Alfred says Depp as Riddler & Hoffman as Penguin!

Our community has been chomping at the bit wanting news concerning the livelyhood to the sequel to The Dark Knight. Will or wont Nolan return for a third feature film in the series? What baddies will be in the sequel? Who will play these baddies? Rumors have flown and flooded our webpages with various names, ideas and one-sheet's but today finally comes word from someone who is close to the series and has a tad bit more of a credible name to believe. Our favorite butler, Alfred Pennyworth played by the amazing thespian Michael Caine told MTV News that he might have some insight to what villains would grace the screen this time around and who could be potentially playing them.

Caine began by talking about what he was told in regards to the casting of the Joker in The Dark Knight, “When Christopher [Nolan] said we were going to do ‘The Dark Knight’ next, I didn’t know what that meant in Batman terms. I said, ‘What’s the story?’ and he said The Joker. I said, ‘Oh, shit! 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." Caine then went on to talk of the much rumored and talked about third film in the series. Caine said, "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, ‘Shit, they’ve done it again!’ ” While Michael Caine certainly does not have any say as to whom will be casted, he definately has heard from major sources that the focus will be indeed to get Johnny Depp as the Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin.

Caine concluded his interview with a little insight as to what is going on with Christopher Nolan and any form of a script. Caine said, “No. He’s gone. He’ll come back with a script sometime.” Michael Cain is obviously referencing Nolan's much talked of and well deserved vacation.

With huge names like Depp and Seymour Hoffman, it is a good thing that Nolan is on vacation and looking for sometime in between films. The two actors may be quite busy and could potentially take sometime to get both actors ready to shoot. furthermore, let's be realistic here, WB wants these two stars, it doesn't mean the cat is in the bag! Johnny Depp had said in regards to the rumored Riddler role on a radio show, "It seems like it'd be a fun gig for a while, yeah." So Depp is at least game, but a deal would still have to be ironed out. Seymour Hoffman was rumored after Batman Begins for the Penguin and he would be perfect for the role, I am not so sure he would do a film like this. Now with the critical acclaim of The Dark Knight and potential of raising his pay-grade, he could be coerced into doing it.

What are your thoughts? Does the Riddler and the Penguin becoming the leads of a new mob force in gotham sound like a worthy third film? The potential of Depp & Seymour Hoffman mouth-watering? For me, if they threw Mad Hatter into the mix too, I would be insane with joy!