For quite some time there's been a load of speculation that Liam Neeson would return as Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises. Being the final film in Christopher Nolan's trilogy, fans have been hoping that we'd see his return, even if it was only as a small cameo. Earlier announcements revealed that Josh Pence would be playing a young Ra's and apparently twelve-year-old Joey King will play a young Talia.

Despite earlier denials, it turns out Neeson will return in some capacity. According to SuperHeroHype, Warner Bros. has confirmed Neeson's involvement in their production notes for this Friday's Wrath of the Titans.

Neeson next appears in Peter Berg's actioner "Battleship," and he also will be seen in Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated action thriller "The Dark Knight Rises.

This doesn't mean a whole lot. It could be a tiny cameo. It could be a flashback. This could explain why Neeson denied involvement before. He could have recently shot a pick up scene after he made his statements.

Comic book movies usually suffer from too many villains but having Ra's al Ghul back for Batman's final act could add the cherry on top of an already highly anticipated movie. We'll have to wait until July to find out more.

Is there room for for Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises?

He was an awesome Ra's al Ghul, I`m sure he will keep doing a good job!

I still don't get how you guys at Comic Vine complain about "too many villains" in a movie. What will happen when The Avengers go up against numerous villains like they often do in the comics? The challenge for heroes is being able to combat multiple villains and threats.

Oh no, wait a minute, I can't fight more than one guy. Wait a minute, give me some prep time.

I love ra"s al Ghul but i want to see a grown up talia(kicking butt)

Everybody points out that a resurrected Ra's al Ghul (via the Lazarus Pit) doesn't fit into Nolan's Batman universe, which is true; but consider for a moment that we didn't actually see Ra's al Ghul die in Batman Begins. I know it's a stretch, but I could see Nolan picking up that thread before straight-up resurrecting him from the grave.

Flashback sequence. He's not coming back to life.

Hopefully just a cameo. Don't want the same villain in every movie.

I didn't want to be spoiled on this fact thanks Comicvine. Could you stop posting spoilery titles.

Remember action movie villain rule # 1 if you didn't see a body you can never be sure they're dead regardless of how unlikely it would be to survive what ever happens to them

I would bet on it being a flashback... some sort of memory that Talia has when coming face to face with Batman (some semblace that Bats has to Ra's - stance & fighting style). Cannot wait for the summer so we can have this and other summer blockbusters

Oh yes, this means marion cotillard would be Talia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG EXCITES.

I bet he will show up in the last scene and turn out to be the big bad behind everything.

I'm also guessing at a flash back, although it's true they could just have him avoid death. It could well be Bruce thinking back to something Ra said or maybe it will be Talia watching them. As for this meaning that Talia is going to be in the movie...that's been a given for months! ;)

I am sure its just going to be flashbacks. To introduce the idea of the Lazarus Pit at the end of the Nolan Batman films to me seems like a waste. It'll probably be flashback scenes with Talia or something.

But he was a great Ras al Ghul, and it'll be great to bookend the movies and bring them full circle.

@kingjoeg said:

I didn't want to be spoiled on this fact thanks Comicvine. Could you stop posting spoilery titles.

completely agree, ComicVine needs to be more considerate, I don't want to have to boycott this site everytime a comicbook movie comes out

Neeson made Batman Begins, which is the best of the series thus far. For this I am pleased.

Who cares how much screen time he gets it's Liam f£%*ing Neeson, it will be awesome

i had a pretty good feeling he'd be back in some respect, my money is on newly filmed flashback that expands on some of Bruce's training with him. Whatever it is i'm just looking forward to the entire movie and i'll keep dodging major spoilers.

My griping aside, it would be awesome to have Talia. Wonder if they might be setting up a twisted love triangle of sorts between Bats and Catwoman and Talia? Neeson shows up in flashback for purposes of illustrating his role as Talia's father, perhaps?

Regarding my comment about too many villains, I can understand if there are too many villains if they detract from the story. However, if written right and done correctly, having more than one villain is a lot of fun, at least for me. I don't think "non-comic book" audience members would complain if the histories behind the villains are at least explained a little.

I think for now they're just saying Liam Neeson will just have a cameo. But I reckon he will play a bigger role as the main villian towards the end of the movie and Bane is just a pawn. Much like how Scarecrow was in Begins. Then again, I could be wrong.

This shouldn't be surprising to people considering he was spotted on set in June 2011. I still hope that this films retains what made Batman Begins great and scraps all that made The Dark Knight lousy.

@NXH: Thats my viewpoint on it. I would love for Ra's to be the one who is orchestrating everything from afar! Its a good way to end anyways.

@InnerVenom123 said:

Flashback sequence. He's not coming back to life.

I agree. or at least I hope so@Crowman said:

Hopefully just a cameo. Don't want the same villain in every movie.

I agree or at least I hope so. Love Neeson though...

@InnerVenom123 said:

Flashback sequence. He's not coming back to life.

@InnerVenom123 said:

Flashback sequence. He's not coming back to life.

Exactly Nolan blew him up on a runaway train. Even a Lazarus Pit might not help.

If Batman does anything to Liam Neeson's onscreen daughter he is screwed.

Sure, but no indication it would be more than just showing him from his previous work in the first movie

Interesting....... MUST BE IN A FLASHBACK!!!! 100% sure

@Emperor Gonzo Noir said:

@InnerVenom123 said:

Flashback sequence. He's not coming back to life.

Exactly Nolan blew him up on a runaway train. Even a Lazarus Pit might not help.

Think on so made me LOL for unknown reasons

@joshmightbe said:

Remember action movie villain rule # 1 if you didn't see a body you can never be sure they're dead regardless of how unlikely it would be to survive what ever happens to them

Damn Rules!!! but that would be excessive even for a Batman movie

This movie is gonna be amazing even if they had a steaming pile of crap cast as a villain!

Welp, since it's all ready been spoiled, Liam Neeson is the one that gets Bane out of jail supposedly

Eh, I really hope it's just a flashback Spider-Man 3-with-Uncle-Ben style. I get the desire to pull the first, biggest enemy for your third but it just feels like such an obvious move. I'd like to think Nolan would see that and go, "No, we can do better".

I know that the movie will be awesome! :D

My money is on flashbacks..unless they wanted to say that some loyal League of Shadows ninja somehow found Ra's dead carcass in all that train wreckage, hauled him all the way back tot he Himalayas, and put him into a Lazarus Pit. But even Nolan wouldn't be that bold to do something like that...right?

I could be wrong... but I have this tickling sensations that Robin is gonna surprise is in this one. It's not likely, maybe it's just my hopes.

why are ppl whining about spoliers. like someone said he was at the set. We dont know if its a cameo, flashback or if he is a major character in the move. As long as you havent read a script or watched some leaked version of the movie you have no idea what he'll be doing in the movie.

ok

Can't remember the title of the arc, but there was a Batman story with Bane being Ra's Al Ghul's puppet, one of the first appearances of Bane after Knightfall (I could be mistaken). Wouldn't be surprised if Bane was just a pawn in the movie. Whichever way they choose to incorporate Neeson as Ra's will be fine by me

This is news. I wonder if he could just pop up at the end and go. "Lazerus pit, I'm alive" does Nolan want to go to these mythic plot parts, or does he want to make it as real as he can and say no one can come back from the grave. I just wonder.

I'm pretty sure it will just be a cameo for Neeson. Since the movie is trying to bring the story full circle it will hopefully be a significant part of the film and I have complete faith in Nolan to do just that.

I think that when Batman dies at the end Ra's will be there.

Christopher Nolan is a genius and his Batman films made other CBM like a stupid joke

So proud to be the same nationality as him.

How much do we know about this mOvie??? Because i would like to know more