It is being reported by the blog In Contention, a Hitfix blog that specifically covers the Academy Awards, that Warner Brothers has decided to place Anne Hathaway as a lead actress contender for ‘Dark Knight Rises’ as opposed to Supporting Actress.  This way, Hathaway will no longer be competing against herself for her supporting role in ‘Les Miserables’, which many critics say she is a lock for.

Many people have previously spoken up about the low probability of any Dark Knight Rises actors getting an Oscar nomination for their roles, but they did mention that if anyone had a chance, it was Hathaway for her dark and exciting performance as Selina Kyle.  Prominent Oscar blogger Sasha Stone wrote on the topic of Dark Knight Rises’ chances for an acting nomination, saying, “If there is going to be one, it will most likely be [Hathaway].  True, everyone thinks ‘Les Miz’ will be her big Oscar grab, and it probably will be but — that doesn’t take away the fact that she’s still the film’s best shot at an acting nod.”

However, the lead actress category is shaping up to be a tough one this year, with Jennifer Lawrence getting extremely strong buzz for TIFF’s People’s choice award winner ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, and Keira Knightley also getting strong advance buzz for her role in tragi-romance ‘Anna Karenina’.  Critics mention that Lawrence is almost a shoo-in for a lock for lead, but it’s a tougher proposition for Hathaway for ‘Dark Knight Rises’.  However, it’s pretty much a given that we will see Hathaway one way or another at the Oscars next February, most likely for ‘Les Miserables’.