New Mad Max Joins Batman 3
Inception's Tom Hardly reportedly cast in top secret role.
October 13, 2010

And Batman's next villain might be ... The Forger?

Deadline reports that English actor Tom Hardy, 33, has been cast in an unnamed "lead role" in Batman 3. Hardy previously worked with Bat-director Christopher Nolan in this summer's Inception.

"Insiders are keeping the role secret and won't even say if he's up for a villain role, but that seems a reasonable assumption," according to the site. Rumors swirled in August that Hardy was under consideration for the role of Riddler.

Hardy first came to audiences' notice as the villainous Praetor Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis before later gaining critical acclaim for his prison drama Bronson. He also starred opposite Daniel Craig in Layer Cake, and has appeared in RocknRolla, Black Hawk Down and Band of Brothers.

Hardy will also play the title role in Warner Bros.' now-delayed Mad Max 4: Fury Road after making Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and This Means War with Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine. He'll next appear onscreen in Warrior.