With “The Dark Knight” collect million bucks in the States and overseas, Warner Bros is already trying to figure out how much money it’ll take to get Nolan back in the director’s chair for a third outing. Nolan probably secured as director, the interesting question turns to the casting: Bale will be back as Batman, but who will villains? The names that have been floating around the Internet for the last week and change has Johnny Depp as the Riddler, Angelina Jolie as Catwoman, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.

So let’s look at where all the “Batman Begins 3″ casting rumors are coming from.

The Angelina Jolie as Catwoman rumor seems to have sprung from one source: Julie Newmar, who played Catwoman on the Batman TV show, via NYDailyNews:

Julie Newmar, Hollywood’s most iconic “Catwoman,” thinks Angelina Jolie is the right choice to slip into her skintight costume - once the steamy actress is back in fighting form.

“Angelina would own the part,” said Newmar.

“My industry friends tell me [she] has made inquiries about the role,” added the 74-year-old actress, who played Catwoman in the original “Batman” TV series starring Adam West.

“I can understand how it would pique her interest. Catwoman is Batman’s one true love,” noted Newmar. “She’s tremendously popular with women because she’s both a heroine and a villainess.

“When you look at the staggering box office of this current film, which actress wouldn’t want to jump in?”

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Up next, the Johnny Depp as Riddler rumor. Another major casting coup, but I have the same problems with it as I do the Jolie as Catwoman rumor — Depp is too big of a name, and his casting may overshadow the story. And we all saw what happened when Jim Carrey was thrusting his package at us the last time he was in the Bat universe.

The Telegraph newspaper in the UK has more on this particular rumor, citing “studio bosses” as trying to get Depp to join up:

Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker has set the bar high for Gotham City villains, but reports in the US say studio bosses have set their sights on Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.

“Producers are convinced that the role of The Riddler is perfect for Depp. Johnny’s a pro. He’ll be able to take direction and still make the character his own. And what better Penguin is there than Philip Seymour Hoffman?” a source said.

Meanwhile, the Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Penguin rumor. Hoffman is an excellent actor, and would definitely be a plus to a movie like “Batman Begins 3″, where he could do the same kind of gritty, down and dirty work that Heath Ledger was able to do. Both actors are famous, but just not famous enough to not have the whole movie be about Heath Ledger the famous A-list actor playing a role