While conducting interviews with the cast of
The Dark Knight this afternoon, I got a chance to chat with director Christopher Nolan and Gary Oldman about the proposed third segment of their supposed Batman trilogy. While none of us in attendance really wanted to dwell on the death of Heath Ledger, Oldman offered his thoughts on the actor's portrayal of the Joker, calling it the scariest on-screen performance he's ever seen.
He even went on to compare it to his own work as Sirius Black, saying, "Sirius Black might scare six year olds, but he doesn't scare nine year olds. It's hard to scare kids these days. Heath does. He scares everybody. This is one of the most frightening performances I have ever seen put on film." When asked if he thought they should recast Ledger for the third film, or just not include the character, Gary thought it was a good idea, "I don't see why not. I mean, they did it with Katie Holmes' character. I understand that this is a different circumstance, but I think another actor could do the job. I think Heath would want another actor to do the job."
Oldman then took a moment to think about it some more, "Maybe we don't need the Joker. Because we'll have The Riddler." Yes, Oldman alluded to the fact that The Riddler may in fact be the next on-screen Batman villain.
When I asked if he, himself, wanted to come back for a third segment, he smiled coyly, "We don't really know if Nolan is coming back." He then shook his head. "I guess I have to come back." He then put his hand to the side of his mouth as if to hide the next line from everybody, "Nolan will come back for a third one. I think we all have to." It is well known that Oldman tried to get out of appearing in
The Dark Knight, but his contract wouldn't allow it.
Next, I asked Christopher Nolan if he wanted to come back for a third Batman film, and he said that he wasn't sure that he wanted to come back, "I don't know. I take my projects one at a time, and I am not thinking about that right now. I don't know if I want to come back." After that, I asked, "If you do choose to make a third Batman film, do you think that you would recast for the Joker? Or will he not appear in the film?"
Nolan's replay, "I don't know. I honestly have not taken a moment away from what is going on with the film now to even think about that. I don't know. I simply don't know."
The Dark Knight opens July 18th, 2008.
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I was thinking the other night, lets see if any of you can figure it out.
The clock ticked One
The clock ticked two
A dead man enters
Can you tell me who?
Then it doesn't really sound like anyone is sure if there will be another Batman....
There's been some bullshit rumors going around started by NY Daily News and frickin' Julie Newmar that Angelina Jolie should play the role of Catwoman. Right, Julie Newmar has the pulse on Christopher Nolan's vision of Batman. Suddenly, this dumb article became fact, and people are reporting that Mrs. Brad Pitt IS Catwoman in Batman 3. No and no. We know who's Catwoman. It's Maggie Gyllenhaal...
Regarding Batman 3 rumors, we're not going to guess if the next super villain is the Riddler (Johnny Depp) or the Penguin (Philip Seymour Hoffman). That's all speculation at this point. But we do know two facts, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart signed on for two Bat-pictures. We're not going to talk The Dark Knight spoilers, but hmmm. Nine lives indeed. Our source close to Maggie Gyllenhaal confirmed that she's excited about the next movie, "why else would she, or Katie Holmes for that matter, take on the thankless roll of Rachel Dawson? After Katie left the roll, they could've create a new character. But that wasn't part of Nolan's plan. This is the trajectory he's planned for Rachel since the first movie. Not only is Maggie contractually obligated, but she's already getting in shape for Batman 3."
The Joker and Two-Face WERE to be the focus for Batman 3, using the Batman graphic novel "Dark Victory" as the blueprint. "Dark Victory" is a sequel to "The Long Halloween" - which was the Year 2 blueprint for The Dark Knight, transforming Harvey Dent into Batman's deadly enemy, Two-Face. Even The Dark Knight screenwriter David Goyer has confirmed - "Obviously there's some of the Long Halloween in there. There's some Miller stuff." So "Dark Victory" focuses on a territory war between Two-Face and the remnants of the mob - Two-Face enlists the aid of his fellow 'freaks' to destroy the remainders of Gotham's Mafia. With Heath Ledger's death, the Joker and Two-Face Team-Up will not happen. What we DO know, actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart ARE returning for Batman 3.
And here's Maggie talking to MTV about Catwoman:
"It shows Christopher Nolan has imagination that he didn't cast me as the villain," said Gary Oldman (Jim Gordon), "since somehow I got into this thing of always playing these eccentric characters. But I always liked the Riddler. I liked the whole Riddle aspect. I loved the suit. I thought the suit was pretty cool. You have to be pretty fit, though, don't you, to wear the Riddler outfit?"
Same for Catwoman's outfit, but Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel Dawes) is willing to try it on for size. "I liked Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman," Gyllenhaal said.
"There was alaways a Batman movie out in the summer when I was growing up, but I usually couldn't care less. But doing this movie, I started to get it. I felt it. I understood." Especially when she'd had a scene where "Batman would save me from certain death and envelope me with his cape," she said. "I thought, 'Oh, that kind of feels good.' "
And since Catwoman is sometimes saved by Batman, Gyllenhaal said she wouldn't mind borrowing one of her nine lives, just to relive that experience. "Yeah!"
think about it, she can be the messenger from the Joker to whoever the villin is! he should only be heard but never seen, how i see it is the main villin can use the jokers ideas plus his own and become as big a danger than the joker was!!!
1. He served his purpose to the fullest extent in the dark knight. Anything more would be overkill.
2. Despite all the b.s. about extra footage of ledger for the 3rd movie or his death preventing him from changing the plans for a planned third script involving the joker- all b.s. Heres the real deal: David S Goyer (helped) write Batman Begins, with two treatments for a second movie with dent, gordon and bats fighting the joker. The third treatment would involve the joker on trial and would scar dent, becoming two-face. They smushed that into what became The Dark Knight. Nolan probably wanted to do this so he wouldnt drag the story out to far.
Why? because (read #3)
3. Nolan doesnt like repeating his work. The only villian to make it into both Batmans was Scarecrow because he wasnt the main character in Batman Begins, and it was a nice way to familiarize viewers with the previous movie. Scarecrow was also used as a nice segway into The Dark Knight, which was ENTIRELY DIFFERENT than Batman Begins- and thats the whole point. Nolan will create an entirely different Batman movie third time around because thats the style that works for him. He also likes doing one thing at a time and not half assing his work. Thats another reason why he probably melded those two treatments together- he can start fresh with new ideas for a good script, a continuation for a story with the same guys AGAIN.
So, in essence, no Joker, people. And now my own personal opinion, who the HELL could top Heath anyway??!!!
Check out these OFFICIAL sources:
BATMAN ON FILM
THE DARK KNIGHT MOVIE CHRONICLES
THE DARK KNIGHT (MOVIE) WIKIPEDIA
these are the best ones to believe, not crappy rumors!!!
No way, ledger's performance was awsome..........
Jack Nicholson was brilliant in Tim burton's 1989 film, but Ledger was magnificent through out The Dark Knight.
I thought it was perfect that Two-Face died in the end since it fit his story arc, and sealed Joker's fate as the winner of the day. After all, Harvey coulda died in the explosion at the warehouse. Joker couldn't have predicted for sure that Batman would save him, and by Batman taking the fall for Harvey's crimes, Joker succeeded in doing exactly what he said he was gonna do in the beginning of the film: "kill the Batman." Just figuratively rather than literally. Since he said "if you're good at something never do it for free." Well, killing is a one time job, but tearing someone down and killing their reputation? That's what Joker's good at. Hence why there really is nothing more he can do in the next film to stress the point any further, so what metalhead said will probably happen. But if they do recast him, then Daniel Day-Lewis all the way.