Willem Dafoe was first choice for Joker in 1989’s ‘Batman’

October 28th, 2009 more images more imagesJACK NICHOLSON almost lost out on the role of The Joker in 1989's BATMAN movie - because SPIDER-MAN star WILLEM DAFOE was director TIM BURTON's first choice. The Shining actor landed the iconic part opposite Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, but Dafoe admits the movie could have been very different had he agreed to work on the superhero film.

September 30th, 2009 LONDON - Brit filmmaker Terry Gilliam has put down speculations that late Aussie actor Heath Ledger had become depressed after his role as The Joker - insisting the tragic star enjoyed the part. Ledger died from a prescription drug overdose in January 2008 and received a posthumous Oscar for his performance in last year's (08) Batman movie 'The Dark Knight'.

September 29th, 2009 Filmmaker TERRY GILLIAM has exploded the theory HEATH LEDGER was depressed following his role as The Joker - insisting the tragic star enjoyed the part. Ledger died from a prescription drug overdose in January 2008 and received a posthumous Oscar for his performance in last year's (08) Batman movie The Dark Knight.

September 19th, 2009 Aaron Eckhart played the role of ‘Harvey Dent and his alter ego, the villainous ‘Two-Face’ in the 2008 blockbuster ‘The Dark Knight’. His character appeared to have been killed in the movie but the man wishes to make a comeback as the same character and is trying to convince the director Christopher Nolan to revive him and take him in the sequel.

September 17th, 2009 AARON ECKHART has launched a new bid to convince director CHRISTOPHER NOLAN to revive Batman comic book character TWO-FACE for the sequel to THE DARK KNIGHT. The actor, who portrayed Harvey Dent and his alter ego Two-Face, saw his character appear to be killed off in the 2008 blockbuster, and assumed he would not be a part of any future movie installments.

September 17th, 2009 LONDON - Hollywood actor Aaron Eckhart has launched a new bid to convince director Christopher Nolan to revive Batman comic book villain Two-Face for the sequel to "The Dark Knight". The actor, who portrayed politician Harvey Dent and his alter ego Two-Face, saw his character appear to be killed off in the 2008 blockbuster, and assumed he would not be a part of any future movie instalments but Eckhart is now appealing to Nolan to consider bringing Two-Face back from the dead mimicking a popular technique used on dramatic TV soap operas, reports contactmusic.com.

September 7th, 2009 NEW YORK - Batman's nemesis The Joker has fought off "X-Men" baddie Magneto to be named the world's best-loved villain of all time. The character, which first appeared in a 1940 "Batman" comic, has gone through numerous incarnations and has been played on the big screen by both Jack Nicholson and the late Heath Ledger.

September 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - 'The Joker' in the Batman, who gave sleepless nights to the winged superhero, has been named the world's best-loved villain in a poll. The character, which first appeared in a 1940 Batman comic, has been played on the big screen by the likes of Jack Nicholson and late actor Heath Ledger.

September 7th, 2009 BATMAN's nemesis THE JOKER has fought off X-MEN baddie MAGNETO to be named the world's best-loved villain. The character, which first appeared in a 1940 Batman comic, has gone through numerous incarnations and has been played on the big screen by both Jack Nicholson and the late Heath Ledger.

September 3rd, 2009 BATMAN has vanquished his comic book rivals SPIDER-MAN and SUPERMAN to be named the greatest superhero of all time in a new poll. The Caped Crusader, who has been fighting crime in comics, on TV and in numerous film adaptations since 1939, beat Peter Parker's arachnid alter-ego into second place in the survey by SFX.co.uk.

September 3rd, 2009 JASON ISAACS was stunned to hear about the death of his THE PATRIOT co-star HEATH LEDGER - and immediately rang the movie's other stars to mourn the tragedy. The pair starred in the 2000 war movie, alongside Mel Gibson and Joely Richardson, and kept in contact after filming had wrapped, meeting up whenever their schedules allowed.

August 28th, 2009 Actor BRADLEY COOPER is blaming BATMAN star CHRISTIAN BALE for costing him the lead role in forthcoming superhero film THE GREEN LANTERN. Cooper auditioned to star in the upcoming comic book movie adaptation - but ruined his screen test by imitating Bale's husky-voiced portrayal of the caped crusader.

August 18th, 2009 LONDON - Charities have pointed fingers at Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning depiction of the Joker in 'The Dark Knight', claiming that the character gives the public the wrong impression of people with mental health problems. A new report for the Time to Change Campaign, backed by the Mind and Rethink charities, has claimed that Hollywood flicks portray schizophrenics and those with other mental illnesses only as either stupid or evil.

July 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Jack Nicholson appeared to have taunted a mascot wearing a Batman costume while reviving his villainous joker at a baseball game. The actor, who played the evil Joker in 1989's Batman, was seen at the major league game between the Cubs and the Phillies at the Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

June 18th, 2009 NEW YORK - After directing two successful instalments of the "Batman" series, Christopher Nolan has sparked rumours that he might not be involved in "Batman 3" due to the tragic death of Heath Ledger. Sources claim that the accidental death of the Joker depicter in "The Dark Knight" is the issue that could hinder Nolan from returning for the next movie, reports aceshowbiz.com.