Soon after the release of The Dark Knight rumors began spreading that execs were looking at Johnny Depp for The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Penguin. Possibly because people watched Depp play Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and thought, “Hey, Willy Wonka is kind of like The Riddler. So, if Depp can dial down the pedophilic undertones, he’d be perfect. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman is portly and inadvertently comical, just like The Penguin!”

Depp quickly shot down the rumor saying that he hasn’t been asked. But yesterday, Michael Caine might have confirmed it to MTV at the Toronto Film Festival.

“When Christopher [Nolan] said we were going to do ‘The Dark Knight’ next, I didn’t what that meant in Batman terms,” related Caine, who plays Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth. “I said, ‘What’s the story?’ and he said The Joker. I said, ‘Oh, s–t! How are you going to top Jack [Nicholson]?’ He said, ‘Well, I’ve cast Heath Ledger. And I went ‘Ha! I couldn’t top Jack, but if anyone could, maybe Heath could.’ And he did.

“I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, ‘Are we going to make another one?’ They said yeah. I said, ‘How the hell are we going to top Heath? And he says ‘I’ll tell you how you top Heath — Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.’ I said, ‘S–t, they’ve done it again!’” [Laughs]

There you have it. According to Michael Caine through an unmaed Warner Bros. exec, Johnny Depp might be The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman might be The Penguin despite no confirmation from Christopher Nolan who will actually be the one writing and directing the next installment. So… we’re pretty much back to where we started. Fabulous!

Having a worldwide $440 million two week gross and being the best film of the year has gotten everyone talking about who will will play what in the next Dark Knight film. So it comes as no surprise that big stars are already being rumored to play possible villains despite the fact that there is no script. Today, both the Telegraph UK and MTV News report that Angelina Jolie has asked to play Catwoman in the third Dark Knight film. If you need confirmation, here’s Ms Julie Newmar who played Catwoman once in the 60′s.

Ms Newmar, 74, said: “Angelina would own the part. My industry friends tell me she has already made enquiries about the role. I can understand how it would pique her interest. Catwoman is Batman’s one true love.”

She added: “She’s tremendously popular with women because she’s both a heroine and a villainess.”

Other stars rumored to be in the next film include Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Penguin. If Christopher Nolan was smart, he’d cast Britney Spears too. She can be one of the Penguin’s henchman. You know, those blubbery little guys with huge thighs that stomp around an ice float and chase baby penguins to eat? Or am I thinking about elephant seals? Whatever, that would work too.

A spectacular movie combined with a strong viral marketing campaign and the sad, unexpected death of Heath Ledger helped Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight break major box office records. When all was said and done, The Dark Knight grossed $155.4 million making it the highest weekend opening ever for any film. The previous record was held by Spider-Man 3 which made $151.1M. Not only that, The Dark Knight also broke opening day and single day gross records making $51.3M and $39.9M respectively.

This whole movie was awesome and it was due largely in part to Heath Ledger’s superb portrayal of the Joker. That, along with the always great Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman impressed even the fickle IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes crowd. As of right now it’s the number one movie in IMDB’s Top 250, above even The Godfather, with 46 thousand votes averaging to a very respectable 9.7 while at Rotten Tomatoes it has a 94%, an approval rating usually only reserved for cheesy Pixar movies.

In short, if you haven’t seen this movie yet, you suck at life. Heath Ledger is amazing and I got free tickets to the sold out IMAX screening on Saturday courtesy of some dude in the parking lot — I didn’t even have to perform any sexual favors! Score! — which made it even sweeter.

Four new Dark Knight TV spots were released and if you’re anything like me, your pants are getting tighter and you’re screaming like a little girl. Oh, the irony. Rest of the three spots after the jump.

Comic Book Resources leaked a picture of what Harvey Dent aka Two-Face may look like in the new Batman movie. It’s awesome. Mostly because it’s a vast improvement over Tommy Lee Jones’ Two-Face who looked more at home with Run DMC than with Batman. I’d be more terrified of a chihuahua growling at me than that Two-Face. Click here to be spoiled.

Rabid fans dedicated enough to jump through hoops for the Batman viral marketing campaign were treated to a preview of the new Dark Knight trailer. A select few were even given 35mm prints to take home. Alas, these prints were defaced by that d-bag Joker who renamed the film The Dork Knight. Awesome! Although, one has to wonder. How long did it take the Joker to graffiti all these cells on the reel? Why does the Joker have so much free time? Wouldn’t it be better to use this time to concoct an ingenious plan to kill the Batman? Maybe the Joker did it the new school way after discovering Final Cut Pro on his Mac? I’m just surprised the Joker hasn’t caught up with the times. Had he been the master prankster he makes himself out to be he would have Rickrolled everyone.

If you didn’t catch the 6 minute Batman prologue running in front of the IMAX version of I Am Legend, then here it is. Download here. First impressions? There seems to be a giant head looming on the bottom left throughout the movie. I for one am excited to find out what character this head belongs too. Is it the giant baby? I’m a little hazy on my Batman history, but the giant baby was probably one of his greatest foes right after Alfred who kept shrinking his bat suit after every wash. In Alfred’s defense, Batman’s love of jelly donuts wasn’t helping either. Official (shorter) trailer here.

Whoever filmed the Batman trailer in the movie theater, you’re awesome, but next time get a better camera. For those who don’t know, a 6 or 7 minute prologue of Batman will be shown in front of Will Smith’s I Am Legend on IMAX. Someone get a camera in there stat because there’s no way I’m paying $15 to see an IMAX movie.