Joseph Gordon-Levitt to be the new Batman?

***DARK KNIGHT RISES SPOILERS AHEAD!!***

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 'absolutely' set to appear as Batman in the forthcoming 'Justice League of America' film, according to reports.

US site HitFix claims that it has inside information at Warner Bros - the studio set to make the DC Comics superhero supergroup film - confirming that the 'Dark Knight Rises' star will play the new incarnation of the caped crusader.

[Related story: Justice League to go head-to-head with Avengers 2?]

So far the claim is unconfirmed, but in terms of a logical progression, the move would make sense.

As those who have seen 'The Dark Knight Rises' are already aware, director Christopher Nolan set up whoever might take over the franchise with the option of using Gordon-Levitt's character, detective John Blake, as Bruce Wayne's successor.

It's even being suggested that he may appear as Batman before the 'Justice League' film, possibly as a cameo role in Zack Snyder's hotly-anticipated Superman film 'Man of Steel'.

The so-far tight-lipped Snyder has let slip that 'Man of Steel' should 'set-up' the 'Justice League' project.

“I don't know how 'Justice League' is going to be handled. Honestly, I don't,” he told the New York Post. “But 'Man of Steel' exists, and Superman is in it. I don't know how you'd move forward without acknowledging that.”

When asked directly whether the films would be linked, he added: “Um, how can I answer that? I can't really say anything to that, because that's a big spoiler. I will say, yeah, they trust me to keep them on course.”

British actor Henry Cavill is playing Superman in Snyder's film, alongside Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Superman's father Jor-El, Michael Shannon as General Zod and Kevin Costner as Superman's adopted father Jonathan Kent.

It's due out in June, 2013.