Word from the set of The Dark Knight
Source: IGN.com
written by: Stax, Edited by Phyllis
21 September 2007


A large crowd scene for The Dark Knight was shot August 25th in Chicago, and spy pics posted online clearly show that The Joker (Heath Ledger) was there sans clown make-up!

A scooper for X-Realms.net provided a detailed set report of the day's filming, including snapshots of Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Anthony Michael Hall and Ledger in costume as their respective characters. Maggie Gyllenhaal was also reportedly on-hand. Christian Bale was not present.

The scene shot was a funeral scene, and ComicBookResources.com is reporting that the funeral was for GCPD Commissioner Loeb (Colin McFarlane). This would explain how Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) could rise through the ranks to become commissioner.

Joker disguised as a cop actually is in keeping with The Joker's first appearance in Batman #1, which Nolan has always said would be a big influence on The Dark Knight. As IGN pointed out last fall, The Joker's first victim in the issue's second story ("The Joker Returns") is Gotham Chief of Police Chalmers, whom he kills presumably because he'd been jailed. Chalmers is dispatched in a clever but ridiculous manner. Joker calls Chalmers and yells loud enough for the vibrations to trigger a poison dart concealed in the earpiece. Despite The Joker's public declarations that he will kill someone at a certain place and time, the police never seem to adequately safeguard the victim's surroundings. No wonder Gotham needs Batman.

X-Realms also posted grainy spy pics of Ledger in white shirt and black pants and tie, presumably part of his policeman uniform. His hair appears brown but tinted green and pulled back. "You can kinda see his scar, and it looks like no white makeup is on. (**HH Admin note: Looks more like he's wearing a layer of flesh colored makeup over his discolored skin and scarred mouth.**) Also, as he walked towards the stage, he did this weird hopping & stepping move … like a crazy person," the scooper wrote.





As The Dark Knight approaches the tail-end of its shoot, the rumor mill is already churning about who might be in the next Batman film.

According to a trusted source for CinemaBlend.com, "Word is that Heath Ledger [who plays The Joker in TDK] could be coming back in the next sequel which will have Two Face [played by Aaron Eckhart] as the main villain."