The Dark Knight is such an amazing film that it didn’t just break one box office record. It lived up to it’s colossal reviews and smashed all these records:

1. The record for midnight shows: $18.5 million. It bested the previous midnight record set by Star Wars: Episode III- The Revenge of the Sith, in 2005, which grossed $16.9 million.

2. The record for the highest weekend opening: $155 million (or 155.3, 155.4, or 155.34 million- depending on the source). It shattered the previous record of $151.1 million the opening weekend of Spider-Man 3 in May 2007.

3. The top single-day receipts record: $67.9 million on a record 4,366 screens. This was of course, on opening day (Friday the 18th). Yet again, Spidey’s 2007 record of $59.8 million was smashed.

4. The domestic box office record for the three-day weekend: $250 million. The unprecedented ticket sales beat the previous record weekend tally of $218.4 million, set in early July 2007 when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest debuted to $135.6 million. Besides The Dark Knight’s revenue, Mamma Mia! debuted with $27.6 million. Even though this record wasn’t entirely The Dark Knight’s doing, I think it is safe to say that it would not have happened without it!

5. The IMAX record: $6.2 million. Many viewers wanted to see the film on the big BIG screen, which led the previous record of $4.7 million set by Spider-Man 3 in 2007.

6. In Ledger’s native Australia, box office records were almost broken. The filmed raked in almost $12 million in its first weekend, which was the biggest opening for a movie this year. But it was about $2 million short of the biggest Australian opening, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers record set in 2002 still remains on top. Damn hobbits…

So there you have it. FIVE (almost six) BOX OFFICE RECORDS BROKEN!!

I’m happy to say that I helped break records 1-4 this weekend. I was going for the five-piece but all of the IMAX shows were sold out! So I have decided that I am going to see it on IMAX this week.

Of course, the movie lived up to all the hype and more. I thought it was astonishing, frightening, break-taking, memorable and definitely left me blown away. I think that this short list of adjectives does not even give it justice.

Not only were the performances by all the actors remarkable, but the actual film- the cinematography, the storyline, all the action and effects- were all simply beautiful. And I also love that I was apart of box office history.

If you haven’t seen The Dark Knight yet, what are you waiting for?!

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July 18, 2008. A date that has—for Batman fans and casual moviegoers alike—been burned forever in our minds. Three years ago Batman Begins went back to basics—that is, the origin story of Bruce Wayne, soon-to-become the cape and cowl-donning Dark Knight—redeeming the Batman movie franchise with its success and shedding a new light on comic book movies everywhere by bringing them into the modern world of realism and believability.

Besides batarangs and a grappling gun, Batman Begins wielded a meticulously chosen—and not to mention highly talented—cast and the brilliant, capable directing mind of Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige), who decided to end the film with a note that would change things … forever.

Actually, more like a card. The mark of the Joker, Batman’s arch-nemesis and criminal equal.

Now we’re just days away from the release of Nolan’s Bat-sequel, The Dark Knight. But before we get to the now, let’s take a moment to step back and look at the movie’s main villain then. Hold on to your masks, clowns.

Comics (1940):

It all began in 1940 with Batman #1, Bill Finger, and Bob Kane when they created the character—a super villain and criminal mastermind who just was. Finger and Kane found their inspiration in the unsettling appearance of Conrad Veidt in the 1928 silent film called The Man Who Laughs. A sociopath with chalk-white skin, sickly green hair, and bright ruby-colored lips who murders for his own amusement, the Joker—whose real identity is unknown—was born and would forever alter Batman’s life and Gotham City, arguably one-in-the-same.

Over the years the Joker has been written as both a dangerous, psychotic killer and a silly prankster (today he’s considered the former). Later on his origin was explored in numerous explanations with slight variations. But like the Joker says in the classic graphic novel The Killing Joke: if he’s going to have a past, he prefers it to be multiple choice.

In 2006, Wizard magazine crowned the Joker the greatest villain of all time—and rightly so. No one has had such a profound, anarchic, and devastating effect on the Batman mythos as the Joker has, and he’s credited for more than his fair share of tragedies surrounding the Batman.

However, as complex and intense as the relationship between the Joker and Batman is, another character maintains a close—but perhaps not as entwined, albeit strangely complicated—bond with the Joker: the fan-favorite villainess, Harleen Quinzel, affectionately known as Harley Quinn.

Cesar Romero (1960s):

Like one period in the Joker’s existence, Cesar Romero’s portrayal of the Joker in the 1960s campy, live-action television show and the 1966 film of the same name was more that of an annoying, silly nutcase than a dangerous, murdering madman. His crimes were comedic in nature, like turning Gotham’s water supply into jelly and challenging Batman to a surfing competition. (Yeah, you read that right.)

In the movie (yo ho!)—which was horrendously, embarrassingly awful, by the way, and even saying that doesn’t do it justice—the Joker isn’t intimidating, to say the least. You could probably beat this Joker with a fly swatter and he’d run screaming (and giggling) in the other direction. I mean, he was afraid of Catwoman’s “attack cat.” It’s that bad. But in a fictional world where nearly everyone is incredibly cheery and ridiculously cheesy, even the most convincing version of the Joker would look sane next to them. After so long of watching this movie (and the minutes barely drag on), it’s not surprising why it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between a “real” foghorn and a fake foghorn sound made by some guy dressed like a pirate. There are so many random deus ex machinas—the Dynamic Duo’s lives were saved by … rubber foam?—and so much insane logic—apparently “the only possible explanation” for a riddle involving a banana and a Russian is that someone Russian is going to slip on a banana peel and break his neck—that the Joker was really probably standing there dumbfounded amidst the corny acting and badly choreographed end fight scene, thinking, “Okay, the joke’s not funny anymore.”

“Holy … jumble!” Don’t even ask.

Or maybe the Joker just went even more insane. Amusingly, Romero refused to shave his mustache when taking on the role, and thus it was somewhat visible beneath his white makeup. But hey, when you’re surrounded by such preposterous characters and plot threads, why bother to shave? No one cares anyway.

Jack Nicholson (1989):

“Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?”

In the 1989 Batman film, the Joker had a habit of asking all his victims that before he killed them. Just because he liked how it sounded. With a permanent twisted and silly grin, Jack Nicholson plays one psychotic Joker whose identity was deemed Jack Napier for the movie. Nicholson’s Clown Prince of Crime had his laughing gas and parlor tricks (like acid-squirting flowers) and ridiculous Prince music to dance to on the streets of Gotham and in museums as he vandalized art into something more suited to his “homicidal artist” tastes.

He was made even creepier by the nontraditional decision to make Jack Napier the man who killed Bruce’s parents. As Bats (played by Michael Keaton) points out when he confronts the Joker about his parents’ murder: he may have made the Joker when he caused him to fall into a acidic vat of chemicals, but the Joker made him a long time ago—on the night Bruce swore to rid Gotham of the evil that killed his parents.

Mark Hamill (animation):

Mark Hamill’s (yes, Luke Skywalker from Star Wars) voice as the Joker in numerous cartoons is one of the best incarnations of the Joker ever. Of course, others have done the Joker’s voice in various animations—like Lenny Weinrib in The New Adventures of Batman (1970s) and Kevin Michael Richardson in The Batman (2004–2008)—but Mark Hamill’s Joker portrayal is as classic as Kevin Conroy’s when it comes to Batman (in fact, most fans consider Conroy’s voice to be the voice of Batman).

And I have fond memories of both voices from my childhood. Mark Hamill voiced the Joker in the highly successful Batman: The Animated Series (one of my favorites), which debuted in 1992. He also provided voice talent for the Joker in the fantastic movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, five episodes of The New Batman Adventures, The Batman/Superman Movie, four episodes of Justice League, three episodes of Superman: The Animated Series, and another personal favorite, the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

Heath Ledger (2008):

Through an extremely successful use of viral marketing, the hype for this film is unbelievable. Showings have already sold out, forcing theaters to add more show times to meet strong ticket demands. Once again there is a fantastic cast, including actors both old—Christian Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Morgan Freeman is Lucius Fox, Michael Caine portrays the loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman continues to play now-Lieutenant James Gordon in a role he was born for, and Cillian Murphy cameos as Jonathan Crane aka the Scarecrow—and new—Maggie Gyllenhaal picks up where Katie Holmes left off as love interest Rachel Dawes and Aaron Eckhart joins the cast (among other newcomers) as District Attorney Harvey Dent and his alter ego Two-Face.

Of course, the player whose sad fate made the most powerful impact was the performance of the late Heath Ledger: the Clown Prince of Crime himself.

The people who have seen Heath act on set as the Joker say he was incredible—that every scene he did was over the top and unique, that he blew things out of the water and was even better than Jack Nicholson. We’re talking (posthumous) Oscar-worthy here, folks. Shock rumbled through those already dark waters (due to the tone of The Dark Knight) when Ledger died from an accidental overdose on January 22 of this year. Uncertainty and rumors spread like wildfire, adding to the chaos like the Joker himself breeds in the film. But after much consideration, the decision was made: Nolan and Warner Brothers would honor the last finished work of the young actor by showing the world his heart-and-soul efforts without exploiting his death. It was careful treading from there on, and the question continues to circulate (in some regard) as to whether Heath’s demise will make the movie too tenebrous for audiences still getting accustomed to his death.

Nevertheless, while Ledger’s passing is tragic and unexpected, those who have been lucky enough to see the film already say they weren’t really bothered by that revelation simply because his performance was so captivating. They were enthralled by him—but when the credits rolled and they exited the theater, the sad fact hit them with a heavier weight. Heath is gone, and his talents untimely went with him.

So when you see Heath in The Dark Knight come Friday, don’t be afraid to (love to) hate him as the Joker. In the darkness of the theater, surrounded by fans like yourselves, get lost in the raw emotion and power of his portrayal and the movie itself. The worst thing you could do is worry about reacting the way you would if he hadn’t died. Be honest about it—laugh at the Joker’s sick jokes that are, indeed, funny in a twisted way, and curse him when he does something appalling or heart-wrenching. Because the greatest act of disrespect is one of apathy.

About the Author: WITA is the lead comics writer for Hollywire’s sister site The Girls Entertainment Network. Please visit the site to view more of WITA’s comic coverage.

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Sienna Miller told UK’s Telegraph that she recalls a time when she and her Casanova  costar, the late Heath Ledger, went out one night with her mother while shooting in Venice.

“It had been pouring with rain and Heath ran out in the middle of St. Mark’s Square and we were running around, and I slipped over on my arse. He picked me up and everyone started laughing. We all ran back to his flat and he gave me these dry pajamas to get home in.”

The actress held on to them until last November, when Ledger visited her home one night.

“He was having trouble sleeping, I gave them back, to help him sleep. When he died, I was so sad that I didn’t have these stupid pajamas anymore, so his father found them to give to me.”

Miller has since brought the sleepwear with her to Prague, where she is currently working on the action flick G.I. Joe, along with a CD featuring the music of her friend Tarka Cordell, who also passed away earlier this year.

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The Oscar winning movie, Brokeback Mountain, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger is going to be made into an Opera and hit Broadway in 2013.

Based on the short story by Annie Proulx, the opera, like the feature film, will follow the 20-year love affair of two men who fall in love in 1963 Wyoming. Wuorinen has already agreed to compose the opera, set to premier during the City Opera’s 2013 spring season.

“Ever since encountering Annie Proulx’s extraordinary story I have wanted to make an opera on it, and it gives me great joy that Gerard Mortier and New York City Opera have given me the opportunity to do so,” Wuorinen said in a statement, according to Reuters.

This should be very interesting. I can understand a musical, but Opera!

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Heath Ledger’s last complete role now includes an action figure.

He plays The Joker in the upcoming movie, The Dark Knight, which some are starting to speculate is an Oscar worthy last performance.

But the movie isn’t out yet and already everything connected to Ledger and the film are selling quickly. Toy stores in New York City are selling out of an action hero figurine of the late Australian actor as the evil villain.

People are even lining up early at the stores to be the first to buy them– and they are even buying them in bulk!

Trying to downplay the Joker sellout, Bob Friedland, a Toys ‘R’ Us spokesman said, “We are getting these products, all of the Dark Knight action figures, on a regular basis.”

But from what news in circulating, these dolls are not going to be  just sitting on the shelves collecting dust. Even though they are priced at $9.99, many buyers are making at least five times their profit by selling the figures for as much as $55.00 on eBay.

If this is any indication of how the movie will do in theaters, I think Warner Brothers should be happy! I mean, not to be supporting the profiting off a recently deceased actor or anything, but it’s Hollywood.

What else is new!?

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According to the Daily Telegraph, Heath Ledger’s estranged uncle claims that the late actor might have fathered a love child.

When he was just 17 years old, Ledger reportedly dated a 25-year-old woman who discovered she was pregnant after the relationship ended and later gave birth to baby girl. Although the woman was living with another man at the time, Ledger’s uncle Hadyn claimed to the paper, “There is a very real possibility that Heath was the father.”

But in a television interview, Hadyn called this possibility only a rumor.

“It is a rumor and it is one that has been out there for sometime, not only within our family but certainly in the wider community of Perth and it’s certainly a rumor that I’m aware of and other people have certainly been aware of it,” he told Australia’s Channel Nine News. “It is only a rumor and I simply answered by saying yes it’s a possibility.”

If it is confirmed that Ledger is the girl’s biological father, it could split his multi-million dollar estate between his two-year-old daughter Matilda Rose and his secret love child.

Although, as it is now, his April 2003 Will, which was drawn up before Matilda’s birth, lists only $145,000 in assets and names the late actor’s father, Kim, mother Sally Bell, sister Kate Ledger, and half sisters Olivia Ledger and Ashleigh Bell as the only beneficiaries. However, there are New York documents that acknowledge Matilda Rose as Ledger’s only known child and as an interested party.

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Greed is a powerful thing when $$ millions are involved, Heath Ledger’s father Kim is in charge of the estate and apparently has a horrible track record when involving large sums of cash. Heath’s uncles are upset and going to press about the whole ordeal stating they are concerned that his daughter Matilda will not be taken care of. His uncle Mike Ledger stated “”Our only vested interest is to assure that Matilda is well looked after. When you are talking about large sums of money like this, it should be an independent executor, but Kim hasn’t chosen that way.” Horrible that once again money causes more problems.

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On January 22, our hearts broke and our mouths dropped when we heard that one of film’s greatest young actors, Heath Ledger, had died on the floor in his apartment the previous night.

Speculations went around, as we all tried to figure out what happened to this young man. Was his death an accident or suicide?

Finally, we have the answers. The toxicology reports reveal that Heath died of an accidental overdose due to a mixture of prescription drugs. Something that we all suspected might have happened.

The medical examiner reports state: “Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine,” spokesperson Ellen Borakove released in a statement on Wednesday morning .

“We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications,” the statement added.

The accidental prescription drug overdose in the medical examiner’s description includes the generic names for OxyContin, anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax and sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is used in painkillers, such as Vicodin.

Heath’s father, Kim, released this statement about his son’s death:

“We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child. Few can understand the hollow, wrenching and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them. Today’s results put an end to speculation, but our son’s beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.

“While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath’s accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage.

“Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two-week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year. Those recent precious days will stay with us forever. We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film. To most of the world, Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise. To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing. We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend.

“We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world. Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet. This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives. We are eternally grateful.

“At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography.”

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CNN is reporting that Entertainment Tonight decided not to air a video of Heath Ledger at a party that showed drugs being used (by others) in his presence. ET said it was out of respect for his grieving family that they decided to pull the plug on airing the video; however, it may be more likely that ET decided not to air the video because of all the phone calls they received (because at first request they refused and were going to air it). It is being reported that not only did powerhouse PR firms and studio executives call in to request that it not be aired, but individual celebrities such as Natalie Portman and Sarah Jessica Parker called ET as well.

Apparently, in the video, he is never shown taking any drugs, but does say he “used to smoke five joints a day.” He also points to his tattoo of “M” and says, “this is to remind me to never smoke weed again.” (source: CNN)
Seriously, airing such a video just seems like nothing but pure sensationalism–he obviously was not seen doing any drugs, so what’s the point? Who hasn’t been to a party where drugs are present (especially in show biz)?

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Johnny Depp has been asked to replace Heath Ledger in the movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the newest Heath film project, due to his untimely, tragic death.

Director Terry Gillimen, hand picked Depp and feels that he will do a great job taking off where Heath left off. Good news is that not all of Heath’s scenes will have to be re-shot. He will still be in the movie.

There is a part in the movie where Heath’s character falls through a magic mirror… this is where Johnny steps in. Johnny could appear as the changed character on the other si

It is so sad to have to think about this, but the show must go on, unfortunately.

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