Meet the Joker!

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Strike Back below!
by: Mike Sampson Nov. 27, 2007

As you may have heard, Empire Magazine is unveiling a new photo of Heath Ledger as The Joker from THE DARK KNIGHT. The teaser page from Empire is still missing about five pieces but we've got a look at the cover of the Empire issue that features the full pic. It's really quite...disturbing? I thought it would be scarier but it's not quite scary as much as it's unsettling. I guess that's a good thing. Check it out below and click on the pic to see a slightly larger version.

Source: Empire Online

Extra Tidbit: The non-text version of the photo will be live at Empire Online tomorrow.

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poopontheshoes7
11:48AM on 11/29/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Niceeee
Im liking his look more and more. At first I was iffy, but looking at it I keep thinking about all the fucked up shit he could/would be doing in the movie and Im getting PUMPED! I gotta see a new trailer. I HAVE TO!
Im liking his look more and more. At first I was iffy, but looking at it I keep thinking about all the fucked up shit he could/would be doing in the movie and Im getting PUMPED! I gotta see a new trailer. I HAVE TO!
 
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Off the edge
7:03PM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
ok fuck this
For real... when did the Joker start looking like a homeless man who was gang raped. I'm not expecting an exact interpretation of the character from the comics (which would be possible after 60+ years of continuity), but this really looks terrible. I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but really this just looks like shit.
For real... when did the Joker start looking like a homeless man who was gang raped. I'm not expecting an exact interpretation of the character from the comics (which would be possible after 60+ years of continuity), but this really looks terrible. I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but really this just looks like shit.
 
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Vodkahandstand
4:50PM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Did anybody....
get the high res version of his face? I'd love to see that and now if you click on it it takes you to the empire website whereas before you could see the high res version of the box...hmm, hope someone grabbed it
get the high res version of his face? I'd love to see that and now if you click on it it takes you to the empire website whereas before you could see the high res version of the box...hmm, hope someone grabbed it
 
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NoriNam30
4:44PM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
The more I see of Ledger's Joker, the less excited I get for TDK. Just looks terrible IMO, and I'm not blaming Ledger himself. I love Nolan's films, it seems he went the wrong way with the look of the character.
The more I see of Ledger's Joker, the less excited I get for TDK. Just looks terrible IMO, and I'm not blaming Ledger himself. I love Nolan's films, it seems he went the wrong way with the look of the character.
 
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shmuckluck2
3:43PM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
What was so great about Batman Begins? It took the ridiculous idea of a man in a bat-suit attacking criminals and made it completely real and believable. What will this movie do? it will be real and believable. How real is the idea that a guy falls into acid and comes out alive with only a deformed face giving him a wide smile and changed hair and skin color? No, what is more real, believable, ...
What was so great about Batman Begins? It took the ridiculous idea of a man in a bat-suit attacking criminals and made it completely real and believable. What will this movie do? it will be real and believable. How real is the idea that a guy falls into acid and comes out alive with only a deformed face giving him a wide smile and changed hair and skin color? No, what is more real, believable, and scary is a psychopathic guy who thinks killing is fun and thinks that its even funnier killing with clown makeup on. THAT is frightening. And its made more frightening with the messy style of his appearance. If a guy had perfect clown makeup on and started killing, he would just be thought of as crazy. But this Joker looks like a complete psycho because of his messy appearance. I don't think they could make his look any better. Like with most everything else of Nolan’s work, its perfect.
 
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JH's corpse
3:26PM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
im inclined to agree with tod dyson but....
th url from vini did little to console me about the manical smiling joker that i love so much so i gotta agree with tod dyson. i'm just banking on them saving their big guns for a trailer or the movie before showing us an actual crazy ass joker with smiles and giggles. though i do have to say i love that picture and like the idea of the quiet unsettling joker it looks prety aweasome but i do ho...
th url from vini did little to console me about the manical smiling joker that i love so much so i gotta agree with tod dyson. i'm just banking on them saving their big guns for a trailer or the movie before showing us an actual crazy ass joker with smiles and giggles. though i do have to say i love that picture and like the idea of the quiet unsettling joker it looks prety aweasome but i do hope for better shots. one last thing. i like the hair the costume and everything ike that and i think heath ledger could has a little potential ( i stress little i'm not crazy about the guy) but what the fuck is up with that make up every one except this one has some really shitty barely applied makeup that i think just looks god awful rather than giving that gritty feel it just looks sloppy. that could just be my opinion. otherwise i still think this coudl all come together nicely at the end. all in all i'll keep positive cause i do like that picture. and i know someone said ti before but it had to reitirated they ruined what would have otherwise been a fucking great game!
 
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Neon October
8:18AM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Todd Dyson...
I don't want to be one thoese over-analyzing 'geeks', but Todd Dyson has got it wrong: From what I've understand, Nolan never at one point mentioned that he wanted a more purple-less, white-faceless, normal-haired Joker. Ever. I really don't know where he got that info from.
I don't want to be one thoese over-analyzing 'geeks', but Todd Dyson has got it wrong: From what I've understand, Nolan never at one point mentioned that he wanted a more purple-less, white-faceless, normal-haired Joker. Ever. I really don't know where he got that info from.
 
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cupajoe
5:13AM on 11/28/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
i love this version of the joker. sure the burned skin version from the comics would have worked jus as good (it worked in the burton batman of course) but i like this take fer sure.
i love this version of the joker. sure the burned skin version from the comics would have worked jus as good (it worked in the burton batman of course) but i like this take fer sure.
 
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vini
11:18PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
@todd
Here you go:

[link]
Here you go:

[link]
 
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todd_dyson
10:59PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
oh, and why cant we even have ONE picture of him smiling?

in every comic ive ever read, he's always smiling.

couldnt they make him smile once? instead of just looking "weird and creepy"
oh, and why cant we even have ONE picture of him smiling?

in every comic ive ever read, he's always smiling.

couldnt they make him smile once? instead of just looking "weird and creepy"
 
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todd_dyson
10:56PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
when nolan was first talking about doing the joker, didnt he say he didnt want to do the bright purple suit, green hair and painted face? he wanted it more realistic, so he just wanted the guy super pale and what not.

i hated that idea. and now i see this, and dont care for this either. his hair looks like teenagers who think that colored hair spray is really cool.
when nolan was first talking about doing the joker, didnt he say he didnt want to do the bright purple suit, green hair and painted face? he wanted it more realistic, so he just wanted the guy super pale and what not.

i hated that idea. and now i see this, and dont care for this either. his hair looks like teenagers who think that colored hair spray is really cool.
 
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cinemagaslight
10:08PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Well, the cover says January 08, but a lot of times monthly magazines come out way before the cover date. Usually you can find Empire at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
Well, the cover says January 08, but a lot of times monthly magazines come out way before the cover date. Usually you can find Empire at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
 
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shmuckluck2
9:03PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
his hair is still the same. he's got it gelled back in this picture.
his hair is still the same. he's got it gelled back in this picture.
 
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MIKE0621
7:38PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
HMM..
In the photos that were "leaked", he had long hair, and now it's all chopped short?? Was this an after production shot?? Oh and "nice f@#$%N model...honk honk" keeps running through my head when I see this. Anyways, this is awesome!
In the photos that were "leaked", he had long hair, and now it's all chopped short?? Was this an after production shot?? Oh and "nice f@#$%N model...honk honk" keeps running through my head when I see this. Anyways, this is awesome!
 
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shmuckluck2
6:23PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
help me out?
Does anyone know when this issue is supposed to come out? I don't even know where to look for it.
Does anyone know when this issue is supposed to come out? I don't even know where to look for it.
 
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cinemagaslight
6:06PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I think they nailed it. To me Joker shouldn't be scary so much as creepy and deranged. Yeah, he's gonna kill you, but it's not like he's going to be all slasher-film about it. I think it works perfectly for the world Nolan and co. have created.
I think they nailed it. To me Joker shouldn't be scary so much as creepy and deranged. Yeah, he's gonna kill you, but it's not like he's going to be all slasher-film about it. I think it works perfectly for the world Nolan and co. have created.
 
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IAmJack600
5:47PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Hmm...
My sense of loyalty to the source material is a little ...stretched here. I like the chemically died skin ... and don't as much love the face-make-up instead. But, I suppose it'll grow -- either way, the film will kick all kinds of ass.

Does he come off as trying a bit too hard in that picture though? I can't really complain -- it's much better than that neutral shot we first ...
My sense of loyalty to the source material is a little ...stretched here. I like the chemically died skin ... and don't as much love the face-make-up instead. But, I suppose it'll grow -- either way, the film will kick all kinds of ass.

Does he come off as trying a bit too hard in that picture though? I can't really complain -- it's much better than that neutral shot we first were privvy to.

This will definately grow on me. I'm certainly not devastated.
 
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Kid_Zombie
4:38PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Awesome!!
Wow, Joker looks creepy as hell, just like he should. I cant wait to see joker in action!! Finally we will see Joker how he is supposed to be, scary!
Wow, Joker looks creepy as hell, just like he should. I cant wait to see joker in action!! Finally we will see Joker how he is supposed to be, scary!
 
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theshadowalker
4:02PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Thumbs up!

Plus, like the Bat-Suit, he'll probably look better in the actual movie than in a still photograph.

Now, hopefully, WB will finally come to their senses and give up on that dumb-@$$ JLA flick (that no one seems to want to see), so as not to derail Nolan's planned Batman trilogy.

Plus, like the Bat-Suit, he'll probably look better in the actual movie than in a still photograph.

Now, hopefully, WB will finally come to their senses and give up on that dumb-@$$ JLA flick (that no one seems to want to see), so as not to derail Nolan's planned Batman trilogy.
 
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Lindsey
3:37PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Definitely not what I was expecting! But I dig the look.
Definitely not what I was expecting! But I dig the look.
 
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shmuckluck2
3:17PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
better than i hoped for
I think its better for him to be disturbing and unsettling rather than being downright scary. And really, that picutre is pretty frightening still. Would you want to meet that guy on teh street? (if it was for real)
I think its better for him to be disturbing and unsettling rather than being downright scary. And really, that picutre is pretty frightening still. Would you want to meet that guy on teh street? (if it was for real)
 
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jmar
3:12PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Christopher Nolan is God
I cannot wait any longer for this movie. Nolan has nailed the look. I love it.
I cannot wait any longer for this movie. Nolan has nailed the look. I love it.
 
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Tagia_Romero
2:49PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Helllooooooo demento! He looks like a downright freak. NICE.
Helllooooooo demento! He looks like a downright freak. NICE.
 
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CagoChi
2:13PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Great Photo
That is the true joker look. Almost looks like the Joker from his first appearance in the comics. Some of you say it looks like beetlejuice or the crow. Well, I wonder where they got the idea for those looks.
That is the true joker look. Almost looks like the Joker from his first appearance in the comics. Some of you say it looks like beetlejuice or the crow. Well, I wonder where they got the idea for those looks.
 
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jgt24
1:33PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Good Stuff
It's not what I was expecting, but that's not a bad thing. When I first saw it, I was thinking "WTF?" But the more I look at it, the scarier it gets. It's like he's thinking of horrible ways to kill you and smiling about it. I agree with everything The Bodyguard said. He has the look of a psycho, not a jokester. I can't wait for this movie. It's my most anticipated in 2008.
It's not what I was expecting, but that's not a bad thing. When I first saw it, I was thinking "WTF?" But the more I look at it, the scarier it gets. It's like he's thinking of horrible ways to kill you and smiling about it. I agree with everything The Bodyguard said. He has the look of a psycho, not a jokester. I can't wait for this movie. It's my most anticipated in 2008.
 
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The Bodyguard
12:48PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Truth be told, I really dig this. It really captures the look and feel of a madman. He isn't chemically scarred from the looks of it, while that shit ain't canon, I can live with it since this is putting Batman into a truer world. Joker's lips being sliced is canon as of a few months ago so I am happy with that and it makes a lot more sense honestly. Joker of the 60s was the practical joker (No...
Truth be told, I really dig this. It really captures the look and feel of a madman. He isn't chemically scarred from the looks of it, while that shit ain't canon, I can live with it since this is putting Batman into a truer world. Joker's lips being sliced is canon as of a few months ago so I am happy with that and it makes a lot more sense honestly. Joker of the 60s was the practical joker (No pun intended, or was it?) and that is what you got in Tim Burton's Batman which I dislike as to me it was just Jack Nicholson in clown make up.

The Joker is truly a madman in the sense he doesn't play jokes that kill people. He thinks killing people is funny. I really like the look of this and Heath Ledger seems to be taking the role to the max. He is even keeping a diary of things he thinks the Joker would find funny, one of them being AIDS, dead babies, genital mutilation. that is pretty hardcore. Also he says playing the role exhaust him for days on end even when he only gives one or two scenes which means he is putting everything into this. Nolan (the director) says he casted Ledger because he has no fear, and that is exactly what the Joker needs. No fear. He is not afraid of anything. Not even Batman. He loves Batman. They exist because the other does. This movie could truly be one of the best ever because of the amount of work they are putting into it. I haven't heard of anyone putting this much effort into a movie in years.
 
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Fuzzyfoot
12:32PM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Thanks???
Way to ruin a fun game. Bravo. I was really excited about the 2 day wait that I had left and now it doesn't matter anymore. I know you guys post everything about movies on here but couldn't you have waited until the final card flipped?

Also, this pic doesn't sit right with me. All the other pics of Heath have been more jokeresque. This pic just isn't up to the par of the oth...
Way to ruin a fun game. Bravo. I was really excited about the 2 day wait that I had left and now it doesn't matter anymore. I know you guys post everything about movies on here but couldn't you have waited until the final card flipped?

Also, this pic doesn't sit right with me. All the other pics of Heath have been more jokeresque. This pic just isn't up to the par of the others. I hope this isnt the final pic cause if it is, i'm a little disappointed.
 
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motleycrow13
10:51AM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
hmmm...i like but i'm not sure its good..and godamnit after that beetlejuice comment evertime i look at this i'll be thinking of bettlejuice.. -_-
hmmm...i like but i'm not sure its good..and godamnit after that beetlejuice comment evertime i look at this i'll be thinking of bettlejuice.. -_-
 
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-heyen-
10:05AM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
brilliant
Excellent!! I can't wait for this freakin movie. When does this baby hit shelves?
Excellent!! I can't wait for this freakin movie. When does this baby hit shelves?
 
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drexxell
10:05AM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
A little too "Beetlejuice"
I don't know...I'm immediately reminded of Beetlejuice, with the hair, the mold around the eyes, the gaudy clothes.
I don't know...I'm immediately reminded of Beetlejuice, with the hair, the mold around the eyes, the gaudy clothes.
 
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bonoferox
10:00AM on 11/27/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Not bad. Not quite what I was expecting, but I like it.
Not bad. Not quite what I was expecting, but I like it.
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