As if exposing us all to the psychosis of the Joker wasn’t enough, “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan wants to put us through some more mind-fuck.

With “Inception,” Nolan posits us in an M.C. Escher world of optical illusions. City roads fold up like origami; buildings collapse; Joseph Gordon-Levitt charges down a pinwheeling corridor, defying gravity.

At the forefront of a new form of corporate espionage, Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) sneaks into his victims’ dreams, stealing coveted ideas and inventions that could “transform the world and rewrite all the rules.” To save himself from the loveless life of a fugitive, he takes on one last job. This time, instead of filching, he must cause an “inception” — planting an idea in someone’s head. With such a confusing plot, it’s clear that Nolan won’t be giving us any helpful hints.

Between its cryptic title, stealth marketing (the first trailer was void of dialogue) and top-secret script (the actors could only read it in Nolan’s office), “Inception” will be way overdue come its arrival on July 16.