So True? So False? Heath Ledger Back for Next Batman Movie?!

Find out if the late actor's Joker will appear in The Dark Knight Rises

By Peter Gicas Dec 01, 2010 9:30 PMTags
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When even just the title of the upcoming third installment garners attention, it's no surprise that the Internet would be all abuzz over whether or not Heath Ledger's Joker will appear in The Dark Knight Rises.

Such speculation can be traced to a New Zealand website that claims director Christopher Nolan is planning on including unused footage of the late actor that was left over from the 2008 sequel.

So, will we once again be hearing that sinister laugh, or is this all just some sort of, er, joke? It turns out this rumor is…

So false!

At an industry party in L.A. on Tuesday night, Nolan, along with wife and producing partner Emma Thomas, were asked point-blank about it.

"I heard the rumor," Thomas told the Hollywood Reporter. "We're not doing that."

Nolan also shot such talk down as well by expresing his firm belief that Ledger's Oscar-winning performance should remain strictly within the confines of the previous film.