THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012): Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Alberto Falcone

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012): Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Alberto Falcone

Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be playing Alberto Falcone in Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight Rises. It has long been speculated what role Joseph Gordon-Levitt would play in Christopher Nolan’s 2012 Batman film. Nolan has always sought to ground his Batman films in reality even though the roots of his property are those of a comic book. Alberto Falcone is

the son of Mafia chieftain Carmine Falcone, the character Tom Wilkinson played in “Batman Begins.”

Alberto Falcone, who is also known as The Holiday Killer, would bring Nolan’s superhero trilogy full-circle. The character fits with the helmer’s stated intentions for continuity and preference to pit the Caped Crusader against “realistic” villains, as opposed to cartoonish nemeses such as Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy, who Batman battled in Joel Schumacher‘s 1997 misfire “Batman and Robin.”

This fits in with some of the original rumors for Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s role in The Dark Knight Rises

The original rumor (which was nothing more than, now very poignant, fan conjecture at the time) was that Falcone comes back to Gotham to try and reclaim the city Batman helped take from his father. Also, it made sense because Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) believes Carmine Falcone is her father in the Batman/Catwoman storyline Catwoman: When in Rome.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s casting was kept alive by his current schedule availability

Since Gordon-Levitt was first reported last month as being in talks for “Dark Knight,” he hasn’t signed on for any more projects, and his summer remains wide open.

Gordon-Levitt recently wrapped David Koepp‘s thriller “Premium Rush,” which Columbia plans to open Jan. 13. He’s currently filming Rian Johnson‘s sci-fi pic “Looper,” which co-stars Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt.

I am looking forward to seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a world created by Christopher Nolan again. We already spoke of Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy being cast in the film here: The Dark Knight Rises casting: Anne Hathaway (Catwoman), Tom Hardy (Bane). What are your thoughts on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s role in The Dark Knight Rises? The Dark Knight Rises will be released in theaters on July 20, 2012.