Speaking to Digital Spy, the filmmaker discussed his reasons for wanting to make a third instalment, seeing his storyline resonate with the Occupy movement in New York, and his approach to reinventing Catwoman.
"Selina Kyle is a very coherent characterisation, and Anne Hathaway has that massive skill as a performer.
"She also has the ability to fill a theatre with her performance, sing and dance and that kind of expressive side to a performance - she has both things.
"If you're going to, in a psychologically credible way, achieve an iconic presentation of a character, very much in the same way as Christian Bale has as Batman, you need both of those things."
The Dark Knight Rises opens in cinemas today (July 20).
Photo gallery - The Dark Knight Rises:
