interest in playing the part of Harvey Dent (AKA Two Face) in Christopher Nolan's upcoming sequel to last summer's box office hit Batman Begins. It turns out the man wasn't speaking lightly, he really wants this part, and has appealed to the world writ large to help him obtain it. He recently pleaded with the Batman Begins team to give him a call, and then pleaded with the fans to do their part, saying "I do want to do it, I love the rumor; please keep it up." He then went on to talk about why he was interested in the character, discussing the intrinsic duality of Two Face and how appealing the challenge of such would be to an actor.

The enthusiasm exhibited by Lucas is fantastic. While there are several great actors with their hats in the ring for this part, I certainly think Lucas is a viable candidate. It'll be quite interesting to see if this little personal publicity campaign does him any good. Presumably the studio already has a solid idea of who they are interested in ... but maybe his energy will catch someone's attention.

[via BoF]

Welcome back to As the Bat Turns, today's most hip and happening soap opera about casting rumors for a sequel to Batman Begins. When we last left, fan-supported Paul Bettany had taken a big hit when Warner Brothers announced they weren't all that interested in him, and instead hoped to cast Jude Law -- who had been rumored to be a front runner for the Bruce Wayne role some years ago. This took Law out of the running for Harvey Dent, AKA Two Face; and now a new actor is needed to fill this prominent rumor spot. ...

Let's welcome aboard Josh Lucas, a young up-and-comer whose name has been showing up in a lot of places lately. His has certainly been whispered about regarding the Batman franchise before, and just recently declared his strong interest in grabbing the Two Face role. IESB asked him about it, and he flatly declared "absolutely, I want the role." Now we wait to find out if the studio wants him ...

For awhile now, all we've been hearing about the character Harvey "Two Face" Dent (as per his part in the next two Batman films) was that Liev Schreiber had all but locked up the role. Now, according to Batman on Film, it seems as if you can throw Josh Lucas' name into the mix. The actor, who has been quietly inching his way up the radar with films like Sweet Home Alabama and Wonderland,has also dipped into the Marvel universe with a role as baddie Glen Talbot in the movie version of the Hulk.

Lucas also has a prominent role in the soon-to-be-released Glory Road, as well the upcoming Poseidon remake. Could this be why they're going after him? Is Josh Lucas the next big thing? Personally, I think Schreiber would play a better Two Face, seeing as he easily has the ability to gofrom straight-laced to creepy in a matter of moments. Lucas, however, has this whole boy-next-door thing going on and I'm not so sure he can pull off the amount of depth required for the Two Face role.

Another possible problem with casting is that whoever signs on to that role will have to do so for two films, instead of one. From what we understand so far, Dent will not be making his actual transformation into Two Face until the third Batman installment. Who do you like better for the role - Lucas or Schreiber?