Dark Knight producer speaks!

The anticipation for Christopher Nolan’s follow up to Batman Begins is slowly cranking up to eleven. Despite the fact it won’t be in cinemas for another couple of years, pre-production on The Dark Knight is trotting along and the Batman machine is slowly stirring from its slumber.

“The script is in the process of being written,” producer Chuck Roven told Superhero Hype! “We are hoping, depending upon everyone's schedule and other aspects of what it is they want to do with their careers, that we're going to get most if not all of the characters who are alive back.”

Christian Bale is sure to be slipping the cowl back on and Michael Caine has been quoted as saying he’d love to come back for another Batfest. After the unveiling of Heath Ledger as The Joker, Roven refused to whet our appetite further by commenting on the buzz linking Philip Seymour Hoffman to the role of waddling brolly enthusiast The Penguin… shocker.

“We don't comment on any rumours because it takes all the fun away, but we're really thrilled about Heath Ledger playing The Joker. He's just a brilliant, brilliant actor and you know this Joker is a very interesting, dark fellow.”

Roven revealed that principal photography is slated to start at the beginning of 2007 with the main shoot kicking off in the spring.

“We are supposed to start shooting what we call a pre-shoot in January and then the main body of the movie is going to start in March.”

For a peek at what we think you can expect from Ledger’s turn in the purple suit, take a flick through the classic Batman graphic novel Arkham Asylum… scary.

Source: ( Superhero Hype! )