The Joker may return in The Dark Knight Rises
As production ramps up, so are new rumors that The Joker may actually be making an appearance in The Dark Knight Rises via this old footage and a little CGI manipulation. Director Christopher Nolan is keeping mum about this potential spoiler, and he refused to comment on this particular subject in a recent interview. Around the time of The Dark Knight's release, Nolan insisted that Heath Ledger wouldn't be making an appearance in the final chapter of his Batman trilogy, CGI or not. Maybe it was too close to the death of Ledger at the time of that decision, or Nolan simply wanted to keep it a secret and make it a surprise for the fans.
Now, sources close to the production team responsible for creating Clu 2.0 in Tron: Legacy, which enabled Jeff Bridges to play a younger version of himself, are saying that The Dark Knight Rises will pay a fitting tribute to Ledger's Oscar winning performance utilizing a mix of excised footage and new motion capture technology employing a look-a-like double. Don't expect a long exchange between Batman and the Joker, though. Heath Ledger's screen time might be on par with Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator Salvation cameo, which was completely animated and only lasted for a few minutes.
Showbiz Spy has new information on this old story, which has made many fans frown in the past. Their source states, "The idea is to use these fragments of cut scenes and use CGI to have The Joker appear one last time. Chris wants some continuity between movies and for the franchise to pay tribute to Heath and his portrayal of the Joker. It would only be a fleeting moment in the movie and would only be included with the full consent of Heath's family."
Is this right? Is this wrong? Is this what the fans want to see? It really depends on how much saved footage there truly is, and how much of it will be spooky CGI Heath as opposed to real Heath. It seems enough time has passed since the actor's death for this subject to not be such a sensitive issue.
The Dark Knight Rises comes to theaters July 20th, 2012 and stars Liam Neeson, Tom Hardy, Christian Bale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Aidan Gillen, Marion Cotillard. The film is directed by Christopher Nolan.
Comments (121)
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Bane5000
@J_A_OTTLEY...ok man, imma have to check it out on my computer and read the script...
...hmmm main character may be dead in the trailer, oh this i gotta find out now :D... i just hope its not Optimus again or Sam dies and talks to the spirit of the Primes like last time....
1 year agoby @bane5000Flag
The Boondock Saint
@buriblazing haha, not until you mentioned that did i ever notice how much he looked like the joker, minus the make up and scars!!!!
1 year agoby @combatmadness360Flag
Aamiros
I somehow agree with Joseph Gordon Lewitt having a little resemblance with Heath Ledger...the only thing is that he is too young to do a joker's role....i believe we have to wait for him 2 turn 35 or something...lol
1 year agoby @aamirosFlag
bud2fresh
If his family is ok with it then i say bring it on
1 year agoby @bud2freshFlag
OhTheFilmNerd
Sounds Exciting And Quite Clever-But if they do use the CGI Model shade him in dark, just higlhight glimpes of his makeup, and encoparate a voice over, but unused footage, here we come
1 year agoby @ohthefilmnerdFlag
ed_wood
I'm for this only if they don't use mocap. If it's unused footage and it can work, fine. But thats it.
1 year agoby @ed-woodFlag
bruce_ha
Joseph Gordon Levitt or this is a no show, the only thing i think would hinder Levitt is maybe the voice, Heath had a dark voice at times when he was joker and that's hard to find.
I don't think Nolan will use CGI motion capture. He'll either use the old unused scenes with Heath or he'll cast Levitt.
1 year agoby @bruce-haFlag
Remy72883
ive said this before and i will say this again, have him pulling the strings so to speak from jail, have his crew or whatever leave little killing practical jokes around town for bats and have bats talk to him while he is sitting on the floor of his glass covered door cell not revealing his face and ONLY USE voice over technology of heath ledger, that i would be fine with but with a face id be mad
1 year agoby @remy72883Flag
JasonKat
i want these clips of him in batman 3,depending on wat they r.. it would only make sense to have it in there since we all know joker didnt die and we wanna know wat happened to him. and i dont mean Heath Ledger. but ya. 1 last time would b kool.as long as it doesnt look fake or weird.
2 years agoby @jasonkatFlag
The Real Lex Luthor
HELL YEAH!!! Hell i'd be for them re casting the role with a look a like... But this sounds pretty darn cool.
2 years agoby @thajackalFlag
moviegeek
I have confidence that Nolan won't use the footage if it looks tacky and unnecessary.
I just can't wait for the dumb users to post reviews of the movie after it comes out: "Heath Ledger was in this movie!?!? OMG OMG" sigh...
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
Buriblazing
cast the actor from son's of anarchy
2 years agoby @buriblazingFlag
Buriblazing
that would be awesome
2 years agoby @buriblazingFlag
Buriblazing
yes good idea and here we GO!
2 years agoby @buriblazingFlag
Ensigndesign
I like the idea of having a Heath cameo. It's paying respect and a tip of the hat to an amazing job in the last film.
2 years agoby @ensigndesignFlag
Pjwolsker
@JA yeah i heard that Cameron said he liked it more then he thought he would. he said he thought he was going to hate it. i havent heard that though. i know there having problems with ownership rights i guess but not that
2 years agoby @pjwolskerFlag
Jay.A.Ottley
@Bane
I'm not sure if you can find it online I've not checked yet, but if you have the 2 disc version special edition version of T2, pop the 1st disc in the computer and it will have the full-length script of up to like 500 something pages :)
And as for the trailer, a nice opening, a sh*tload of explosions, and a nice WTF moment leaving the auidence in anticipation of figuring out weather a main character is DOA. :)
2 years agoby @jayaottleyFlag
incmob
AMAZING.... just a year ago there were forums supporting this idea but alot of people now are not. I for one if it is done well and with the original footage of ledger am not dissapointed if this happens. the trend they started with the last film was to have one of the villians start out the beginning... more than likely it will be the joker in arkham and not some action sequence ala TDK. on top of that they are willing to forgo it if ledgers family dissaproves which i think shows alot of respect for ledger and his family. i for one am up to this like i said if it is done tastefully and very well.
2 years agoby @incmobFlag
Spongebob_Boxofficepants
weird an animated villiain as ahis villain
2 years agoby @spongebob-boxofficepantsFlag
Bawnian©-Dexeus
I can do without another Potter Book, cause I want her to write something fresh, other than wizardry, Like Meyer when she wrote Host, which was pretty good, not that I'm comparing, since J.K is far better
2 years agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag
SpaceCowboy
@Daveactor7 Alot of characters might be a good thing for Batman...Arkham Asylum was terrific...I realize that was a game, but still...it worked!
2 years agoby @SpaceCowboyFlag
Daveactor7
@ejk1 i really hope so. Thing is thats a lot of new characters lol
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
Daveactor7
@OTTLEY same here message me on my page about the trailer
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
Dr.Carter
From what the article is saying Heaths Joker scene will only be a matter of minutes. It can possibly be for an opening cinematic scene where they fill in the gap between TDK and this new film or if rumors are right and Hugo Strange is in the movie, then he may possibly show up in a scene when he is in a cell in Arkham. I don't really see a big problem with this only if they do gain the consent of the family and they are some how recieving reperations of his apperance. But I seriously doubt Nolan would do this. Still a great and intresting concept.
2 years agoby @dr-carterFlag
Bane5000
@J_A_OTTLEY...no my friend i havent read the original and final draft for T2, where can i find it at...
Oh and how does the Transformers 3 preview go, message me on my page instead of posting it on here if u like to share :D
2 years agoby @bane5000Flag
ejk1
She can always pick up from where she left off--19 years later.
2 years agoby @ejk1Flag
Daveactor7
@OTTLEY lol. I hope Rowling writes another book though.
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
Jay.A.Ottley
@Dave I'm only playing with him :) J.K can write a Potter film after all, that isn't based on a book
I think Deathly Hallow Pt.2 was by far a better novel though xD
2 years agoby @jayaottleyFlag
Daveactor7
@OTTLEY dont blame dude it was my fault for bringing harry potter up. I agree Deathly Hallows was superb :)
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
Jay.A.Ottley
@PJ
The other 2 Terminator films got dropped unfortunately :'(
Really Cameron said he liked the movie, i heard in an interview that he hated it and place it on bar with T3:ROTM.
@Bane
I agree it should be finished, especially by Cameron, he should finish what he started and created.
Have you read the amazing original and final script draft to Terminator 2?
@TheDude1
I got your point but its irrlevant, and to take note J.K.Roeling stated she has enough ideas to make 3 more Potter books, but Radcliffe, Grint and Watson have already stated they wouldn't return.
And I loved reading Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt.1, was the best read of my life, Thumbs up :)
2 years agoby @jayaottleyFlag