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View Full Version : Heath Ledge to play the Joker in Batman Sequel


pooh
08-01-2006, 04:00 AM
Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20060801/en_movies_eo/19646;_ylt=AgVKGYIhJra7ITRdLqpoK5LK.nQA;_ylu=X3oDM TA4dDg2MG9mBHNlYwMxNjk3)

Batman has a new adversary from Down Under.

Warner Bros. confirmed Monday that Heath Ledger will be playing The Joker in The Dark Knight, the next installment of the rejuvenated Batman franchise.

"I'm excited to continue the story we started with Batman Begins," director
Christopher Nolan, who has also signed up for the sequel, said in a statement. "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."

So obviously Bale is back on board as the man in heavily armored tights. (Not that it was a surprise, he inked a standard multi-film deal before shooting Batman Begins.)

Ledger, 27, was nominated for an Oscar this year for his role in Brokeback Mountain and he also scored an invite earlier this month to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Speculation that Ledger might be tapped for villain duty first surfaced three weeks ago in advance of Comic-Con, but Warners declined to comment at the time.

Nolan and Bale most recently teamed in The Prestige, in which Bale and Hugh Jackman play rival magicians. The film is due out in October.

Production is set to being on The Dark Knight early next year--the better to make Gotham City look eerily chilly and desolate--making the sixth Caped Crusader film a prime candidate for a summer 2008 release.

"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," Jeff Robinov, president of production at Warner Bros. Pictures, said. "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."

The star-studded Batman Begins was also a formidable force at the box office last year, taking in more than $370 million worldwide.

So let the hype surrounding the next addition to the series begin--the last time Batman faced off against the Joker, it was 1989 and Michael Keaton was wearing the mask and Jack Nicholson was wearing the makeup. We can't wait to see how the next generation plays out.
PM5K
08-01-2006, 04:17 AM
This next one should do well, the first was still trying to brush the stink off from the last Batman film, I personally loved Batman Begins, and I'm hopeful The Dark Knight will be good as well.......
1Parker1
08-01-2006, 07:26 AM
Heath Ledger as the Joker??? I just can't see that. He'll always be one of those serious actors to me, good for gay cowboy movies, historical movies, and/or chick flicks. I can't see him trying to be comedic, or evil, or goofy/crazy like the Joker. Weird choice...

Jack Nicholson will always be the Original Joker in my book :)
Aggie Hoopsfan
08-01-2006, 07:46 AM
Eh, I'm unimpressed.
Taco
08-01-2006, 08:13 AM
Heath Ledge starring in

Broke Back Batman
DirkAB
08-01-2006, 09:45 AM
Strange choice, but I'm not going to condem the movie because of it. I'm going to keep an open mind going into this movie since the first one was so good, I bet he pulls it off, he is a very good actor and Nolan is a good director.
DarkReign
08-01-2006, 09:47 AM
only christian bale can save this film

Totally true. Christian Bale carries every film he is in.

Dont get me wrong, I loved Batman Begins, but what made it extra cool was that Bale was Batman.

Greatest part was when he dismisses his birthday party. :lmao
atxrocker
08-01-2006, 10:07 AM
Greatest part was when he dismisses his birthday party. :lmao


:tu completely agree. i thought i was the only one that dug that part. awesome.
ALVAREZ6
08-01-2006, 10:12 AM
:tu
SpursWoman
08-01-2006, 10:15 AM
:tu completely agree. i thought i was the only one that dug that part. awesome.


Was that when he was telling them they were all fake-assin', mooching coattail riders? That was pretty awesome. :tu :lol
spurs_fan_in_exile
08-01-2006, 10:16 AM
I'm with Bakrid on this one. I'm not really thrilled about the choice, but with Bale anchoring the film it should be watchable and Nolan is such a good director that he may pull a rabbit out of the hat and get a really good performance from Ledger.
atxrocker
08-01-2006, 10:47 AM
Was that when he was telling them they were all fake-assin', mooching coattail riders? That was pretty awesome. :tu :lol


indeed, that was the part. i always get a kick out of watching it.

and i agree with the others who do not like this casting of heath. its pretty lame. i'm dissapointed to say the least.
DirkAB
08-01-2006, 10:50 AM
I'm with Bakrid on this one. I'm not really thrilled about the choice, but with Bale anchoring the film it should be watchable and Nolan is such a good director that he may pull a rabbit out of the hat and get a really good performance from Ledger.

Plus, Ledger is a good actor, we just don't know how good yet, I just hope he is versitile enough to pull this role off.
MrChug
08-01-2006, 11:04 AM
"Have you ever danced with the devil to Barbara Streisand with another man?? I like to ask that of all my lovers...I just like the way it sounds."

-Heath as The Joker
atxrocker
08-01-2006, 11:06 AM
Plus, Ledger is a good actor


well, i'm not sure that could be said just yet. the only thing i liked him in was four feathers. 10 things i hate about you and a knights tale hardly impressed me. we shall see.
leemajors
08-01-2006, 11:09 AM
well, i'm not sure that could be said just yet. the only thing i liked him in was four feathers. 10 things i hate about you and a knights tale hardly impressed me. we shall see.

c'mon man, brothers grimm wasn't a total disappointment was it? (i can't believe that was a gilliam effort)
atxrocker
08-01-2006, 11:12 AM
c'mon man, brothers grimm wasn't a total disappointment was it? (i can't believe that was a gilliam effort)

:lol i thought that movie sucked ass, and actually fell asleep about half way through (even though the best part by far was monica belluci). but i did forget he was in the patriot, which is a great movie and he did a decent supporting role to mel gibson in it. other than that, the guy hasn't shown much.
MrChug
08-01-2006, 11:14 AM
I can't stand looking at Bale's teeth. I think it's his TEETH that steal the scene...not him :oops
CharlieMac
08-01-2006, 12:01 PM
If it's anything like Batman Begins, I'm cool with Heath Ledger.
MannyIsGod
08-01-2006, 01:23 PM
Heath Ledger is turning into a good actor, but this isn't a good role for him to take. He's not dark in the least, so how is he going to pull off such a sinister character? Not to mention that his performance will be put up against Jack's and there is no way in hell he surpasses the job Jack did. That was just phenomanal. As good as Batman Begins was, it still wasn't as good as Batman with Keaton.

I hope tihs movie is good, but I think that was a poor choice for a villian.
E20
08-01-2006, 01:26 PM
Hopefully, the movie will be based on the Killing Joke, but it's probably unlikely to happen since there isn't gonna be Commisioner Gordon or Barbara Gordon. That would be cool though if it did happen, then there would be no possible chance of a BatGirl, and BatGirl fucks up everything that is cool in Batman, and hopefully there will be no Robin.
Gatita
08-01-2006, 01:31 PM
:td
SpursWoman
08-01-2006, 03:03 PM
Not to mention that his performance will be put up against Jack's and there is no way in hell he surpasses the job Jack did. That was just phenomanal. As good as Batman Begins was, it still wasn't as good as Batman with Keaton.


Yeah, Jack is creepy to the core ... I just don't think anyone can come close.
spurs_fan_in_exile
08-01-2006, 03:08 PM
Yeah, Jack is creepy to the core ... I just don't think anyone can come close.

"Crikey! This town needs an enema, mate!"
LaMarcus Bryant
08-01-2006, 05:22 PM
In other news, Erik Estrada will be playing the role of robin.
leemajors
08-01-2006, 05:58 PM
Heath Ledger is turning into a good actor, but this isn't a good role for him to take. He's not dark in the least, so how is he going to pull off such a sinister character? Not to mention that his performance will be put up against Jack's and there is no way in hell he surpasses the job Jack did. That was just phenomanal. As good as Batman Begins was, it still wasn't as good as Batman with Keaton.

I hope tihs movie is good, but I think that was a poor choice for a villian.

i haven't seen The Order, but a coworker of mine says he played a pretty dark character in that movie.
DirkAB
08-01-2006, 05:58 PM
well, i'm not sure that could be said just yet. the only thing i liked him in was four feathers. 10 things i hate about you and a knights tale hardly impressed me. we shall see.


You can't blame that on Heath Ledger's acting, those were just plain and simple horrible movies. You can bag on him for taking bad roles in the past, but you can't knock his acting skills. I bet he pulls this role off.
E20
08-01-2006, 06:10 PM
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005ML1N.03.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

HERE'S JOHNNNNNY
J.T.
08-01-2006, 07:34 PM
Somehow I had Johnny Depp penciled in for this role... interesting that it went to Ledger.