BATMAN sequel gets a name, Joker casting announced

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Source: Warner Bros.

Warner Brothers has sent out a press release announcing that the upcoming sequel to BATMAN BEGINS will be titled THE DARK KNIGHT and feature Heath Ledger as the Joker.

"I'm excited to continue the story we started with Batman Begins," Christopher Nolan 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."

The script will be written by Nolan's brother, Jonathan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. Christopher Nolan and Goyer co-wrote last year's BATMAN BEGINS.

Filming on THE DARK KNIGHT is expected to get underway in early 2007.

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Comments/Responses

• Aug 01, 2006, 03:40am •

Dear God thank you so much!, good casting, and great title.

• Aug 01, 2006, 04:17am •

Yessss!! That is a great title. Heath should do an awesome job and now people can shut the hell up about Crispin Glover. Maybe he can play the Riddler.

• Aug 01, 2006, 04:39am •

I can see the Brokeback jokes rolling in already.

But I think Ledger is a fine choice for the role. It will be interesting to see what he does with the character. At least we know it won't be a reprise of Nicholson, thank god.

Like many others, I trust Nolan completely.
He gave us the best Batman film yet, and verified that he understands WHY he has become the icon that he has.

Here's to round 2, still years away, yet I'm eager already.

• Aug 01, 2006, 05:41am •

Well� Crispin Glover,Crispin Glover,Crispin Glover,Crispin Glover,Crispin Glover� sorry had to do it.
Anyway I like Ledger and trust Nolan, I mean he finally did Batman justice, so why not Ledger as Joker, but I will always wonder about Glover.
Can anyone else see The Ventriloquist (which if anyone could make that interesting it is Nolan) with Giamatti or is it just me?

• Aug 01, 2006, 05:45am •

It really should have been Crispin Glover. They really, really dropped the ball on THAT one.

• Aug 01, 2006, 05:53am •

Batman Begins was the best Batman film ever made. That being said, I'm not sure I trust Nolan this time around. Rumor mill has it that he doesn't want Joker the wear the purple suit, have green hair, or white skin. That scares the crap out of me. I don't want to see a reprise of the Catwoman movie (where the title character bore no resemblance to the comic character)

• Aug 01, 2006, 06:19am •

I wonder if the title will stay simply "The Dark Knight" and not become something like "Batman: The Dark Knight" Without Batman in the title, marketing will have to teach people that "The Dark Knight" is Batman.

• Aug 01, 2006, 06:36am •

The thing is, that is all it is, narpin, a rumor. Considering how faithful the first movie was to the Batman universe, I don't think Nolan would change such a fundamental trait of a main character like that. Maybe to base it in a little more reality, he may just have Joker wear white face paint and dye his hair green instead of it being a chemical deformity, which in my mind can still work as long as Ledger can pull off the psychotic, sociopathic Joker persona properly. And the Joker isn't the title character, Batman is and its pretty faithful to the essence of the Dark Knight. Screw Crispin Glover! Just because he has that crazy look doesn't mean he could play the Joker. Willard was more creepy than menacing and scary. I have faith in Nolan, so until he fucks up, I`ll continue to.

triggerleo • Aug 01, 2006, 06:44am •

Heath Ledger is too young to play the joker.

• Aug 01, 2006, 06:49am •

When I heard that Christopher Nolan was directing Batman, I knew it was instantly good! The Dark Knight is going to make sure that sequels get a good name. Nolan, who made Memento my favorite movie of all time, has picked an unexpectedly great actor to play joker and now I really can't wait to see what turns up.

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