One of the more tragic incidents to happen to the world of cinema over the past 20 years was the untimely death of actor Heath Ledger. Dying from an accidental overdose at the age of 28, the actor had such a long career ahead of him, and his absence is still felt today by anyone who is a fan of film.
One of Ledger’s last performances was not only one of his best, but one of the best villainous performances on screen, period. His portrayal of The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was so twisted, so complex, and so iconic that it earned the star a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar. This marked the first time that an actor was nominated in this category for a comic book film, and it hasn’t happened since.
His participation in future Batman films has always remained a mystery, but in an interview with news.com.au, Heath Ledger’s sister, Kate Ledger, revealed that the actor had plans to continue playing the part. This is what she had to say about his experience on set, and future plans:
“He was so proud of what he had done in Batman. And I know he had plans for another Batman. He loved working with Chris Nolan and Christian Bale and Gary Oldman. He just had the best time ever doing that film. When he came home at Christmas he couldn’t wait to tell us all about it and he was doing the voice and laughing, showing me all the rushes. We had a great time.”
She also took the time to stress that Heath Ledger was not the tortured soul that the public often makes him out to be:
“He was a really happy person and he had huge plans for his future. I spoke to him the night before (he died) and we were laughing and joking.”
The mind really wanders when trying to picture the role The Joker could have played in Christopher Nolan’s third-installment in The Dark Knight Trilogy. After all, there is no way that Nolan wouldn’t have used the character in some fashion, especially given the positive reception. Nolan’s always been mum about this topic, but maybe one day he will divulge information regarding his original plans, if any.
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Originally published February 2, 2018. Updated December 2, 2022.
