Despite the world initially being fixated over Jack Nicholson’s version of Joker, Heath Ledger stole the show with his performance in the 2008 DC movie The Dark Knight. Captivating fans and even the acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan with his prolific performance as the Clown Prince of Crime, Ledger almost made a comeback.
As per reports, Christopher Nolan initially had a different plan for the 2008 movie’s sequel. Working on The Dark Knight, Nolan almost planned on bringing back Heath Ledger for a final act as Joker in its sequel. Unfortunately, the Oscar-winning actor passed away before reprising his role in the 2012 movie.
Heath Ledger’s DC Performance Shook Christopher Nolan
Initially, when Christopher Nolan hired Heath Ledger to play the role of the Clown Prince of Crime in his 2008 DC superhero flick The Dark Knight, the filmmaker witnessed severe backlash. But, instead of giving in to the criticism, Nolan stood by his decision and starred Ledger as Batman’s nemesis – The Joker.
Following Heath Ledger‘s appearance on screen, the actor stole the show with his prolific performance and captivating screen presence. His body language and personification of the character were hailed by fans and critics alike. Even the Academy Awards committee was stunned by his perfect embodiment of the lunacy of Gotham’s most gleeful villain, the Joker.
Thereafter, Heath Ledger won the Oscar posthumously for his performance which remains the pinnacle of villain madness. Not only that, his performance stuck with Nolan so much so that according to MovieWeb, the filmmaker planned to bring back his character for a final act in his 2012 sequel The Dark Knight Rises.
Christopher Nolan Planned to Bring Back The Joker
While working on the 2008 movie, Christopher Nolan originally intended his third Batman film to feature Heath Ledger’s Joker. The filmmaker wanted The Dark Knight Rises to feature The Joker’s trial in Gotham City, alongside Michael Jai White’s Gambol. But unfortunately, due to Ledger’s untimely demise before the release of The Dark Knight, the plans were altered.
Heath Ledger tragically passed away in January 2008, which forced Christopher Nolan to make last-minute changes to a few elements in The Dark Knight that were supposed to hint at Joker’s comeback in the sequel. Notable things were changed in order to avoid directly setting up the planned story for the sequel, which also led to Michael Jai White’s Gambol’s death.
Understandably, Christopher Nolan decided against recasting any other actor in the role of The Joker. Out of respect for Heath Ledger and his outstanding performance as the Clown Prince of Crime, Nolan decided to restructure and rewrite the third sequel, until it eventually became The Dark Knight Rises.
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