Heath Ledger as The Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT [aka BATMAN 2]

[AndyDursin]

That's the title of the sequel, and Heath Ledger is going to play the Joker...........yes, Heath Ledger!

Discuss...I've liked Ledger at times but I'm not sure he brings the "gravitas" if you will to a role of this weight. We'll see!


CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO DIRECT

WARNER BROS. PICTURES' UPCOMING BATMAN MOVIE,

THE DARK KNIGHT

CHRISTIAN BALE REPRISES TITLE CHARACTER,

HEATH LEDGER JOINS CAST AS THE JOKER

BURBANK, CA, 31 July 2006 - As a follow up to last year's blockbusterBatman Begins, Christopher Nolan is set to direct Warner Bros. Pictures' The Dark Knight, written by Jonathan Nolan, based on a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan. Additionally, Christian Bale will resume his role as Bruce Wayne and Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger has been cast as The Joker. The announcements were made today by Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Christopher Nolan revamped the Batman franchise in 2005 with the immensely successful Batman Begins, starring Christian Bale in the title role, which chronicled the early years of the superhero. Nolan first garnered attention from critics and fans in 2000 with the groundbreaking drama Memento, which he wrote and directed. He went on to direct the thriller Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams, and recently wrapped production on The Prestige, with Hugh Jackman and Bale.

Bale was most recently seen in the ensemble cast of Terrence Malick's The New World. His other credits include Little Women, Portrait of a Lady, Metroland, American Psycho, Laurel Canyon and Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun, which was his first starring role.

Ledger most recently earned Oscar Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG Award nominations and won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in the award-winning drama Brokeback Mountain. His other credits include Casanova, Monster's Ball, Lords of Dogtown, The Brothers Grimm and The Patriot.

"Chris' unique vision is what made Batman Begins such an outstanding film and we could not imagine anyone else at the helm of The Dark Knight," said Robinov. "We also can't wait to see two such formidable actors as Christian and Heath face off with each other as Batman and The Joker."

"I'm excited to continue the story we started with Batman Begins," added Nolan. "Our challenge in casting The Joker was to find an actor who is not just extraordinarily talented but fearless. Watching Heath Ledger's interpretation of this iconic character taking on Christian Bale's Batman is going to be incredible."

Production is set to begin on The Dark Knight in early 2007.

[mkaroly]

I am unfamiliar with Heath's work, so he's like an unknown to me (and he doesn't have the star power of a Jack Nicholson, for example, so that is going to be an advantage). I actually like this choice- I am anxious to see if he can do it. I am going to try and distance myself as far away as I can from the Caesar Romero and Jack Nicholson interpretations of The Joker- not a bad choice with Heath. I didn't have a "first choice" in my mind either, so I'm goign to be optimistic.

[Carlson2005]

I'll come out and say I think it's a terrible choice. He started out well, but his performances have become more low-key and less interesting over the years. Somehow I don't quite see the Joker as an incoherent mumbler who keeps on doing that weird making-a-double-chin-by-pushing-my-neck-in mannerism that Ledger seems so curiously fond of.

[AndyDursin]

I'll come out and say I think it's a terrible choice. He started out well, but his performances have become more low-key and less interesting over the years. Somehow I don't quite see the Joker as an incoherent mumbler who keeps on doing that weird making-a-double-chin-by-pushing-my-neck-in mannerism that Ledger seems so curiously fond of.

It's true, THE PATRIOT and A KNIGHT'S TALE seemed to show Heath at his best (along with the teen classic 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU), but he's been morose in his last batch of movies dating back to Brian Helgeland's godawful THE ORDER (CASANOVA wasn't entirely bad, however).

The more I think about it, this is a very strange choice -- Ledger is still quite young, and I just don't see him fitting this sort of role.

But he IS fresh off the "triumph" of BROKEBACK, and Warner is probably thinking along those lines in terms of casting what they perceive to be young, "Fresh" leads. And at least it's not Colin Farrell!

BTW -- there seem to be rumors they're going the Schumacher route with more than 1 villain, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is rumored to be among candidates for the Penguin.

Sigh...

[Monterey Jack]

I cannot see Ledger in this role at all. His casting smacks of the recent trend in superhero movies to "class" the proceedings up by having a recent Oscar-nominee playing the villain, regardless of weither he fits the role or not. Willem Dafoe is nominated for Shadow Of The Vampire, then gets cast as the Green Goblin in Spider-Man. Alfred Molina co-stars with Oscar nominee Salma Hayek in Frida, then plays Dr. Octopus in Spider-Man 2. Ken Watanabe is nominated for The Last Samurai, plays fake-out Ra's Al Ghul in Batman Begins. Now, Heath follows his Oscar win for Brokeback Mountain with a role as The Joker in The Dark Knight (which is a cool title, but will undoubtedly be called Batman; The Dark Knight when it's finally released). I find it difficult to see an actor who's most acclaimed role was as a mumbling, emotionally repressed gay cowboy as the maniacal clown prince of crime. I still say that Crispin Glover shold have gotten the role. "Hey, you, get your damn bats off her...!"

[romanD]

I guess they just want to go as far from Nicholson as they could and therefor Ithink this is a good choice. Robin Williams tried to land the part, but that would have just been to similar I guess.

And given that the Joker in some comics looked really scary I guess they are maybe really going somewhere else with it this time. I mean, they have to. You can't top Jack in this role...

nevertheless I couldn't care less about a second Batman... bring in David Julyan and leave HZ and his guys at home please... I doubt JNH and HZ will reteam on it as JNH just provided the love theme for Katie Cruise (harhar)... yawn...

[AndyDursin]

Monty, Roman, you each make good points, but the thing that gets me is....

....HIS AGE!

Is The Joker supposed to be OVER FIVE YEARS YOUNGER than Batman?



That's what truly doesn't make any sense about this casting choice. And we just saw how the casting worked for Warners on SUPERMAN RETURNS, so even though Ledger is obviously better known than Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth, it's a strange decision that makes no sense at all given the parameters of the Batman legend!

(Check it out -- Christian Bale was born in my year of '74, and Ledger is a '79!).

[romanD]

true, but maybe he has so much makeup on him you won't see the age thing anymore..

well, the scarecrow definitely was too young in the first one...

[mkaroly]

I'm still going to give him a chance here- with the right clothes and haircut and makeup, you never know! I'm glad Nolan is continuing to direct the series.

[Eric W.]

I'm still going to give him a chance here- with the right clothes and haircut and makeup, you never know! I'm glad Nolan is continuing to direct the series.

Yeah, that's my attitude.

I may be lukewarm about it right now, but let's see the end result.

Considering the pedigree thus far, I'd say we all stand a pretty good chance of being pleasantly surprised.

[mkaroly]

This thread actually got me watching the BATMAN movies again....and it got me listening to the scores again....