Box Office Magazine is reporting that Maggie Gyllenhaal will join Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Aaron Eckhart on the cast of the "The Dark Knight," the sequel to the highly successful "Batman Begins." She is replacing Katie Holmes in playing the part of Rachel Dawes, childhood friend and adult love interest to Bruce Wayne.

Gyllenhaal was most recently seen in theaters in "World Trade Center" and in the Will Ferrell comedy "Stranger Than Fiction," where our Featured Critic stated "Speaking of Gyllenhaal, who glows, this is another wonderful performance in a line of them. If she doesn't get nominated for something early next year, it will be a travesty."

Filming begins this month in Chicago, and the movie is scheduled to be released on July 18, 2008.