UPDATE: We were totally skeptical about this rumor, but THR has confirmed through Cotillard's reps that she's indeed "in talks" for the role, and would start shooting in June, a few months after she gives birth this spring. Other actresses meeting for the part include Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz. The article also includes the detail that some filming on The Dark Knight Rises will take place in New York City, bringing Nolan's Batman to the city that inspired Gotham for the first time. Presumably many more details are to come, so check back for more!

When Keira Knightley replaced Marion Cotillard in David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis last month after it was announced that Cotillard is pregnant, most figured that it would finally put to rest all of the rumors surrounding her involvement in The Dark Knight Rises. After all, she is expected to give birth in May when the Christopher Nolan film goes into production, and you'd figure that she'd want to stay home with her new child. If French website Le Figaro is correct, then that will not be the case.

Fully translated by Batman-News.com, the article says that the pregnancy has limited Cotillard to only making one film this year and the film she has chosen is The Dark Knight Rises. Cotillard would be the third Inception star to join the cast after Tom Hardy, who signed on back in October, and, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was cast two weeks ago. Per usual it's unknown what role she would be playing, but it's hard to imagine that it would be that big a part.

I definitely have reservations about believing this rumor. The site makes no mention of a source in any capacity and it's so easy for reports to throw Inception stars into the rumor mill. Be sure that we'll be keeping an eye on this one and will confirm or debunk as quickly as possible.