At last, an Alfred that can kick some butt of his own.

We knew it would be an all-new Batman, in the form of Christian Bale. But this week a lot more casting rumors have been flying around, and apparently, one has been confirmed.

Oscar winner Michael Caine has agreed to step into the elegant shoes of Alfred Pennyworth, a fighting gentleman's gentleman, for the Christopher Nolan-directed film. Currently titled Batman: Intimidation Game until some executive decides that American audiences don't understand the word "Intimidation," the film has a script by David S. Goyer.

In interviews with a couple of different outlets, Caine has spilled a few plot details, including that the film will spend a little time in Bruce Wayne's childhood. While the previous film series (I'm pretending this is a whole new franchise) showed glimpses of Wayne's past, they were little more than snippets, not actual scenes. And only one of them made any sense. So this could be a very cool angle that Goyer and Nolan are exploring.

What else is known about the film is that it will open in Gotham City with Batman fighting against The Scarecrow, one of the more traditional Arkham Asylum villains. The hot rumor floating around has been that Cillian Murphy, the hero of 28 Days Later, has been cast in the role of the insane former psychiatrist who preys on his victims' fear.

Still following the pattern established by Batman Returns, however, this film uses The Scarecrow as a secondary villain. Allegedly the action will shift to London (?) when Batman must track down the world-dominating R'as al Ghul. Some hearts may flutter to know that Nolan has been talking to Aragorn himself, Viggo Mortensen, to take the part of the immortal megalomaniac.

Would YOU give up fighting crime for her?

Both Murphy and Mortensen seem like good choices, if true. Granted, Mortensen is not as old as al Ghul has traditionally been portrayed, but then again, the guy is immortal. He could just grey his hair up for sophistication's sake.

The rumor, however, that will get fanboy blood a-pumpin' is that Katie Holmes is in talks to play the love interest. Logically, that might mean Talia, the Daughter of the Demon (as R'as al Ghul has been known), but Warner has not leaked the character name specifically. We're free to draw our own conclusions, and as hardcore geeks, this is the one we have drawn.

I'll give you a hundred to one it's Silver St. Cloud.

Derek McCaw