Batman Begins III

[Dr Mordrid]

Ok, we know that BB II - The Dark Knight has Joker as the villain.

Basically; Batman (Christian Bale), Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) fight to bring down the Joker (Heath Ledger). Word is that it features many elements of the graphic novel "The Killing Joke".

Production on The Dark Knight began on January 11, 2007 and filming starts in April.

What's next? The Trial of the Joker that's what, and it's where Batman Begins III starts.

Batman fans know what happens during the trial; Harvey Dent gets splashed with acid, scarring him and creating the dual personality of "Two Face".

Where that'll take us who knows, but I can't wait

On another front this week it was confirmed that Rachel Dawes will be re-cast. Yup, no Katie Holmes Cruise

[Rakido]

hmm, wasn't that already done with Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones?

[Dr Mordrid]

Batman Begins was a total reboot of the franchise going back to a gritty, more real basis. As such the earlier abominations are no longer canon, nor are the character portrayals.

In short it's to be a much darker series. This is also born out by statements that elements of The Dark Knight will come from the classic graphic novel "The Killing Joke", which delves into not only the deep psychosis of Joker but Bruce Wayne's problems as well.

Throw in the much more disturbed Harvey Dent/Two Face from the animated series and you have a gist of what's coming.

Below are graphics showing how Joker is portrayed in The Killing Joke. Yes, he starts out with a wife and family and a dream to become a hit stand up comic. His first stage appearance doesn't go quite as planned, which brings up the first frame. The second frame is Joker as a fully developed homicidal maniac. Heath Ledger leaked that the eyes in particular will be a big part of his portrayal.

[Nowhere]

We'll see if he can beat Nicholson...

[TnT]

We'll see if he can beat Nicholson...

I didn't like Nicholson's that much actually. In my mind the Joker should be psychotic in such a way that it is uncomfortably funny. The Joker done in the animated series is a hundred times better then the Jack's version.

[Dr Mordrid]

Mark Hamill did a great job with Joker, and doubly so his portrayal in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. One of my absolute favorite Batman movies, as long as you get the PG-13 DVD. It contains 4 minutes of footage deemed too disturbing for some kiddies & pre-teens which was left out of the original cut.

DAMN, that's a good flick.

Word is both Harvey Dent and Joker will get the animated series treatment, and then some.

[Dr Mordrid]

Just noticed on IMDB that Rachel Dawes has been re-cast in Dark Knight.

Out: Katie Holmes

In: Maggie Gyllenhaal