CBM’s reported rumors regarding romance in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, saying some actresses have been approached to play Bruce Wayne’s sometime girlfriend, Julie Madison, and Commissioner Gordon’s lover, Sarah Essen. The news is a bit timely given Tony's recent questioning of whether Batman even needs a love interest in this third movie.    

Now… who're the lovely (rumored) ladies?

Charlize Theron is linked to Essen. I'd list her credits but, considering how she won an Oscar, you've probably heard of her. Her character debuted in BATMAN: YEAR ONE as Gordon's partner and mistress. She’s the one who that infamous “Gordon has a beer, cheats on his wife” meme refers to - - you know, the one that ran back when Darren Aronofsky was trying to get the YEAR ONE movie off the ground.

Kacie Thomas and Vera Farmiga are supposedly in the running for Julie Madison. The character, I believe, was Batman’s first love interest from the comics; a socialite engaged to Bruce Wayne who had no idea about his double life. As I recall, she was also Bruce's love interest in BATMAN & ROBIN - - though I won't fault anybody or not knowing that. Thomas' only credit so far is in THE BURNING PLAN which, oddly enough, starred Charlize Theron. You'll probably best know Farmiga for being caught in the middle of the Leo/Damon love triangle in THE DEPARTED.   

Thomas is on the left and Farmiga's on the right, below. == TEASER ==

Gallery

The thing is, whether audiences realize it or not, romance has actually been integral to this new BATMAN series since the very beginning. I remember an interview with David Goyer a while back wherein he revealed that, back when he and Chris Nolan were first getting BATMAN BEGINS together, the only stipulation the studios had was that the movie had to be PG-13 and it had to be romantic.

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wow! I don t know what to say. I expected Charlize to be Catwoman, ah well.....

Charlize would make a good Sarah Essen

Hey, do you understand that introduction of Sarah Essen may make Comissioner Gordon look worse?

Charlize and Olga, prepare... phasers set to full FAP!

Yeah it really wouldn't make sense to have Sarah Essen at this stage of the batman movies.  Maybe we could having Renee Montoya as a character in the movie?

yawn. this movie sounds more boring with every month that passes by.

When will the events in Dark Knight Rises take place in relation to Dark Knight? If Dark Knight Rises is suppposed to take place fairly soon after the event of Dark Knight then having a love interest for Bruce doesn't even make sense seeing as how the love of his life Rachel Dawes just died. Would Bruce move on that quickly?

Sarah Essen was an interesting character before Joker killed her, but isn't Gordon married already in the movies? So...is it possible this movie might push more on the Batman: Year One route where Gordon has an affair? I hope not.

Is this rumor as reliable as that Riddler one?

She looks like Sarah.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm more interested in watching sweaty, fit men jump around and grab each other than see some beautiful women.

I adored Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air. There is something about her, that seems so intelligent, and educated, yet classy that makes me feel she'd be a great opposite to Bale. She can definitely pull off a high class socialite, again I point to Up in the Air.

I think the movie should take place a little bit down the line from the events of the Dark Knight.

McSteamy

Theron and Farmiga are both phenomenal and gorgeous actresses, either or both would be great for the Batmovies

There any neeed for a freacking love story?

I never would have expected Sarah Essen to be in the movie. Or in any Batman movie, for that matter. It just goes to show how discerning Nolan is with his inspiration - he really draws from the best sources.

And I'll always take more Vera Farmiga. She's an actress with a compelling presence who would fit right into Nolan's universe.

VERA FARMIGA?!?!?!?!?!?! 

Pardon my language but F*CK Julie Madison. Rachel Dawes was already basically a Nolanverse version of Julie Madison. I say just go with the one character that was missing from the entire trilogy and should've been there the entire time. VICKI VALE!!!

It'd be interesting to see Essen in it.

" I'd rather see Theron play Bruce's love interest, Silver St.Cloud. "

Bad idea, no one in the entire world cares about Julie Madison.

It would be nice to see Theron

Theron is a monster.

Julie Madison? Who the hell cares about her? I'd like to see Vicki Vale or maybe that white haired chick (sorry, her name isn't coming to me right now) he used to mess with in the 80's. The one who found out who Batman was by studying his jawline or something like that, I can't really remember.

" @The Hobgoblin:  @The Hobgoblin said:

" I'd rather see Theron play Bruce's love interest, Silver St.Cloud. "

I love Silver St Cloud Theron would be great but Steve Englehart is almost out of his mind and convinced The Dark Knight ripped off his Batman comic that was never published so best not make him more mad and not use Silver.  "

A nice choice for the new love interest, but I would have preferred Vicki Vale or Catwoman.    

"and it had to be romantic"
-sigh- °__°
Hollywood still making every single blockbuster/big budget movie being a romance at heart... So... "original"...

I'd prefer Talia to be the love interest frankly.  Not overly concerned or caring about Essen being cast.  Then again, an interesting question, would Bruce really move on that quickly after Rachel Dawes dies ?

F*ck romance, I want action!

HOLLY SHIT!!!  Julie Madison! Does this mean I'll be getting my wish of Hugo Strange as the bad guy!? her current version was in a batman mini series "Batman and the monster men" where it takes place in batman's early years and HUGO STRANGE is the main bad guy who also has a beef with Julie madisons father.
 
HUGO STRANGE YA!
 

NO NO NO JULIE MADISON!
She'll be  waste.

 For everyone saying that the romance will take away from the violence time, Considering that The Dark Knight was a freaking LONG movie, I can only assume The Dark Knight Rises will be about 5 Hours long, leaving plenty of room for both face sucking and face breaking.