As we creep ever closer to the July 20 release for The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan and his cast have started to open up a little more about the slightly anticipated final entry in his Bat-franchise. When we say “a little more,” that's emphasis on "little", as this is Nolan and co, after all, who might as well work for the secret services for all the information they’re usually willing to part with. But chatting to EW, Nolan has been talking up the movie’s two big new characters, Bane and Selena Kyle, AKA Catwoman.

“He represents formidable physical strength, combined with absolute evil of intention,” says Nolan of the former, played by Tom Hardy. Which isn’t exactly news given that everything we’ve seen of the man’s actions so far scream danger and power.

He’s slightly more forthcoming on his vision for Kyle, calling her “a shifty cipher, calloused survivor, and world-class criminal.” For Anne Hathaway, who was tasked with bringing her to life, the physical challenge was the tough part. “Chris sat me down at the beginning and said, ‘Joseph Gordon-Levitt did all of his own fighting in Inception. That one zero gravity fight? He trained for two months.’ I basically left his office and went to the gym and just came out about five minutes ago.”

For more from Nolan, Hathaway and Hardy, head over to EW. But there are also one or two new pictures lurking out there, including an impressive high-res shot of Hathaway in costume. Though given the rate the image is being torn from the web by the studio (no, it’s not because it puts the “Rises” into The Dark Knight Rises newly-earned PG-13 rating), you might have to be quick. We'd expect more official versions to arrive soon enough.