The Internet has been buzzing recently with stories announcing that Johnny Depp will play The Riddler in the next BATMAN installment, but those rumors are without foundation. At this point, no one can even be sure that The Riddler will appear in the third film, and there’s no reason to think that JD has been approached for a role that does not yet exist. These rumors are just someone’s wishful thinking, as Peter Sciretta of slashfilm.com explains: “Wouldn’t Johnny Depp make a great Riddler? Yeah, BUT the truth of the matter is that Christopher Nolan has not yet signed on for a third BATMAN film. His brother and screenwriter Jonathan Nolan is supposedly still on the set doing work for TERMINATOR SALVATION. And who knows what David Goyer is up to. Even if he is busy penning a treatment, which is doubtful, I’m confident that casting talks won’t take place for quite some time. Nolan is also the type of guy to cast a role only when he has a script in hand. So I’m sure we won’t hear any casting announcements any time soon.”

Furthermore, adds Sciretta, there’s no assurance that the villain in the next film will even be The Riddler. “[R]emember, Goyer and Nolan told us that with 70 years of Batman history, they are more interested in some of the ‘dozens if not hundreds of other characters’ that ‘had not been in the movies before, and had not been in the sixties TV show before.’ My guess is that the villain might not be anyone we expect.” That would seem to be a wise move, to do something totally fresh and unexpected, since any movie that follows THE DARK KNIGHT will have big shoes to fill. Meanwhile, moviegoers who are eager to see Johnny Depp and Christian Bale onscreen together can watch for PUBLIC ENEMIES next July.

The Zone thanks Alex for posting the original Riddler rumor and Emma for the Peter Sciretta interview. You can read more on the Zone’s News & Views forum. –Part-Time Poet