Of the many, many rumors that have swirled around The Dark Knight Rises, one of the more interesting ones is that the original idea was for Harvey Dent to survive the fall at the end of the 2008 film to become the sequel's main villain. The Joker, it's said, was to have a minor role from behind bars, serving as the Hannibal Lecter to Batman’s Clarice Starling.

However, even if there were any truth to the rumor, that was before Heath Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose. More than three years later, Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy have been cast as Catwoman and Bane, with Marion Cotillard widely expected to portray Talia al Ghul (Joseph Gordon-Levitt's potential role is anyone's guess).

But is it possible that Two-Face still has a part to play in director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy? A smirking Aaron Eckhart seems to suggest he just might.

During an interview with CBSNews.com to promote Battle: Los Angeles, the reporter asks the actor, "You're not returning to that role, right?"

Eckhart, looking almost perplexed, responds, "I'm not?" When pressed, he answers, smiling, "I could not possibly say."

Is Eckhart merely having a little fun at the expense of hopeful fans, or could Gary Oldman have been playing coy when he teased that Batman would face "a villain from one of the old, old, from way back from the old comics"?

So what are the odds we'll see Two-Face again? Eh, I think I'll flip a coin ...

The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. It begins filming in April for release on July 20, 2012.

 

(via ComingSoon)