Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play Gotham City cop John Blake in Dark Knight Rises

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Dark Knight Rises role has finally been announced - he's set to play a Gotham Cop named John Blake, who is assigned a special duty by newly promoted Comissioner Gordon (Oldman, reprising his role).

Though it's doubtful the role will be as straight-forward as a simple friendly cop, at least this ends one round of the rumour mill - speculation will now begin on who the cop could turn out to be, if anyone.

Christopher Nolan has also announced Marion Cotillard will play Wayne Enterprises board member and Bruce Wayne ally Miranda Tate.

She is said to help Bruce reconnect the company with its philanthropic roots, put in place by his father Thomas when he started the company.

Nolan stated, “When you collaborate with people as talented as Marion and Joe, it comes as no surprise that you would want to repeat the experience.

"I immediately thought of them for the roles of Miranda and Blake, and I am looking forward to working with both of them again.”

Gordon-Levitt and Cotillard join fellow Inception alums Michael Caine, returning as Alfred, and Tom Hardy (Bane), with Nolan keeping true to his habit of casting actors he's previously worked with.

Though it's long been rumoured that Cotillard will play Talia Al-Ghul, the announcement doesn't mean that won't still happen, and that Miranda Tate is just a cover for her to get close to Bruce Wayne.

Last week the announcement that Josh Pence will be playing a young Ra's Al-Ghul (Liam Neeson's character in Begins ) heavily suggests that Rises will include the League of Assassins in some form, so we can't rule out Talia just yet.

Expect much more on this over the coming months.

The Dark Knight Rise s is released July 20 2012.