updated 10:25 p.m. ET March 13, 2008
Movies

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Ledger's 'Dark Knight' Joker makes his debut
'He was immensely proud of the work,' director Nolan said of Ledger

AP
Christian Bale, left, Maggie Gyllenhaal and director Christopher Nolan
arrive for the showcase of Warner Bros' upcoming films at the ShoWest
held at the Paris hotel and casino in Las Vegas on March 13.
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS - This time out, there's no vat of chemicals to explain how
Batman's greatest enemy came to be the twisted sociopath known as the
Joker.

Heath Ledger's Joker springs full-blown in this summer's "The Dark
Knight," the sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" that was previewed for
theater owners Thursday with a clip showing the new movie's opening
sequence.

Unlike 1989's "Batman," in which the deranged, disfigured clown
appearance of Jack Nicholson's Joker resulted from a dip in chemical
goo, "The Dark Knight" starts right in with the bad guy in all his
psychopathic glory.

"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger,"
Ledger's depraved Joker cryptically tells an accomplice in the opening
scenes, in which he pulls off a daring bank robbery.

In an interview at ShoWest, a theater-owners convention where
distributor Warner Bros. showed off footage of "The Dark Knight" and
the rest of its summer lineup, director Christopher Nolan said it was
almost inevitable that the sequel would pit Christian Bale's Batman
against the Joker.

"The psychopathic clown, that's an icon to stand with the guy with the
ears and cape," Nolan said. "It's just a wonderful visual
relationship, and it's a terrifying image."

Long before Ledger's death of an accidental prescription drug overdose
in January, the marketing of the movie had focused on the villain's
rise to power and his creepy appearance.

There had been speculation among critics and fans that the studio and
filmmakers might take a different approach to selling the film in
light of Ledger's death, but the marketing has gone on as originally
planned.

"I think he'd be very pleased to see we're just moving ahead as is,"
Nolan said. "If you try to honor somebody, you honor them by
respecting their work and putting it out there for as many people to
see. He was immensely proud of the work he did on the film. I feel a
great burden to present that in an undistorted form."

"The Dark Knight" is due in theaters July 18.

The last time producer Charles Roven saw Ledger was when he showed the
actor the very footage that was screened at ShoWest.

Fans have been buzzing over the anarchic style Ledger brings to the
role in the movie's trailer, but the actor himself was utterly taken
by what he saw of himself on screen, Roven said.

"He was just blown away by his own performance," Roven said. "He said,
'Can I see it again?' So he was really, really thrilled."

Bale -- reprising his role as the wealthy Bruce Wayne, who moonlights
as the emotionally tormented crimefighter -- said he watched the
footage Thursday with a heaviness of heart over Ledger. But Bale said
he hopes the movie will serve as a testament.

"I hope that this can be seen as a celebration of his work," Bale
said. "He did a phenomenal job. It was a real joy working with the
man. It was a joy knowing him, as well. I liked him a great deal, and
I liked also how seriously he took his work."

(c) 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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