Sir Michael Caine appeared on BBC Radio 1′s The Chris Moyles Show on Wednesday to promote his autobiography The Elephant to Hollywood and talk turned to director Christopher Nolan’s third Batman movie.

VIA SHH:

He said the movie will “probably start in May next year…” Asked if he will be part of the cast, he said, “I assume I’m there. In the movie business, you never believe anything, you assume.”

He added that Chris and co-writer Jonathan Nolan are not telling anyone who the villain will be in the new film.

In related news, Chris Nolan confirmed to Empire today that he is indeed directing, in case you had any doubts.

Clark Kent says: Warner Bros. Pictures is targeting a July 20, 2012 release date for the film.

Some news that IGN missed last week about a little-known comic-book movie franchise called Batman.

Clark Kent says: Michael Caine had gave us some insight on what he thought ‘Batman 3′ would be like. But will it be with Christopher Nolan? Find out after the jump.

VIA IGN:

Batman On Film reports that director Christopher Nolan and studio Warner Bros. will officially announce their plans for Batman 3 in January.

Their scooper told the site: “The longer we don’t hear a Nolan/B3 announcement in 2010, the less likely it is that the director will return.”

There have been so many rumors and counter-rumors about Batman 3 over the past year, so here’s hoping BOF’s source is true, and that 2010 brings some kind of official news about the project.

Clark Kent says: Because you can’t just leave us hanging like that Nolan!

First Johnny Depp is thinking about bailing on Jack Sparrow in the completely necessary Pirates sequel, and now he’s possibly out of the Batman movie that he was never actually a part of in the first place? What’s going on here? Find out after the jump.

VIA JB:

This latest bit of info comes from Michael Caine talking to MTV News about the current non-status of Batman 3. He may not know much, but he’s pretty sure that Depp won’t be in it. Well, probably not. Maybe not.

“There is nobody, there’s no script, there’s nothing…It can’t possibly be made before 2011 because ‘Inception’ is such a big picture.”

“[They] won’t tell me anything because I said this before,” laughed Caine of the no-tell policy surrounding him after last year’s Depp/Hoffman story. Nevertheless, Caine offered this bit of “news”—before admitting that it could be wrong, and he’d be in trouble all over again.

“Johnny Depp is great in anything, but there is no Johnny Depp in this Batman,” he smiled. “They tell me in no uncertain terms.”

Clark Kent says: I don’t want Chris Nolan to just got for A-list talent in hopes of knocking it out of the box office park. His casting choices so far have been really smart. Let’s hope he doesn’t cave in to peer pressure.