People always love to run wild with rumors, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. And one of the movies that has been getting and will undoubtedly continue to get rumors kicked around is for the sequel to the much loved The Dark Knight, known for the time being as simply Batman 3.

But I don't think any amount of past rumors could prepare you for the ridiculousness of the one that the UK's The Sun newspaper has reported: that Eddie Murphy will play The Riddler! I think this is easily a flat-out false piece of news (it was posted on the newspaper's Bizarre Movie News page so perhaps it was intended as a joke?). This is so out there that there's no way it's true.

On top of that ridiculous notion The Sun also reports that Spielberg favorite Shia LaBeouf will portray Robin in the next installment of the franchise. Collider officially debunked both these pieces of via an interview with head of Warner Bros, Alan Horn, that reveals that not even Nolan has signed on to do another film never mind any new characters implemented and cast. Horn had this to say:

We’ve been talking to Chris Nolan and what we have to do is get him in the right place and have him tell us what he thinks the notion might be for a great story, but Chris did a great job and we’d love to have him come back and do another one.

The story is everything and we are very respectful of Chris. We have a wonderful relationship with him and we are going to be respectful of his timing and we want to get it right. Also, I think the fans expect that – they want us to make a terrific movie – we have to give them another great movie.

Without Nolan on-board there's no way Warner Bros. would cast this thing, so I think we can consider these casting rumors false.

Other, more believable Batman news comes from respected Batman movie news outlet Batman-On-Film. They are insisting that the rumors of Rachel Weisz playing Catwoman in the next film (which Screen Rant already covered):

"...she may not ultimately nab the role, but it isn't BS."

I personally think the notion of Weisz portraying the Catwoman character is a very believable one. As BoF already said she may not ultimately get the role but it's not a complete load of rubbish either.

But as AintItCoolNews reports:

No talent has a finished contract yet. Specifically, Chris Nolan doesn't have a deal. There is no story treatment on anybody's desk at Warners. No accepted pitches. No talent beyond Chris Nolan has been approached. Now... would Warners like to be immediately in development on the new caped crusader film with Bale and Nolan? You betcha, but that's why they're giving Nolan the room he needs to come back to the cowl.

I think specifically the Eddie Murphy and Shia LaBeouf rumours are just another example of people running wild with any little piece of news that comes out. It seems these people will never learn.

What do you make of the casting rumors? Isn't Murphy as The Riddler just the most ridiculous idea ever?

Sources: BatmanOnFilm, AintItCoolNews, Collider and The Sun