joker Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Here's a piece of coolness that's been making its way around the internets today. From our friends at First Showing (via Superhero Hype) comes what appears to be a fan made poster for The Dark Knight Returns (click to enlarge), a sequel to this summer's The Dark Knight. No, a third Batman film has not been announced yet, so don't go gettin' your knickers in a twist thinking they've already started promoting the next film. (God, please don't tell me they've already started promoting it -- I think I speak for all us online movie dudes when I say we need a few months off to recover from this puppy.)

That said, can you spot the two new characters this poster introduces? Yes, one of them is Riddler, but the other is a bit harder to locate. (Hint: Look at the newspaper articles.) No one knows exactly what direction the next Batman movie will head in, except for the Nolan boys should they decide to pen the script. Riddler is a cool character, but is he too close to Joker? Should they take a chance on Catwoman? Should they dip into a lesser known villain, or create a brand new one? One thing's for sure: You folks will not get tired of this debate anytime soon ...

Over the last handful of years, knitting has taken a turn for the funky. I got into it myself when I spotted a how-to for a Henry Rollins doll in Stitch 'n Bitch Nation. (Of course, I've yet to finish it, but that's beside the point.) Grabbing needles or a crochet hook can result in something uber funky, whether it's adorable adipose (make it with felt too) or little uber cute Batman collectibles.

In honor of The Dark Knight finally hitting theaters, Paperheroes has posted two tiny, very cute dolls for the occasion. There's a dark and somber Batman all in black, ready to bring pain to the evildoers in Gotham, plus a smudged-lip, smiling Joker ready to be the thorn in Batman's knit side. The perk with these creations is that even if you're not the crafty sort, she's got them for sale in her etsy shop. There are even dolls from other features -- the shop also includes Edward Cullen (Twilight) dolls, plus Yoda, Pride and Prejudice, and other goodies.

If you ever spot or make any awesome fan-made movie creations, drop us a line at tips @ cinematical DOT com!

In the last twenty-four hours alone, countless news articles have compared the late Heath Ledger to James Dean. Of course it helps that the two actors -- whose careers lie fifty years apart -- bear physical resemblances to each other. The real reason for the frequency of the comparison, however, revolves around the possibility that Ledger, like Dean, might end up with a posthumous Oscar nomination.

Other than Dean, whose death in a 1955 car accident was preceded by two nominations back-to-back, six actors have landed the distinction -- but only one, Peter Finch, actually won (for Network in 1976). However, Ledger is now perceived an actor who possessed a potential he never quite realized, while Dean was already an icon by the time of his death (and he still didn't win the prize). If Ledger gets nominated for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, the award will also acknowledge the great career that never was. Dean surely would have followed Giant with other wonderful performances, but his brief filmography also allowed the actor to reach a level of prestige that Ledger would have needed a few more movies to attain. So does this comparison really hold up?

The media certainly seems to think so. "Like Dean, he could endure as a mythic figure of talent silenced before his time," writes the AP. "People are aflutter over seeing the final performance of a new James Dean," reports The Huffington Post. " One quality that Ledger and Dean did share is rapid growth," notes the Baltimore Sun.

Unlike The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Heath Ledger completed his scenes for The Dark Knight before his shocking death. But one of the first questions to pop up in the aftermath was how this would affect the film -- could viewers stomach his portrayal in the same way? It's impossible to eradicate thoughts of his death from the mind as the news continues to grow and audiences finally break through the doors to see for themselves.

However, according to Cinema Blend, there have already been screenings, and they've presented problems for the dark and sure-to-be-awesome film. One scene in particular has been bothering audiences to the point that it might be completely removed from the film.

Hit the jump to find out more, but move on if you want no details about the brief scene.

So today is the day we've all been waiting for. Apparently, there are a couple things to watch out for in the land of Gotham City. First off, the Joker has already kick-started his April Fools nonsense by unveiling a list of locations throughout the world along with this message: "Ready to have a ball? A special bag of fun awaits the first to claim it, but you'd better strike fast, there's no time to spare." As of now, only a few actual international locations have been revealed, with spots throughout the United States still left to be uncovered. The cities are all there, though, with the exception of New York City. What gives Joker? But it does include Philly, San Francisco, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, etc ...

One imagines each location in each city will be revealed as we pass a certain time in the day. Last time Joker did something like this, it was mass chaos -- and I believe (if I can remember correctly) we walked away with a photo of the Joker. So there's definitely something that will be unveiled today, and I doubt it will be a photo of the Joker. Perhaps a new trailer? A photo of Two Face? Dunno. Another site to keep an eye on is I believe in Harvey Dent. Supposedly, Dent is holding a press conference this afternoon at 3PM (EST?), so be on the look out for that too.

Of course, if you should find anything at any of these locations, definitely let us know what it is. The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

UPDATE: More cities, including some in the United States, have been revealed.

Harvey Dent's viral campaign has ended with a rather disappointing announcement that Dent is running for D.A. But, no doubt, this political campaign has been leading up to something more.

I was one of the thousands who received a voice mail from Dent Sunday afternoon urging me to help him fight the Citizens for a Concerned Gotham, the latest viral site to be launched. They've been very busy slandering poor Dent in the press as a corrupt and media crazed inquisitor. (I have to say, when my cellphone announced it had a voice mail, I was super excited. And then let down when it turned out to be Aaron Eckhart and not someone I actually knew.)

He's holding a meeting on April 1st, 3pm -- presumably Eastern time -- to answer all the questions of concerned citizens. The problem is, the Joker has also launched a new site, Clown Travel Agency. A departure is announced for April 1st, 3pm. He's also told followers that they'll hear from him again on April Fool's Day.

More: Update on Dark Knight Viral Sites

More: The Joker's Gag is Complete -- April Fooled

Okay, so it's not exactly a photo of Aaron Eckhart from the actual movie, but it is a blurry photo (click on the image for a larger version) of the new Two Face action figure recently showcased at a restricted press event during the New York Toy Fair. Of course, throw up the word 'restricted' and there's bound to be at least one dude with a hidden camera phone. Dark Horizons nabbed the photos, which are indeed fuzzy, but enough to make out what the character will look like. This also means that, yes, Eckhart will most definitely make his transformation in The Dark Knight from Harvey Dent to the villainous Two Face. But when he does it, and for how long he's on screen, we do not know.

Some have suggested that Two Face will make an appearance at the very end of the film, for one or two scenes, as a teaser into the third installment. Seeing as it's been confirmed that Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and Joker (Heath Ledger) will both be included in the film, it's my hope that this is the way they go. Last thing we want is a rushed Two Face storyline; I'd rather more focus on the Joker and for Two Face to team up with another Gotham baddie in the third installment. What do you think?

The Dark Knight hits theaters on July 18.

Yes, there is another new Joker picture out there, because when one gets released, it's inevitable that more will follow. The latest image from The Dark Knight comes courtesy of Wizard magazine, and has been thrown up by Coming Soon. We've seen Heath Ledger's Joker in the back seat of a car, and with his signature green vest, so now we've got the vest and classic purple coat. Unfortunately, he's looking even more aged in this picture, kind of like all of his face makeup began to wrinkle and crack after a long day of work. (Or like he's sporting a night facial mask -- those things always crinkle at the nose.) Still, he looks darn cool in the outfit, and they've done a great job of making him look like the maniacal Joker, but also within the somber darkness of Christopher Nolan's Gotham. You can click on the image to see it in its full glory.

Hopefully now that a bunch of Joker pics have been released, showing everything from feet to faces, and we've seen Batman, Rachel Dawes, and Lucius Fox, we'll finally get to see what Nolan has made of the other guys. It's time we see Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent, Anthony Michael Hall's Mike Engel, and Eric Roberts' Salvatore Maroni...not to mention Michael Jai White's Gamble. Luckily, we're closing in on the 6-month push, so we should see lots more goodies soon.

If you thought a majority of the big ComicCon news swept through with yesterday's Paramount panel, think again. Warner Bros. is set to make their presentation this afternoon. And you know what that means -- dun dun dun -- The Dark Knight. It would appear as if Warners lit the Batman torch a bit early, as another one of those teaser websites popped up online last night. This one is a play on those old Army recruitment posters, but one that's been hijacked by the Joker. A clock in the upper right-hand corner counts down to the time the Warners panel is supposed to begin and coordinates within the site lead to San Diego. And you know what's in San Diego, right? No, not the Padres -- the Con!

I have to say, the Joker does have a way with words. His little recruitment speech almost has me wanting to join up. Here's a taste: "Enjoy a career in a lucrative, ultra high-profile field. Our associates make their own hours, enjoy great benefits and, in some cases, work from home." Sign me up dude! From what we understand, Warners will unveil the first teaser for The Dark Knight this afternoon (which may or may not be the one we linked to yesterday). Along with the teaser, it's our hope we'll get some additional photos or something. Anything. Along with The Dark Knight, Warners will also be offering up previews of Zack Snyder's Watchmen, Kate Beckinsale's Whiteout, Steve Carell's Get Smart and the supernatural flick One Missed Call. Stay tuned into Cinematical as we'll once again be liveblogging the Warner Bros. panel for all fans who insist on receiving info the minute it's announced. Meanwhile, The Dark Knight arrives in theaters on July 18, 2008.