Joseph Gordon-Levitt And Marion Cotillard's 'Dark Knight Rises' Roles Revealed

Warner Brothers has just released a press release confirming what we already knew: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard are in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises. The big news, though, is that we now finally have confirmations of each actor's role.

Gordon-Levitt will play "John Blake, a Gotham City beat cop assigned to special duty under the command of Commissioner Gordon" and Cotillard is "Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises board member eager to help a still-grieving Bruce Wayne resume his father's philanthropic endeavors for Gotham."

Read the full press release after the jump and speculate after the jump.

Here's the full press release:

MARION COTILLARD AND JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT CAST IN CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES"

BURBANK, CA, April 19, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose") and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have joined the cast of "The Dark Knight Rises," the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend.

Cotillard will appear as Miranda Tate, a Wayne Enterprises board member eager to help a still-grieving Bruce Wayne resume his father's philanthropic endeavors for Gotham. Gordon-Levitt will play John Blake, a Gotham City beat cop assigned to special duty under the command of Commissioner Gordon.

The film reunites the actors with Christopher Nolan, who recently directed them in the award-winning blockbuster "Inception."

The director stated, "When you collaborate with people as talented as Marion and Joe, it comes as no surprise that you would want to repeat the experience. I immediately thought of them for the roles of Miranda and Blake, and I am looking forward to working with both of them again."

Heading the cast of "The Dark Knight Rises," Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The main cast also includes Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle and Tom Hardy as Bane.

Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Christopher Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven.

"The Dark Knight Rises" is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

We'd long believed that Cotillard would be playing Talia al Ghul and while this press release would seem to be contradict that, there's a good chance "Miranda Tate" could just be a cover for that character. It would make sense to get close to Bruce Wayne if she wanted to get revenge on him. Her father did lead the League of Shadows after all. Plus we know that the family is represented in the film as Josh Pence has been cast as a younger version of the Ra's al Ghul, formerly played by Liam Neeson.

As for beat-cop John Blake, the description of the role seems slightly inconsequential but, being as Gordon-Levitt isn't an inconsequential actor, there's a good chance the role has heightened significance. Any idea what it could be?