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©AP/ Christopher Nolan
© AP/ Christopher Nolan
Director banned all mention of the Joker in 'Batman' finale
July 14, 2012, 2:46 PM EST
WENN

"Batman" trilogy director Christopher Nolan ruled out mentioning the Joker in "The Dark Knight Rises" because he didn't want to trivialize Heath Ledger's death with a throwaway line.

Ledger stunned audiences as the cartoon villain in "The Dark Knight," but died before the second film in Nolan's series came out, and rather than reference the Joker in the final movie, Nolan insisted no one should even utter the character's name.

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"I felt very strongly that the Joker was off-limits," Nolan said. "I don't want to trivialize a tragedy like that by explaining it away in some fashion.

"I made the choice immediately that talking about the Joker was off the table. It's just the way I feel about it, based on my relationship with Heath... That's what felt right to me."

Ledger died from an accidental drug overdose in January 2008.

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130Comments
Blusky800
Jul 15, 2012 7:43AM
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THIS IS A LITTLE OFF TOPIC BUT HAS ANYONE ELSE NOTICED THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SPAM IN THE COMMENTARY SECTION OF ALL THE ARTICLES LATELY? I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THESE SITES ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST THEIR CONTROL OF THE AMOUNT OF SPAM POSTED. COULD IT BE THAT SOME JERK TALKED THEIR BOSS INTO USING THE COMMENTARY SECTION AS ANOTHER UNDERCOVER SOURCE OF INCOME?  SHAME ON THEM. THIS WAS THE LAST PLACE PEOPLE COULD EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND DISCUSS MATTERS WITHOUT BEING INUNDATED WITH BS COMMERCIALISM. AGAIN, SHAME ON THEM.
Wet Willy
Jul 15, 2012 7:36AM
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I think Heath ledger would have disagreed.
ChipD
Jul 15, 2012 6:12AM
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What an absurd notion to "ban" The Joker from the latest Batman movie?!?  Simply because the actor Heath Ledger, who played The Joker and won a posthumous Oscar for his performance in the role, caused director Christopher Nolan to keep the character's name from being uttered?  It's a disservice to The Joker and to Ledger, neither of which are the other because The Joker is a fictional iconic character, and Ledger has passed away.  Honoring Ledger might've been a more appropriate choice, salvaging perhaps a brief scene of him from the first film and teasing the audience with it, then focusing on the other characters.  The Joker can't be denied his place in Batman's world because of Nolan's oversight, even if it was with the best intentions.  Ledger may be gone, but The Joker will rise again!!!
captain underpants
Jul 15, 2012 3:07AM
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i dont see why a lot of you are bashing this guy. why the flip would he need to tie in the joker in this movie? joker was obviously a HUGE part of the last film. and this one is set eight years later, i believe. i agree with nolan, it would just be a throwaway line. it sucks that ledger passed, and he did an amazing job doing the joker, but this movie is about something completely different, focusing on a more physically menacing character. theres no need for a tie in, joker came, messed with gothams head, and batman stopped him. joker has absolutely NOTHING to do with the ending to the trilogy, so it would just be a throwaway line. i think nolans doing the right thing
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