The Batman is heating up after years of talks and speculation about what it will be and who will star in it. Late Thursday, news broke that Robert Pattinson was in negotiations to star as Bruce Wayne. Today, it has been noted that, while Pattinson is definitely in the running, he hasn't officially signed on, and Nicholas Hoult is also a current front runner. Now we have some intel on the villains. Apparently, the movie will have two and they are both iconic in the DC universe.

According to sources close to the project, The Penguin and Catwoman will be tangling with The Dark Knight in this latest outing for the billionaire vigilante. Catwoman was featured in the final chapter in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins trilogy, played by Anne Hathaway. The last time we saw Penguin on the big screen was in Tim Burton's Batman Returns, which released way back in 1992. The villains haven't been confirmed at this time.

Josh Gad has long teased his involvement in The Batman, often hinting that he is playing the Penguin. That has never been confirmed by anyone associated with the project in an official capacity, and it might just be trolling on Gad's part. Thus far, no names have been mentioned for Catwoman, but why not give newcomer Kelli Mayo a shot? Perhaps DC Films and Warner Bros. will go for a more diverse angle in casting Batman's sometime love interest.

The shortlist for Bruce Wayne is said to be very short, and many completely jumped the gun yesterday in reporting that Robert Pattinson had officially signed on. Some are saying that a deal is done, others claim it is on ongoing process. The latest rumor says a 'vetting system' is being utilized, which means Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult are going through a rigorous process of screen tests, costume tests, readings and meetings. This happened during the casting for the MCU's Peter Parker, with a number of actors emerging as the front runner before Tom Holland actually officially signed on.

Batman is being called Warner Bros.' most important brand and character. He is the most popular superhero in the world, even moreso than anyone in Marvel's stable. And the IP has only risen in value since the time that Christian Bale took on the role of Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight films. It is stated that Warner Bros. is being very meticulous. And they don't want a repeat of Ben Affleck, who first appeared in Batman V Superman before starring in Justice League. He also had a small cameo in Suicide Squad, and was supposed to write, direct and star in The Batman. We all know how that turned out.

When it came time to cast Green Lantern, it is noted that Ryan Reynolds won out over Bradley Cooper due to what he looked like in the mask. So the same process is expected here. Who has the better chin? Robert Pattinson or Nicholas Hoult? And is there anyone else in contention right now that we don't know about? As we saw with Peter Parker, a dark horse could emerge before this is all said and done. It's also possible that these names are being leaked early to see what the overall fan reaction is.

It is believed that Matt Reeves is still working on the screenplay, tweaking and polishing it into something perfect. The story is believed to be more of a mystery, with Batman utilizing his detective skills. When all is said and done, will we see Penguin and Batwoman going up against The Batman? This is the same combo used in Batman Returns. A winning formula. But why not go for something new and at least a little different? This rumor comes from The Hollywood Reporter.