Not for the first time, the script for The Dark Knight Rises has reportedly leaked online. But we don’t buy it…
It was towards the end of last year that we last caught a story of an alleged The Dark Knight Rises script leak. Which, given that the screenplay is more than likely being held in whatever Warner Bros' security equivalent of Fort Knox is, always struck us as unlikely.
While the key actors in the film are likely to have their copy of the screenplay now, even those are likely to be surrounded by massive security precautions. Warner Bros, and Christopher Nolan, have played details of the recent Batman films close to their chests, and things aren't likely to be different with The Dark Knight Rises.
And yet, Script Flags is arguing that the latest supposed screenplay leak might have something more to it. As the site writes, "if it is fake, its the best fake we have ever come across."
Just for the record, we'd still be amazed if it was the real thing.
Script Flags reports that the script in its possession is dated October 2010, 165 pages long, and states it's written by Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer, with a story by Christopher Nolan.
In the script itself, and you might want to look away on the very off chance that this is the real deal, characters include Talia al Ghul, Deadshot, The Black Mask and Hugo Strange (under the name of Edward Nashton, for some reason. Script Flags wonders if this is an amalgam of The Riddler and Hugo Strange). And it takes place in a Gotham City where Batman has a reconstructed Batcave, Wayne Enterprises is facing a lawsuit, Lucius Fox is having to turn against Bruce Wayne, and Batman himself has become something of a myth.
What the script doesn't have is "a clear female villain", and it's known that Christopher Nolan has been hunting for two female leads for the project. Given that the script is dated October, and the final draft was completed in January, there would still be wiggle room there.
But much as we're interested in The Dark Knight Rises, and much as we're interested in the increasing rise of seemingly fake screenplays, we don't hold out much hope that most of the above is on the level.
It's still interesting, though, and if you do crave further details on it, then head over to Script Flags, right here.
Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here.