Crazy, right? And she beat out Keira Knightley, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Blake Lively, and Natalie Portman for the part. Hopefully her performance will be more Michelle Pfeiffer than Halle Berry. From the official press release: “Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Anne Hathaway has been cast as Selina Kyle in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. She will be starring alongside Christian Bale, who returns in the title role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Christopher Nolan stated, ‘I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Anne Hathaway, who will be a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story.'”
Also confirmed: Inception star Tom Hardy will play the role of Bane, a villain known in the comic books as “the man who broke the Bat.” The Dark Knight Rises is slated for release on July 20, 2012.