{babes} 'Dark Knight' female villain sought

Keira Knightley, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Rachel Weisz are among Hollywood's hottest actress vying for roles in the next Batman film.

Director Christopher Nolan has also lined up a pair of blondes - Blake Lively and Naomi Watts - to meet with as he casts two leading ladies for The Dark Knight Rises, the upcoming third instalment of the superhero franchise.

According to Deadline.com, the super-secretive filmmaker is on the hunt for a female villain and a love interest for Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne.

Speculation has been rife about the forthcoming blockbuster's plot details, with recent reports suggesting Tom Hardy will play Batman's foe in the follow-up to 2008's The Dark Knight.