Movies

'Dark Knight Rises' gets 'Social Network' star

Published Friday, Apr 8 2011, 23:36 BST | By Christian Tobin | Add comment

Josh Pence has been cast in The Dark Knight Rises, it has been revealed.

The Social Network star is to play a young Ra's al Ghul in the Warner Bros picture, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sources claim that Pence will appear as the villainous character during a flashback sequence set 30 years before the events of the final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.

Ra's al Ghul was depicted by Liam Neeson in 2005's Batman Begins, but Neeson has already denied that he will be reprising the character for next year's film.

The casting reports would tie in with earlier speculation, which suggested that the movie's plot will revolve around Batman's battle with the League of Shadows, fronted by Talia al Ghul - daughter of Ra's.

Pence acted opposite Armie Hammer in last year's Social Network in the role of Tyler Winklevoss, although Hammer's face was superimposed over Pence's in the final edit.

He has recently finished shooting on Battleship and The Algerian.

The Dark Knight Rises opens in July 2012.