First look: Anne Hathaway as Catwoman

Cape Town - The Dark Knight Rises is easily the most highly anticipated movie of 2012, and the constant stream of teaser promos from Warner Bros is building that hype to breaking point.

Warner Bros have now released the first official image of Anne Hathaway in character as Catwoman, the superhero alter ego of Selina Kyle.

Not much is known yet about the role Catwoman will play in Batman's plans to clean up Gotham City. Although Anne made an early impression on set when she accidentally injured a stuntman during filming.



In the picture, Catwoman is wearing a pair of curious goggles and straddling what appears to be Batman's Batcycle (or Batpod) seen in The Dark Knight.

The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan's final film in his Batman trilogy and sees Christian Bale reprise the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman opposite Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Nolan has also cast a trio from his last film Inception - Tom Hardy joins the cast as villain Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as John Blake and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate.

A mysterious teaser trailer for the movie has already been released, giving away few details but certainly whetting rabid appetites for the conclusion of one of the most successful superhero franchises of all time.

The Dark Knight Rises will be released in July 2012.

Watch the first teaser trailer here.