Next Batman film has mobster villian

HOLLYWOOD, March 20 (UPI) -- The next Batman movie will star Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the role of villain Alberto Falcone, also known as The Holiday Killer, sources told Variety.

No formal announcement has been made, but Variety said Sunday that director Chris Nolan had decided to forgo the standard comic book super villain and go with something more realistic for "The Dark Knight Rises."

The Holiday Killer gets his name by whacking mob rivals on holidays as part of a power struggle over the rackets in always corrupt Gotham City.

Alberto Falcone is, by the way, the son of godfather Carmine Falcone, who was played by Tom Wilkinson in the "Batman Begins" chapter of the Batman saga.

Variety said Gordon-Leavitt, who was in Nolan's "Inception," was currently working on the Bruce Willis sci-fi feature "Looper."