It will be interesting how this will play out; will WB delay the film? Will people still care to see it? We'll soon see...
I think the release date will hold firm, and that it will be a huge hit...rightly or wrongly, Heath Ledger be a major 'draw.' In a similar respect, I imagine 'The Crow' (admittedly not a comic character of the same mass appeal as Batman) owes a bit of its success to the macabre backstory of Brandon Lee's demise.
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"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Terrible news, indeed. My condolences to his family and close ones.
I read how in preparation for the Joker role, he went and lived alone for several weeks in some hotel, never leaving the room and keeping a sort of a diary of Joker-esque thoughts, in order to get in the bizarre mentality of the Joker. I wonder if and how the role and the preparation for it factored in his death.
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Wow. This is unbelievable. This is horrible. What an awful thing to happen. I haven't seen much of Ledger's work, but... wow. I'm utterly shocked.
Do you think this will change The Dark Knight in anyway? Do you think they will tone down the darkness (perhaps in an effort to look innocent of causing Ledger to kill himself?)?
I was also shocked when I was informed of Heath Ledger's death. My father told me over the phone and I was dumbfounded. Not an actor I would have expected to go out so early. Honestly I have never seen a film of his, but I was and still am looking forward to TDK because of his everlasting praise.
We can only hope it was indeed an accident and not a suicide. If a successful career that has not even peaked yet as well as a young daughter could not bring this man happiness, that is sad to hear.
I really dislike our idiotic media reporting that the role of the Joker (demonic, mass-murdering, sociopath) and his approach to it caused him to suffer from insomnia and eventually die. That is disrespectful and stupid. It is called method acting and the best actors out there today are method actors and they hardly ever let a role affect them in a negative way.
The biggest disrespect, in my opinion, would be for WB to delay or alter TDK in any way. According to all who witnessed his performance, he gave everything in he had in order to portray this character in the best and most entertaining fashion. We all need to see his last work. He did this for his fans and their enjoyment. I know I will be there opening day not just because I am a huge Batman fan, but because I want to see Ledger's final performance. I hope it will entertain the s hit out of me! That's what he tried to do!
R.I.P. Heath Ledger. I wish I was able to enjoy more of your films when you were still with us.
Do you think this will change The Dark Knight in anyway? Do you think they will tone down the darkness (perhaps in an effort to look innocent of causing Ledger to kill himself?)?
While principal photography on the film was finished, Nolan was probably going to go back at some point to do some pickups and other small bits. Instead, he'll now have to work with what he already has in the can as well as using doubles and stand-ins wherever possible.
As others have said, I doubt the film will be delayed. By the time it debuts in July, half a year will have passed and hopefully the public will have moved on or at least come to grips with the tragedy. I wouldn't be surprised if the marketing campaign will be refocused to concentrate more on Batman and Two-Face. Nolan had already said that the film was more about Two-Face with the Joker more or less cutting a swath of anarchy thru it. The studio will put the best spin it can on the tragedy; depending on the outcome of the investigation into Mr. Ledger's death, they may even dedicate the movie to him.
I very much doubt we'll see much in the way of Joker related memorabilia and that will cost WB dearly in royalties.
Regardless, it will be very strange watching that movie come July. It will invariably bring up all sorts of memories and images for a lot of people and it remains to be seen what effect in will have on the film's long term prognosis.
I really dislike our idiotic media reporting that the role of the Joker (demonic, mass-murdering, sociopath) and his approach to it caused him to suffer from insomnia and eventually die. That is disrespectful and stupid. It is called method acting and the best actors out there today are method actors and they hardly ever let a role affect them in a negative way.
It's not unknown, though: Jeremy Brett (who played Sherlock Holmes on telly for many years) had mental health problems which were exacerbated by the Holmes role, apparently.
Yahoo has been tying it in with his method acting on The Joker. Which doesn't make it true of course, but it's the way journos think, to link it with previous info in the public domain.
Some sites are now reporting that Ledger recently had pneumonia. If he wasn't careful with what medications he took, it could have easily led to a heart attack.
Regardless, execs on the Dark Knight movie have confirmed that he had finished all his work for that project so completion of the film will not be affected by his untimely passing.
He was also working on a movie with Terry Gilliam which probably will now require reshoots.
I have to admit, the press coverage of Ledger's death just turns my stomach. First of all, there's no escape from it. His passing is indeed terrible, but does it merit wall-to-wall coverage? Second, every little rumor and morsel of information becomes trumpeted as the latest shocking "fact." The most recent bit of breaking news is that a rolled-up twenty-dollar bill was found near Ledger's body--and of course with the news is the implication that Ledger must have been snorting cocaine. Third--and most relevant to this thread--is the very loud "whisper campaign" against The Dark Knight. I can't count the number of times in the last 24 hours I've heard that The Joker was such a dark and twisted role that Ledger couldn't get it out of his head, it depressed him, kept him from sleeping, and forced him to take Xanax. It's all but being said that playing The Joker drove Ledger to his death (to be fair, some have said that the role he was playing at the time of his death was pretty dark as well). I'm afraid that TDK is likely to pick up the reputation as "the film that killed Heath Ledger," and this will repel one segment of the audience--and attract one other kind.
I noticed that, too. When a famous person dies, gallows humor often follows, which is probably what was excised. When it was first reported that Ledger had been staying at the apartment of one of the Olsen twins, someone here at the office cracked that the cause of death must have been "starvation." More a reflection on the twins than Ledger.
But it is awfully sad to hear of someone dying that young and Ledger seemed like a truly decent fellow. I think he really was poised to become a huge star and I was looking forward to his take on the Joker -- still am. I've always felt that Nicholson's version was a blemish on Tim Burton's otherwise fine film, not necessarily a bad one in itself, but it seemed to belong to another movie altogether. From what I can gather from clips and articles I've read about the new movie, Ledger seemed to bring a reality and menace to the character that was missing.
I hope his death wasn't the result of a drug problem. If so, it was an awful waste. There was this doctor on TV last night who was saying that it's pretty hard for someone who is young and healthy to OD on sleeping pills alone: it apparently takes pretty massive amounts, or an underlying medical condition. A combination of drugs, however, is a different story. But this is what gets me, if that turns out to be the cause of Ledger's death: my doctor hems and haws if I ask for anything stronger than ibuprofen for pain. Yet it seems celebrities always manage to find doctors to prescribe all kind of different drugs to them for all different kinds of conditions -- anti-depressants, diet pills, pain-killers, sleeping pills, you name it. Doesn't it seem as if whenever a celebrities dies, is rushed to the hospital, arrested or whatever, there's always some kind of heavy-duty prescription drug(s)found on their person, in their car, home, whatever? But I guess it's to be expected. Doctors can be as star-struck as the next person and give in when a movie star asks for a particular medication, even if they ought to know better.
Third--and most relevant to this thread--is the very loud "whisper campaign" against The Dark Knight. I can't count the number of times in the last 24 hours I've heard that The Joker was such a dark and twisted role that Ledger couldn't get it out of his head, it depressed him, kept him from sleeping, and forced him to take Xanax. It's all but being said that playing The Joker drove Ledger to his death (to be fair, some have said that the role he was playing at the time of his death was pretty dark as well). I'm afraid that TDK is likely to pick up the reputation as "the film that killed Heath Ledger," and this will repel one segment of the audience--and attract one other kind.
Seems like the only kind of journalism we get these days is yellow journalism. Did Danny DeVito commit suicide after playing Tim Burton's dark and twisted version of the Penguin? Did Woody Harrelson go on a killing spree after filming Natural Born Killers? Did Al Pacino decide to become a drug dealer after doing Scarface? If a person had a predisposition towards a destructive personality then portraying dark characters could contribute to their instability but to suggest that the part alone led to death, especially without knowing all the facts, is just plain irresponsible. Of course, it makes for sensational copy and television and all these vampires are after is ratings and sales.
I actually avoid most television news these days because even formerly level headed and reputable networks like CNN now trot out headline mongering dolts like Nancy Grace who try to pass off tabloid fare are "hard news". Fox News Corp is equally guilty of tabloid journalism. They had a story on the popular video game Mass Effect, claiming outright that the game features full digital nudity and sex and is being marketed to kids. All those allegations are patently false and if the panel of "experts" who were paraded to condemn the game had actually played it (all of them flatly denied ever even seeing the game) they would have at least known what they were taking about.
The only thing sadder than what passes for news these days is just how many viewers buy into the garbage just because "they saw it on a news channel". Heath Ledger's death is a tragedy; but the way the media feeds off it and similar events and exploits every new rumor and shred of information is even more tragic and downright upsetting. Oh well, maybe Britney Spears will get a few days of peace and quiet now.
As for The Dark Knight, the movie won't be premiering for another 6 months. By then, the "journalists" will have found something else to harp on. If movie studios like WB are capable of anything, it's promoting their films under the most difficult and trying circumstances. They find themselves in an unfortunate situation, but it's also hardly unprecedented. They'll revise their marketing campaign to focus on Batman and Two-Face, they'll carefully monitor interviews and press junkets, and they'll tastefully review what memorabilia will and won't make it to store shelves. I doubt we'll be seeing many Joker action figures at Toys 'R Us or Joker Happy Meals at McDonalds or anything else that could bring up a negative association for the film. If the character is as dark and disturbing as the producers say, that kind of marketing would be inappropriate anyway. TDK will do just fine. It will succeed - or fail - on its own merits as a good - or not so good - comic book adaptation.
Saddened to hear about Heath Ledger. I loved Ten Things I Hate About You, one of the best High School movies ever, with a seriously charismatic performance from Ledger. I was looking forward to seeing his portrayal of The Joker, but it's going to be a strange experience now. My condolences to his family and friends.
I was shocked to hear of Ledger's death. I haven't had the internet for a few days (I only got it a couple of hours ago), and last night I was watching TV, and switched to the news where I heard that he had died. I was so shocked that I rang my sister to check if it was true.
I am horrified and saddened by Ledger's death. As well as being a terrific actor (his performances in Ten Things I Hate About You, Two Hands, Monster's Ball and Brokeback mountain are all superb), he is also the same age as my sister. Both were born in 1979.
Anyway, for the loss of a great actor who was on the way to being among Australia's very best (if he wasn't there already), as well as a son and father, I offer my condolences to his family and friends. RIP. -{
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
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Seems like the only kind of journalism we get these days is yellow journalism. Did Danny DeVito commit suicide after playing Tim Burton's dark and twisted version of the Penguin? Did Woody Harrelson go on a killing spree after filming Natural Born Killers? Did Al Pacino decide to become a drug dealer after doing Scarface? If a person had a predisposition towards a destructive personality then portraying dark characters could contribute to their instability but to suggest that the part alone led to death, especially without knowing all the facts, is just plain irresponsible.
Bingo. When I first heard that on the news of Ledger playing such a dark Joker might've been the catapult that took him to an early grave, I just thought it was one of the most ridiculous things I'd ever heard. Yellow indeed.
I don't want to be trashed for sounding insensitive but I've just come to the conclusion that it might be wise if Nolan didn't edit Heath's performance in TDK much if at all.
Wouldn't it be more insulting to the actor, who supposedly lost sleep over this iconic role because he was trying to be as convincing as possible, to distort his performance for the sake of easing the blow with audiences? I mean when the movie's over, he'll still be dead.
Anyway, I think that Ledger was too much of a pro to go for that anyway. I just think he'd want people to see what he envisioned his incarnation of The Joker should be.
I'm just tired of going on boards hearing the same thing: Nolan should edit this, Nolan should edit that for Heath's sake. 8-)
Charles Roven's Statement on Heath Ledger
Source: Heather Newgen January 24, 2008
The Dark Knight producer Charles Roven gave us an official statement about the death of Heath Ledger, who plays The Joker in the anticipated film:
He was a good friend of mine, both personally and professionally. We did two films together one of which was "The Dark Knight." He was really a great guy and an incredibly brilliant actor. Wherever he is in the universe now I hope he's happy.
Regarding the big screen adaptation of The Flash, Roven added that they are "stuck right now with the writers strike. We've got a writer. We've got a director. We've got to wait until the strike is over."
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Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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Nicholson Warned Ledger About Joker Role
Jack Nicholson has hinted he warned tragic Heath Ledger against taking on the role of The Joker in the new Batman film. Ledger, 28 - who was declared dead at 3:30pm at his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday - publicly declared himself exhausted and sleep deprived in November following the grueling shoot for The Dark Knight. He also revealed in an interview with the New York Times he'd resorted to taking sleeping pills - an overdose of which is believed to be the cause of his death - in a desperate bid to catch up on rest. And Nicholson, who famously portrayed the menacing Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 movie Batman, implied to the waiting crowd outside plush London restaurant The Wolesley on Tuesday night he spoke to Ledger about his role in The Dark Knight - and warned him about the pitfalls of taking on such a demanding challenge. When asked by the London crowds for his reaction to Ledger's untimely demise, a defeated Nicholson simply replied, "I told him so." Batman Begins prequel The Dark Knight is due to be released in July.
Are people trying to turn this all into a curse or something? ?:)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm just tired of going on boards hearing the same thing: Nolan should edit this, Nolan should edit that for Heath's sake. 8-)
Like they say, time heals all wounds. It's looking more and more that Heath Ledger's death was nothing more than a tragic accident; an accidental overdose caused by a combination of drugs in his system. There has been no talk of a suicide note or other "smoking gun".
The Jack Nicholson thing is just pathetic. I knew he was upset about not being "consulted", but honestly, I expected better from him. Honestly, that's very irresponsible of him. Last time I checked, he was an actor, not a doctor.
By the time TDK premieres it will have been six months since this tragedy. The general public will have moved on and the news vultures will have a more current target to pick at for their headline starved audiences. Yes, the spectre of Ledger's death will still be around but it won't have the same impact as it would have had if the movie had premiered this week.
While WB's marketing strategy will no doubt have to be altered, I doubt seriously that Nolan will alter his film all that much. He may tweak the Joker's final fate to preclude a return in the sequel to TDK (if we ever get that far) but other than that, I think he'll proceed along, as much business as usual as possible.
I was shocked to hear of Ledger's death. I haven't had the internet for a few days (I only got it a couple of hours ago), and last night I was watching TV, and switched to the news where I heard that he had died. I was so shocked that I rang my sister to check if it was true.
I am horrified and saddened by Ledger's death. As well as being a terrific actor (his performances in Ten Things I Hate About You, Two Hands, Monster's Ball and Brokeback mountain are all superb), he is also the same age as my sister. Both were born in 1979.
Anyway, for the loss of a great actor who was on the way to being among Australia's very best (if he wasn't there already), as well as a son and father, I offer my condolences to his family and friends. RIP. -{
I was reading an Australian newspaper yesterday that noted this is the second loss of a popular Aussie export recently, the first being the tragic death Steve Irwin. Very sad, indeed, for the Land Down Under.
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Here's an interesting article from The Wall Street Journal as to how Ledger's death might change the WB'S marketing strategy on TDK. Especially since his Joker was at least 75-80% of the campaign.
I was reading an Australian newspaper yesterday that noted this is the second loss of a popular Aussie export recently, the first being the tragic death Steve Irwin. Very sad, indeed, for the Land Down Under.
It is extremely sad. It's also very big news. The front pages of my local paper, has for the past two days, featured articles on Ledger.
I think it's really terrible; especially for the family. I've read so many letters speculating about what had happened, and some even judging Ledger (for what, I have no idea.) I just think it's a really horrible thing and all my best wishes go out to the family.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I was very sad about Heath Ledger. I don't know if I will enjoy the film so much now
It certainly does cast a shadow across the film, Son Of... As fans, all we can do is appreciate his performance, and take some comfort in knowing that his final complete film performance will live on---and probably loom large---in Batman lore {[]
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I heard that Johnny Depp is going to take over the role played by Heather Ledger in the The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, when Ledger's character "falls through a magic mirror".
Anyway, I wonder what's going to happen to The Joker in The Dark Knight? Will Batman kill him, or just lock him up in Arkham Asylum? I would prefer the latter, as I think it will be quite creapy to see Heath Ledger die on screen.
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I would prefer the latter, as I think it will be quite creapy to see Heath Ledger die on screen.
I can understand why you feel that way, but I think it can be fine either way if the filmmakers handle the marketing appopriately. As long as they don't market it as 'Heath Ledger's last film' or 'the film that Ledger dies during the filming of' and are respectful, I think it can work out either way. Nonetheless, it will be sad seeing Ledger's final performance (not including his work on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, should there be any.)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
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I would prefer the latter, as I think it will be quite creapy to see Heath Ledger die on screen.
I can understand why you feel that way, but I think it can be fine either way if the filmmakers handle the marketing appopriately. As long as they don't market it as 'Heath Ledger's last film' or 'the film that Ledger dies during the filming of' and are respectful, I think it can work out either way. Nonetheless, it will be sad seeing Ledger's final performance (not including his work on The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, should there be any .)
I think that it's highly unlikely that Joker will be killed off in this film seeing that Nolan hasn't set a pace for offing mainstay villians unlike Burton did in his turn at the helm...
I mean Scarecrow is still on the run from BB and it could be debated that Ra's Al Ghul survived his imminent demise on the train (if you know the character from the comics, nothing's a given with his supernatural trappings).
It would have been cool, if during the epilogue,Gordon tells Batman that Ra's body was never found in the wreckage leaving his fate ambiguous to the audience.
In Ledger's case, I've heard that he was supposed to be part of the script for the third film so either that will be re-written and we have no Joker or just cast with a different actor but I'm sure that he won't die in TDK.
I know seeing Heath onscreen will be creepy to some but it hasn't discouraged me from seeing this and I'm not trying to sound cold. I think that it's a given that there will be some sort of dedication to him as the curtain closes on this segment.
But let's not forget, while it's media-speculated that Ledger's untimely death could be attributed to playing an arguably stressful role such as Joker, there was someone who actually died during filming on this...the stuntman. Forgive me for not knowing his name right off but shouldn't he be recognized to some extent along with Ledger?
I mean people were still pumped to see TDK after hearing of his fatal accident yet a life is a life. He deserves to a tribute as well if not with equal contempt. I do realize that there's a double standard that plays in this though...
I still remember people flooding the theatres to see Twilight Zone: The Movie and we all know what happened to Vic Morrow on the set of that one. People will flood to see TDK although for what reasons may vary now.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
From what I've read on sites like Batman on Film, Nolan and Bale always envisioned their tenure on Batman as a trilogy of adventures where Batman faces off against some of his most memorable foes. As such, I have a feeling that the Joker's final fate will be ambiguous, but we won't be seeing him in the next movie - much like Raas Al Ghul. I think it would be a hard sell to have somebody else don the Joker makeup while this creative team is still in charge of the franchise.
As to what effect Mr. Ledger's death will have on the movie's box office, I honestly don't think it will affect it much one way or another. The media has already moved on to other stories (at least here in America) and by the time the film premieres, WB will have shifted the marketing campaign so that the Joker will still be an important part of the film, but not the hub upon which everything else revolves. Nolan had said the story was more about Harvey Dent and Two-Face even before this tragedy and I suspect that by the time the next trailer hits, you'll be seeing a lot more of the other characters.
Personally, I'm more concerned with the tone of the film, which frankly seems a little too dark and serious for me to hold on to a mainstream audience for the whole summer. I could be wrong but I see a little bit of Batman Returns in this one and I think ultimately that could hurt the movie's box office potential more than anything else.
From what I've read on sites like Batman on Film, Nolan and Bale always envisioned their tenure on Batman as a trilogy of adventures where Batman faces off against some of his most memorable foes. As such, I have a feeling that the Joker's final fate will be ambiguous, but we won't be seeing him in the next movie - much like Raas Al Ghul. I think it would be a hard sell to have somebody else don the Joker makeup while this creative team is still in charge of the franchise.
To add to that, even before Ledger died, Nolan said that The Joker has no "arc" and that the center of TDK will be Harvey Dent/Two Face, who definitely will return in the third film. But if there's to be another colorful Bat-foe I'm pulling for The Penguin, played by someone who can do the role with a minimum of make-up--Toby Jones!
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But if there's to be another colorful Bat-foe I'm pulling for The Penguin, played by someone who can do the role with a minimum of make-up--Toby Jones!
I hate to tell you this HB, but i don't think Nolan is going to put the Penquin on thee big screen:
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But I was thinking, will the Joker still be in the next Batman movie after the Dark Knight like they have said? It would suck with a different actor.
I think the release date will hold firm, and that it will be a huge hit...rightly or wrongly, Heath Ledger be a major 'draw.' In a similar respect, I imagine 'The Crow' (admittedly not a comic character of the same mass appeal as Batman) owes a bit of its success to the macabre backstory of Brandon Lee's demise.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I read how in preparation for the Joker role, he went and lived alone for several weeks in some hotel, never leaving the room and keeping a sort of a diary of Joker-esque thoughts, in order to get in the bizarre mentality of the Joker. I wonder if and how the role and the preparation for it factored in his death.
Do you think this will change The Dark Knight in anyway? Do you think they will tone down the darkness (perhaps in an effort to look innocent of causing Ledger to kill himself?)?
And at 28. Jeez.
We can only hope it was indeed an accident and not a suicide. If a successful career that has not even peaked yet as well as a young daughter could not bring this man happiness, that is sad to hear.
I really dislike our idiotic media reporting that the role of the Joker (demonic, mass-murdering, sociopath) and his approach to it caused him to suffer from insomnia and eventually die. That is disrespectful and stupid. It is called method acting and the best actors out there today are method actors and they hardly ever let a role affect them in a negative way.
The biggest disrespect, in my opinion, would be for WB to delay or alter TDK in any way. According to all who witnessed his performance, he gave everything in he had in order to portray this character in the best and most entertaining fashion. We all need to see his last work. He did this for his fans and their enjoyment. I know I will be there opening day not just because I am a huge Batman fan, but because I want to see Ledger's final performance. I hope it will entertain the s hit out of me! That's what he tried to do!
R.I.P. Heath Ledger. I wish I was able to enjoy more of your films when you were still with us.
While principal photography on the film was finished, Nolan was probably going to go back at some point to do some pickups and other small bits. Instead, he'll now have to work with what he already has in the can as well as using doubles and stand-ins wherever possible.
As others have said, I doubt the film will be delayed. By the time it debuts in July, half a year will have passed and hopefully the public will have moved on or at least come to grips with the tragedy. I wouldn't be surprised if the marketing campaign will be refocused to concentrate more on Batman and Two-Face. Nolan had already said that the film was more about Two-Face with the Joker more or less cutting a swath of anarchy thru it. The studio will put the best spin it can on the tragedy; depending on the outcome of the investigation into Mr. Ledger's death, they may even dedicate the movie to him.
I very much doubt we'll see much in the way of Joker related memorabilia and that will cost WB dearly in royalties.
Regardless, it will be very strange watching that movie come July. It will invariably bring up all sorts of memories and images for a lot of people and it remains to be seen what effect in will have on the film's long term prognosis.
It's not unknown, though: Jeremy Brett (who played Sherlock Holmes on telly for many years) had mental health problems which were exacerbated by the Holmes role, apparently.
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Regardless, execs on the Dark Knight movie have confirmed that he had finished all his work for that project so completion of the film will not be affected by his untimely passing.
He was also working on a movie with Terry Gilliam which probably will now require reshoots.
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Roger Moore 1927-2017
I noticed that, too. When a famous person dies, gallows humor often follows, which is probably what was excised. When it was first reported that Ledger had been staying at the apartment of one of the Olsen twins, someone here at the office cracked that the cause of death must have been "starvation." More a reflection on the twins than Ledger.
But it is awfully sad to hear of someone dying that young and Ledger seemed like a truly decent fellow. I think he really was poised to become a huge star and I was looking forward to his take on the Joker -- still am. I've always felt that Nicholson's version was a blemish on Tim Burton's otherwise fine film, not necessarily a bad one in itself, but it seemed to belong to another movie altogether. From what I can gather from clips and articles I've read about the new movie, Ledger seemed to bring a reality and menace to the character that was missing.
I hope his death wasn't the result of a drug problem. If so, it was an awful waste. There was this doctor on TV last night who was saying that it's pretty hard for someone who is young and healthy to OD on sleeping pills alone: it apparently takes pretty massive amounts, or an underlying medical condition. A combination of drugs, however, is a different story. But this is what gets me, if that turns out to be the cause of Ledger's death: my doctor hems and haws if I ask for anything stronger than ibuprofen for pain. Yet it seems celebrities always manage to find doctors to prescribe all kind of different drugs to them for all different kinds of conditions -- anti-depressants, diet pills, pain-killers, sleeping pills, you name it. Doesn't it seem as if whenever a celebrities dies, is rushed to the hospital, arrested or whatever, there's always some kind of heavy-duty prescription drug(s)found on their person, in their car, home, whatever? But I guess it's to be expected. Doctors can be as star-struck as the next person and give in when a movie star asks for a particular medication, even if they ought to know better.
Seems like the only kind of journalism we get these days is yellow journalism. Did Danny DeVito commit suicide after playing Tim Burton's dark and twisted version of the Penguin? Did Woody Harrelson go on a killing spree after filming Natural Born Killers? Did Al Pacino decide to become a drug dealer after doing Scarface? If a person had a predisposition towards a destructive personality then portraying dark characters could contribute to their instability but to suggest that the part alone led to death, especially without knowing all the facts, is just plain irresponsible. Of course, it makes for sensational copy and television and all these vampires are after is ratings and sales.
I actually avoid most television news these days because even formerly level headed and reputable networks like CNN now trot out headline mongering dolts like Nancy Grace who try to pass off tabloid fare are "hard news". Fox News Corp is equally guilty of tabloid journalism. They had a story on the popular video game Mass Effect, claiming outright that the game features full digital nudity and sex and is being marketed to kids. All those allegations are patently false and if the panel of "experts" who were paraded to condemn the game had actually played it (all of them flatly denied ever even seeing the game) they would have at least known what they were taking about.
The only thing sadder than what passes for news these days is just how many viewers buy into the garbage just because "they saw it on a news channel". Heath Ledger's death is a tragedy; but the way the media feeds off it and similar events and exploits every new rumor and shred of information is even more tragic and downright upsetting. Oh well, maybe Britney Spears will get a few days of peace and quiet now.
As for The Dark Knight, the movie won't be premiering for another 6 months. By then, the "journalists" will have found something else to harp on. If movie studios like WB are capable of anything, it's promoting their films under the most difficult and trying circumstances. They find themselves in an unfortunate situation, but it's also hardly unprecedented. They'll revise their marketing campaign to focus on Batman and Two-Face, they'll carefully monitor interviews and press junkets, and they'll tastefully review what memorabilia will and won't make it to store shelves. I doubt we'll be seeing many Joker action figures at Toys 'R Us or Joker Happy Meals at McDonalds or anything else that could bring up a negative association for the film. If the character is as dark and disturbing as the producers say, that kind of marketing would be inappropriate anyway. TDK will do just fine. It will succeed - or fail - on its own merits as a good - or not so good - comic book adaptation.
I am horrified and saddened by Ledger's death. As well as being a terrific actor (his performances in Ten Things I Hate About You, Two Hands, Monster's Ball and Brokeback mountain are all superb), he is also the same age as my sister. Both were born in 1979.
Anyway, for the loss of a great actor who was on the way to being among Australia's very best (if he wasn't there already), as well as a son and father, I offer my condolences to his family and friends. RIP. -{
Bingo. When I first heard that on the news of Ledger playing such a dark Joker might've been the catapult that took him to an early grave, I just thought it was one of the most ridiculous things I'd ever heard. Yellow indeed.
I don't want to be trashed for sounding insensitive but I've just come to the conclusion that it might be wise if Nolan didn't edit Heath's performance in TDK much if at all.
Wouldn't it be more insulting to the actor, who supposedly lost sleep over this iconic role because he was trying to be as convincing as possible, to distort his performance for the sake of easing the blow with audiences? I mean when the movie's over, he'll still be dead.
Anyway, I think that Ledger was too much of a pro to go for that anyway. I just think he'd want people to see what he envisioned his incarnation of The Joker should be.
I'm just tired of going on boards hearing the same thing: Nolan should edit this, Nolan should edit that for Heath's sake. 8-)
Charles Roven's Statement on Heath Ledger
Source: Heather Newgen January 24, 2008
The Dark Knight producer Charles Roven gave us an official statement about the death of Heath Ledger, who plays The Joker in the anticipated film:
He was a good friend of mine, both personally and professionally. We did two films together one of which was "The Dark Knight." He was really a great guy and an incredibly brilliant actor. Wherever he is in the universe now I hope he's happy.
Regarding the big screen adaptation of The Flash, Roven added that they are "stuck right now with the writers strike. We've got a writer. We've got a director. We've got to wait until the strike is over."
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Jack Nicholson has hinted he warned tragic Heath Ledger against taking on the role of The Joker in the new Batman film. Ledger, 28 - who was declared dead at 3:30pm at his Manhattan apartment on Tuesday - publicly declared himself exhausted and sleep deprived in November following the grueling shoot for The Dark Knight. He also revealed in an interview with the New York Times he'd resorted to taking sleeping pills - an overdose of which is believed to be the cause of his death - in a desperate bid to catch up on rest. And Nicholson, who famously portrayed the menacing Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 movie Batman, implied to the waiting crowd outside plush London restaurant The Wolesley on Tuesday night he spoke to Ledger about his role in The Dark Knight - and warned him about the pitfalls of taking on such a demanding challenge. When asked by the London crowds for his reaction to Ledger's untimely demise, a defeated Nicholson simply replied, "I told him so." Batman Begins prequel The Dark Knight is due to be released in July.
Are people trying to turn this all into a curse or something? ?:)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Like they say, time heals all wounds. It's looking more and more that Heath Ledger's death was nothing more than a tragic accident; an accidental overdose caused by a combination of drugs in his system. There has been no talk of a suicide note or other "smoking gun".
The Jack Nicholson thing is just pathetic. I knew he was upset about not being "consulted", but honestly, I expected better from him. Honestly, that's very irresponsible of him. Last time I checked, he was an actor, not a doctor.
By the time TDK premieres it will have been six months since this tragedy. The general public will have moved on and the news vultures will have a more current target to pick at for their headline starved audiences. Yes, the spectre of Ledger's death will still be around but it won't have the same impact as it would have had if the movie had premiered this week.
While WB's marketing strategy will no doubt have to be altered, I doubt seriously that Nolan will alter his film all that much. He may tweak the Joker's final fate to preclude a return in the sequel to TDK (if we ever get that far) but other than that, I think he'll proceed along, as much business as usual as possible.
I was reading an Australian newspaper yesterday that noted this is the second loss of a popular Aussie export recently, the first being the tragic death Steve Irwin. Very sad, indeed, for the Land Down Under.
Here's the link:
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120113527501911813-9l_MMGuYQaO1PK3wkBPx7x1cRUs_20080222.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Be warned it's a bootleg with poor sound and picture quality. A little eerie now though...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsAoqSOv5mo
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I think it's really terrible; especially for the family. I've read so many letters speculating about what had happened, and some even judging Ledger (for what, I have no idea.) I just think it's a really horrible thing and all my best wishes go out to the family.
It certainly does cast a shadow across the film, Son Of...
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Anyway, I wonder what's going to happen to The Joker in The Dark Knight? Will Batman kill him, or just lock him up in Arkham Asylum? I would prefer the latter, as I think it will be quite creapy to see Heath Ledger die on screen.
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
I think that it's highly unlikely that Joker will be killed off in this film seeing that Nolan hasn't set a pace for offing mainstay villians unlike Burton did in his turn at the helm...
I mean Scarecrow is still on the run from BB and it could be debated that Ra's Al Ghul survived his imminent demise on the train (if you know the character from the comics, nothing's a given with his supernatural trappings).
It would have been cool, if during the epilogue,Gordon tells Batman that Ra's body was never found in the wreckage leaving his fate ambiguous to the audience.
In Ledger's case, I've heard that he was supposed to be part of the script for the third film so either that will be re-written and we have no Joker or just cast with a different actor but I'm sure that he won't die in TDK.
I know seeing Heath onscreen will be creepy to some but it hasn't discouraged me from seeing this and I'm not trying to sound cold. I think that it's a given that there will be some sort of dedication to him as the curtain closes on this segment.
But let's not forget, while it's media-speculated that Ledger's untimely death could be attributed to playing an arguably stressful role such as Joker, there was someone who actually died during filming on this...the stuntman. Forgive me for not knowing his name right off but shouldn't he be recognized to some extent along with Ledger?
I mean people were still pumped to see TDK after hearing of his fatal accident yet a life is a life. He deserves to a tribute as well if not with equal contempt. I do realize that there's a double standard that plays in this though...
I still remember people flooding the theatres to see Twilight Zone: The Movie and we all know what happened to Vic Morrow on the set of that one. People will flood to see TDK although for what reasons may vary now.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
As to what effect Mr. Ledger's death will have on the movie's box office, I honestly don't think it will affect it much one way or another. The media has already moved on to other stories (at least here in America) and by the time the film premieres, WB will have shifted the marketing campaign so that the Joker will still be an important part of the film, but not the hub upon which everything else revolves. Nolan had said the story was more about Harvey Dent and Two-Face even before this tragedy and I suspect that by the time the next trailer hits, you'll be seeing a lot more of the other characters.
Personally, I'm more concerned with the tone of the film, which frankly seems a little too dark and serious for me to hold on to a mainstream audience for the whole summer. I could be wrong but I see a little bit of Batman Returns in this one and I think ultimately that could hurt the movie's box office potential more than anything else.
To add to that, even before Ledger died, Nolan said that The Joker has no "arc" and that the center of TDK will be Harvey Dent/Two Face, who definitely will return in the third film. But if there's to be another colorful Bat-foe I'm pulling for The Penguin, played by someone who can do the role with a minimum of make-up--Toby Jones!
I hate to tell you this HB, but i don't think Nolan is going to put the Penquin on thee big screen:
http://www.cinematical.com/2006/10/14/chris-nolan-says-no-to-the-penguin/