The Dark Knight Rises Updates Pt. 2

So the other day, I wrote about how Christopher Nolan has just finished filming the third and final installment of his Batman franchise, The Dark Knight Rises. In there, I talked about what we knew so far, and promised that I would talk about what we didn't know. That was supposed to come yesterday, but I got so wrapped up in the Titanic review, that it slipped my mind altogether. My apologies.

So anyway, what we don't know (for sure anyways) is this:

• Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson's character from Batman Begins) is for sure going to be in this movie. At least in a younger form. The leading rumor right now is that Josh Pence (Social Network) will play a younger Ra's in some flashback scenes that explain some of the events of this movie. Some articles have also said that Liam Neeson himself was seen on the set of the movie, possibly having reprised his role as the head of the demon (which is what Ra's al Ghul translates out to in Arabic, I just found that out) and making a return in this movie to finish what he started. That may sound a little fishy considering he supposedly died at the end of Batman Begins. Well if that is the case, and Liam is in fact making a return, then that means that Christopher Nolan has really decided to follow the mythology of the character to a tee. In the Animated Series (I never read any of the comics, just watched the show growing up), it didn't matter how many times you killed or injured Ra's, or how old he got, he was always able to come back by means of a Fountain of Youth-type device.
• Do you want my thoughts on the whole Liam Neeson rumor? Well, you are reading this, which pretty much means "yes". My guess is that Liam Neeson was in the area, maybe filming another movie close by, and decided to drop by so say hi. It would be cool to see Liam Neeson as the resurrected Ra's, but that would also mean a departure from the realistic feel that Nolan was going for when making these movies.
• The other thing that has not yet been confirmed is this: Since the League of Shadows is making their return to Gotham, who will be leading them? I already said some are saying Liam Neeson may be returning, but the other one that makes much more sense (and that I'm more willing to believe) is that they are under new leadership. From who? Why his daughter of course! Talia, who like Catwoman, has gone from villain to love interest quite a bit, she even made an appearance in the newest game, Batman: Arkham City (one of the sickest games of all time). This is the character that Marion Cotillard is supposedly playing, who is merely masquerading as another person.
• I had another theory about the Ra's al Ghul rumors. That the Young Ra's isn't Liam Neeson resurrected, but his heir. Some of you may remember that Liam's character went by a different name for most of the movie, and only revealed who he truly was towards the end. This causes me to think that maybe the name Ra's al Ghul is merely a title passed down to whoever becomes the new leader of this cult of assassins. And the fountain of youth device (known as the Lazurus Pit) is used not as a tool for regeneration, but as a means of initiation. Like the new leader would be baptized in this pool when he was chosen to be the new leader. However, since the Talia rumors began to surface, I've dismissed this theory entirely.

So those are my thoughts on what has yet to be revealed in The Dark Knight Rises. What do you think? Do you think Liam might be returning? If neither of these rumors are true, then who is leading them?
Yours truly,
MP