Batman: The Dark Knight

[YSSMAN]

Awesome!

July 31, 2006 - Warner Bros. has announced the title of the next film in the Batman franchise. The Dark Knight will be the name of the Chris Nolan-directed flick. And the studio confirms that Heath Ledger will play the role of The Joker. Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures, made the announcement late Monday.

"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."

The Dark Knight begins filming in early '07 from a script by Jonathan Nolan. Before they battle each other as the Caped Crusader and the Clown Prince of Crime, Bale and Ledger will first appear together in the Bob Dylan-themed pic I'm Not There.

In related news, The Batman-on-Film.com website reiterates the rumor that the next Batman movie will feature multiple villains, namely Joker and The Penguin. The latter will reportedly be reconceived for the film as "a British arms dealer/mob boss with designs on Gotham."

And who is said to have been offered the role of The Penguin? Nolan reportedly wants previously rumored candidate Philip Seymour Hoffman, who ironically beat Heath Ledger in this past year's Oscar race for Best Actor. Like Ledger, however, Hoffman is said to be reluctant to join the sequel.

Finally, a BoF report claims that Ryan Phillippe is in the running for the role of D.A. Harvey Dent, a.k.a. the future Two-Face. Phillippe appeared in last year's Best Picture, Crash, and will next be seen in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.

Keep watching IGN for more Bat news!

BAT-TASTIC!!!

I'm excited, as this franchise has definately turned itself around. I'm a HUGE Batman fan, and I'm very happy to hear the news. Although I would have rather seen Robin Williams play the Joker, Ledger won't be too bad.

 

[Omnis]

Heath should do well as the Joker. I just REALLY hope that they make the Joker as sick as he is in the comics. I hope Heath is a total psycho, not a jolly-man.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be PERFECT as the penguin, though.

I don't see how Phillippe could be Two-Face, though. I would make a good two-face.

 

[Omnis]

I photoshopped a picture of Heath. He really does have the Joker-look once he's in character. It's even easier to see his potential when using a vector-filter:

 

[Dave A]

I really enjoyed the last Batman film and I hope this one is just as good, I'm looking forward to this.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Yay, Christian Bale is still Batman.

 

[a6m5]

They said Heath Ledger and "great" in a same sentence. Heath to me is like a imported version of Ben Affleck. I do agree with YSSMAN on Robin Williams. That would've been amazing.

 

[Dave A]

Robin Wiliams is too old now, I know that Jack Nicholson wasn't exactley young wen he played the Joker, but as good as Batman was, it didn't accurately represent the characters. Batman begins has done a much better job of doing that, and Heath Ledger is a better choice for the Joekr than Williams, though I do rate Williams as an actor. I think Paul Bettany would have been the best choice though.

 

[a6m5]

Robin Wiliams is too old now, I know that Jack Nicholson wasn't exactley young wen he played the Joker, but as good as Batman was, it didn't accurately represent the characters. Batman begins has done a much better job of doing that, and Heath Ledger is a better choice for the Joekr than Williams, though I do rate Williams as an actor. I think Paul Bettany would have been the best choice though.

I never read any Batman comics, but I must disagree completely here. Jack Nicholson's Joker was probably one of the best villains ever. Robin Williams would not only shoot for that, but between him and Ledger, he is the only one with enough talent to achieve, or possibly surpass that level.

Heath Ledger is one of the most overrated actors around.... that's being too nice. He is one of the worst actors around. He is young, so I do think it's possible for him to show an improvement at anytime. Joker role is unique enough, he might do well(by accident ).

 

[Dave A]

If you haven't read any of the comics how can you dissagree with me? I'm not saying he wasn't good, infact I said it was good. Jack was great, but he was nothing like the Joker should have been in both appearance or in how evil he was. Robin Williams doesn't look the part either, we'll have to see with Heath, but as I said, I think Bettany would have been the best choice if he'd do it.

With Nolans Batman he's got the characters much closer to how they should be, to cast an old overweight man as the Joker wouldn't be right, no dissrespect to Williams, as I said, I rate him highly as an actor, but you wouldn't cast Richard Kiel as a young hobbit. Joker isn't meant to be middle aged, slightly overweight mand, he's meant to be a younger more athletic man.

 

[Duke]

Heath Ledger is one of the most overrated actors around.... that's being too nice. He is one of the worst actors around.

Wait: you think that Heath Ledger is one of the worst actors around, but you think Natalie Portman is a good actor?

Either your dictionary is broken, or mine is.

 

[Swift]

Wait: you think that Heath Ledger is one of the worst actors around, but you think Natalie Portman is a good actor?

Either your dictionary is broken, or mine is.

Well, I'm not a big fan of heath ledger. How about the guy that played the 40 year old virgin and the other anchor in Bruce Almighty? He looks like he could get pretty demented.

 

[Omnis]

Steve Carrel? I dunno. He might be a good Riddler.

I agree with live4speed, though.

 

[Swift]

Steve Carrel? I dunno. He might be a good Riddler.

Good point.

But I did like Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the joker. He was sick and twisted, but not so twisted that he couldn't be somewhat realistic. Or at least not so over the top that someone like that would be out of the realm of possibility. He had a decent balance. And just when you thought he was totally psychotic, he did something really silly. "This town needs an enema!" heh heh.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah, but Nicholson was never... like... scary. Not comics scary, anyway. The Joker in the comics scares the crap out of me. It's just a whole different kind of psychotic nefariousness.

 

[Swift]

Yeah, but Nicholson was never... like... scary. Not comics scary, anyway. The Joker in the comics scares the crap out of me. It's just a whole different kind of psychotic nefariousness.

Well, yeah. You're not going to get that either. This is a mainstream big budget flick. There is no way that your going to get that level of "twisted" in a movie like that. I can't think of any movie along these lines with these big of a budget that would have a character that extreme.

If he's as good as the Joker in the Batman/JLU series then I'll be perfectly happy.

 

[Omnis]

Also true.

But, still, if Heath can come close to that, it would be way cool.

 

[Swift]

Also true.

But, still, if Heath can come close to that, it would be way cool.

Agreed

 

[Dave A]

Hell, the Scarecrow scared the missues. Sure you won't get as sick and twisted as he is in the comics, but you can make him scary and give the impression that he's twisted without showing too much. Alos you can get his image right as in a hell of a lot younger and more athletic than Nicholson was. Nicholson was great, but like I said, not much like the Joker. I think we'll see a much more accurate version wth Nolan in the directors chair.

 

[Omnis]

That, and Heath is no where near as huge as Nicholson was. I mean, I'm not saying Heath isn't on the radar, but perhaps we'll see The Joker instead of Nicholson in a joker costume.

 

[Dave A]

Exactley.

 

[a6m5]

If you haven't read any of the comics how can you dissagree with me?

Not on that point, but on who is a better actor. Maybe Joker is a stiff, wooden young man(get your mind out of the gutter) in the comic books. I don't know. If he surprises me in this movie, I will be very glad, but I somehow doubt it.

Wait: you think that Heath Ledger is one of the worst actors around, but you think Natalie Portman is a good actor?

Either your dictionary is broken, or mine is.

Duke, I know this might come as a bit of shock to you, but I kid about Natalie Portman sometimes.... just to get you going. Sorry. I won't do it again. Infact, when I made my earlier post, I was thinking about you and the lovely Natalie Portman.

 

[Dave A]

Not on that point, but on who is a better actor.

Oh well that I wouldn't dissagree with, Nicholson is by far a better actor than Heath, but Jack doesn't fit the Jokers profile, he didn't in Burton's Batman. Though he did well in it, Nolan's trying to keep the profiles of the characters as much like they are in the comics as he can. Acting out the Joker is not really like any other acting role, so how Heath does we'll have to see.

 

[Swift]

Oh well that I wouldn't dissagree with, Nicholson is by far a better actor than Heath, but Jack doesn't fit the Jokers profile, he didn't in Burton's Batman. Though he did well in it, Nolan's trying to keep the profiles of the characters as much like they are in the comics as he can. Acting out the Joker is not really like any other acting role, so how Heath does we'll have to see.

Burtons Batman was more comic book like though. When I say that I mean the sets and what not were more like you see in comics and not so "average american metropolis". So, I think that Joker fit into that world. With all the funky pastels and what not.

But this Batman IS Batman. I love how he's there one second then gone the next, just like the cartoon. The villians in Batman Begins were good, but not the main show(the main mistake with all other batman movies).

Getting back to the Joker. While this director is keeping the characters close to the comics, he's keeping the world in which they live close to reality. Since he is taking that approach, I can see Heath Ledger doing it. Though I'm surprised he even took the role.

 

[Dave A]

And that post I completely agree with 👍.

Gotham city is more real, and the characters are more beleivable in Nolans, both are great, but both are different takes on the Batman universe and require different types of acting ability to make them work.

 

[a6m5]

Though I'm surprised he even took the role.

Why? I think the Joker role would be HUGE for most actors.

 

[Swift]

Why? I think the Joker role would be HUGE for most actors.

Well, I would think he would be afraid of type casting or something. He's pretty big right now. Espeically after he played the gay cowboy. So, I'm just saying I'm personally surprised. I would think he'd want to be "above" a role like that.

 

[a6m5]

Espeically after he played the gay cowboy.

How did I forget about that one! Was he good in that movie at all?

And he doesn't have to worry about getting typecasted. I don't think I've ever seen him play a villain before.

 

[YSSMAN]

I just want the Joker to be a bit sick and twisted like he was in the commics from time to time. I think we were all a little desensitized by the television show (that would be the '60s live-action show and the '90s cartoon), and we could stand to have a little Joker-shock brought back to the story line.

As for the Penguin, I want to see someone thats a cross between the campy Penguin from the TV show, and one like the Penguin in the '90s cartoon. He is an evil mastermind in an odd way, and it is kinda funny.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah... I just totally have to forget that he was in brokeback mountain. The Joker's gonna be laughing at someone's plight, while I'm going to be laughing at the Heath for being the willy-flopping-through-the-breeze gay cowboy running into the lake.

 

[Duke]

Duke, I know this might come as a bit of shock to you, but I kid about Natalie Portman sometimes.... just to get you going.

Why do you thnk I hunt down every Natalie Portman reference? Just so I can make a comment about what a plank she is!

Oh well that I wouldn't dissagree with, Nicholson is by far a better actor than Heath.

Well, I seem to be in the minority, but I've never been impressed by Nicholson as an actor at all. The thing is, he always plays Jack Nicholson, never the actual character. He's always kind of greasy, sullen, and weird, until he snaps at the end. If he feels like changing it up a little, he may not snap at all, or do it early on, but he's always greasy, sullen, and weird. But either way, the moment I see him on screen, he totally fails to convince me that he's anyone but Jack Nicholson, and I set my mental "How long till he snaps?" timer.