8. The Joker's CGI Cameo
Speculation: After it was confirmed that Heath Ledger's role would definitely not be recast, some began to wonder whether Nolan might have a sneakier trick up his sleeve. Rumours quickly circulated that Ledger was going to get the Brandon Lee and Oliver Reed treatment, and have existing footage - that is, unused footage filmed for The Dark Knight - incorporated with CGI to give The Joker a cameo appearance in the final film in the trilogy. Many suggested that this might be a clip of the villain in Arkham Asylum, to provide viewers with a little more closure and give a cinematic nod to both the legacy The Joker wrought on Gotham City, and Ledger's unforgettable portrayal.
Fact: Given the nature of this rumour, and how nothing would ever be able to leak out via set images, this is one that persisted right up until the final months before The Dark Knight Rises finally released. However, Christopher Nolan vehemently denied it from the outset, and of course, nothing came of it. Nolan had made his feelings clear on this from minute one, seeming to view it as excessive and tasteless, and so he opted for an admirably less controversial, less sensationalist path, as noted above, to omit The Joker entirely.