In a key Batman comic book story, Batman: Year One, Sarah Essen has an affair with the married then-Lieutenant Gordon, before being murdered by the Joker. It is unclear at this point how Detective Essen will be involved in the story and of course we will confirm and expand on this story as we hear more.
Meanwhile, Kacie Thomas (The Burning Plain) and Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed) are being talked up as possible love interests for Bruce Wayne. Kacie Thomas looks a little on the young side and although Farmiga is only a year older than Christian Bale, the form book would tend to dictate that Nolan will go with a younger actress. Certainly Vera Farmiga is a formidable actress and would fit in excellently with the high calibre of acting talent involved in Nolan’s Batman franchise so far.