MANILA, Philippines—The Joker made his first appearance, fittingly enough, in “Batman” # 1 in 1940.
Aaron Eckhart has the unique distinction of having been in a movie with the actor who preceded him in the same role, as he appeared in 2003’s “The Missing” with Tommy Lee Jones, who had played Two-Face in Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever.”
Among the graphic novels which informed the movie’s genesis are Alan Moore’s “Batman: The Killing Joke” and Ed Brubaker’s “Batman: The Man Who Laughs.”
Gary Oldman was married at one point to actress Uma Thurman, who played Poison Ivy in “Batman Forever.”
The movie is dedicated to the memory of Heath Ledger and Conway Wickliffe, a special effect technician who was killed while testing a stunt sequence in 2007.
“The Dark Knight” story was co-written by David Goyer, a veteran comic book scribe, who is involved with another character of the night. He wrote and directed “Blade: Trinity,” featuring the Marvel Comics vampire hunter.
One of those responsible for the movie’s screenplay, Jonathan Nolan, is the younger brother of director Christopher Nolan. It was Jonathan’s short story “Memento Mori” that Christopher adapted into the movie “Memento.”
Morgan Freeman and Sir Michael Caine are the two actors in the cast who have won Academy Awards. Freeman won for “Million Dollar Baby” while Caine has won twice, for “Hannah and her Sisters” in 1986, and “The Cider House Rules” in 1999.
Asked who was the better kisser between Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal answered, “You know I can’t answer that!” But she did acknowledge they were both good kissers.
Bale is the first non-American to play Batman.
Wizard Magazine declared the Joker the best villain of all time in 2006.
Yes, that is indeed Anthony Michael Hall of “The Breakfast Club” and “Weird Science” fame playing newsman Mike Engel.
On screen, the Joker has also been played by Cesar Romero and, in animation, was most often voiced by Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker himself.
TV ties: Eric Roberts (Salvatorre Maroni), played Thompson on the series “Heroes,” Nestor Carbonell (the Mayor) appears on “Lost,” and William Fichtner (bank manager) plays Mahone on “Prison Break.”
