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Heath Ledger became an icon for his portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. But did you know Nolan approached Heath for the part of Batman in Batman Begins, which eventually went to Christian Bale? Unfortunately, Ledger passed away before the release of The Dark Knight; otherwise, he might have reprised his role as the Joker.
In an interview, Nolan once opened up about how he wanted Heath for the part of Bruce Wayne but was very politely turned down by him. Christopher made three films in the Batman franchise – Batman Begins, which came out in 2005, followed by Ledger and Bale starrer The Dark Knight in 2008, and the final film, The Dark Knight Rises, in 2012. The movies collectively grossed approximately over $2.4 billion at the worldwide box office.
Meanwhile, Heath Ledger’s Joker is a benchmark for many actors after The Dark Knight. However, things would have been different if Ledger had accepted Christopher Nolan’s initial offer to play Batman in Batman Begins. According to Hindustan Times, while speaking at the Lincoln Film Centre in New York in 2012, Nolan recalled the incident and said, “He was quite gracious about it, but he said, ‘I would never take a part in a superhero film’.”
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