Heath Ledger confirmed as Joker for Batman Begins sequel
 

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/719/719898p1.html

I hope they try a creative look like the concept design below...

http://batman-on-film.com/leebermejointerview.html

http://photos.imageevent.com/batmano...ejo_joker1.jpg

...or more like CONRAD VEIDT from the old black and white silent movie "The Man Who Laughs" from which the character of the Joker was visually inspired by...

I also love the realistic look to it. and it's not just about the grin, it's the eyes, the facial expression, the wicked jagged teeth...

http://img237.echo.cx/img237/6219/joker22fy4jd.jpg

oh man! both of those pictures look amazinG! and if they do the sequel as good as the 1st one, then i will definitly see/buy this movie!! i hope they keep the same style for once! :)

The new round of films is really doing great work interpreting the Dark Knight mythos. I loved what they did with Scarecrow and Ra's al Ghul in the last film--it wasn't quite like anything in the cannon, but it was totally consistent with the theme and style of the cannon, and it added to it in its own unique way. Totally brilliant work.

I trust they'll do Joker justice. And after Brokeback Mountain, I trust Heath can pull it off.

there's a hand job joke in there somewhere, i just know it :P

I was really trying not to go there. :P

Same director; same actor (as Batman), and hopefully the same writers. I have faith in the team. Heath has also proven that he has range, so I approve of the choice.

If they don't make him more sadistic than Jack was in the Tim Burton movie, then I'll see it as a complete failure. I am a BIG Joker fan. He is supposed to be one part Robin Williams and one part Charles Manson, but they usually go light on the Manson part. I will be surprised if Heath can pull of being truely evil (but still be able to make me laugh).

Edit: Is this going to be the official thread for all news and discussions about the as-of-yet unnamed Batman Begins sequel?

Yeah, I want a "The Killing Joke" level of evil. Twisted, warped, manipulative, brutal. That's The Joker. From the promotional poster earlier in this thread, I can sort of see that's where they're headed.

Neato. Keeping the director and Bale in the fold means I'll go see it, and it will probably rock my socks off. Literally.

It's going to be called The Dark Knight.

Oh. Cool! Better than Batman Forever, that's for sure.

I couldn't agree more.

I will absolutely have to see this movie. I loved Batman Begins, and knowing Bale is in it is a definite plus!

Oh, wow, this is shaping up to be really good. I'm excited to see where this goes. I loved Batman Begins, ended up seeing it waay too many times in the theater. Such a great movie. Hopefully this one will be just as good or better!

I think the next big casting decision is DA Harvey Dent. Is it too late for Billy Dee Williams? :thumbsup:

Edit: Actually, I have some people in mind:
Anthony Montgomery, a.k.a. Ensign Mayweather from Enterprise. He's a relative unknown, he can act, and he can play Dent to a T.
Adrian Lester, from Hustle, Primary Colrs, etc. Damn good actor, might be able to do evil.
Don Cheadle, arguabally one of the best actors in history (at least in my mind). He can do serious drama and serious action. Probably my #1 pick.

I love Don Cheadle. I'd LOVE to see that.

Oh, man, he'd be great.

Only thing is... I can get Cheadle as Dent, but I can't quite see him as Two-Face. He reads as too intelligent and articulate for the psychopathic side of the character. Though I guess that's sort of the whole point of Two-Face.

Two face may be a psychopath, but the intelect was never lost between the two personas. Two Face reminds me a great deal of Bane (from the comic, NOT the tv show) or Riddler, in that it's not just brute force or guns, it's also a great criminal mind. Think of the role he played in Out of Sight. I believed that he was a ruthless theif, but I never had the impression he was dumb.

Don Cheadle would be great, but I'm hoping they go with Liev Schreiber as Harvey Dent. He has the acting ability, and if you've ever read a Batman comic drawn by Tim Sale, he looks the part perfectly.

If we're going with a white Dent, then yes Liev Schreiber would have my vote. He was the only tolerable part of the Omen remake.

I say Cheadle for the win, assuming he's interested of course.

UGH.

Heath Ledger should NEVER be the Joker.

He's a mumbler, he can't speak clearly.

The way I always pictured the Joker was a very eloquent, clear speaker. I really don't think Ledger can pull that off.

Plus, his face is too wide. The Joker is supposed to have a "long face".

URG. If he pulls it off, I owe you all a round.

I'm quite excited to see how Heath does. Also, I just read that Ryan Phillipe has reportedly landing the role of Two-Face. I'm not sure if there's any truth whatsoever to this, but in the same article I read that Phillip Seymour Hoffmann was in talks for the role of The Penguin. Now, that I'd be quite interested in.

I heard that rumor as well.

The first name attached to the role was that of [URL=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0852965/Noah Taylor[/URL], most popular in his role as the Adolescent David in the Academy Award winning movie, Shine. He is an absolutely brilliant actor, and I would love him in the role, but it feels like they are more interested in getting the "heart-throb"-esque actor to fill the role. I can understand that can help to assist sympathy for antagonists, but the Joker is not an antagonist that should elicit sympathy. He is a madman, and is truely cruel. One should loath the Joker, but find him dispicably funny (like a clown bleeding to death).

The Heath Ledger casting is a massive risk either way. If it pays off, which seems to be a long shot at least in my mind, then the movie will be a smash hit not unlike the original Burton Batman. If it fails, we may see the Batman franchise disabled for another extended period of time.

For now, I will await with great interest.

well... regardless of Heath, i will certainly go see it. BB was probably one of the best comic book adaptations made yet. certainly better then even what burton did (no offense to burton, of course). so long as they keep the tone and atmosphere the same, i'm sure it will be great.