... who's afraid of the big, dark bat

... well, jokes on us people. while i normally keep my fan status quiet of certain films, characters, etc., i cannot deny my giddy level of excitement over non other than heath ledger who's been cast as a younger 'joker" in the upcoming July 2008 release of the next BATMAN film.

does everyone recall jack nicholson's version of Batman with michael keaton? he was brilliant in the role, and while the memory lives on of that great performance, a new direction is being taken with the 2008 film. heath was asked to read a batman graphic novel called, "the killing joke" and consider modeling some of joker's now famous maniacal ways after Alan Moore's famous 1988 depiction. true fans of the dark knight series consider this rendition the golden chalice, if you will, of joker's truly evil nature. (note the picture of joker in the lick above at the bottom of the story's write-up!)

the pics that follow are not 100% guaranteed to be true, but my online source has been spot on with such pics, news and details about movies as the Transformers, (saw on the 4th - goseeitomgoodnessitwasfun!) the Lord of the Rings series, and even the Batman Begins movie from 2 years ago, which sucessfully rebirthed the batman series.

anyhoo.., the first pic has been circulating for about 2 months online. it's said to be a test run with a more "chaotic application" of joker's infamous clown-like makeup. the other 2 are a possible studio-level freeze frame of joker's incarceration in arkum asylum and an marketing slick/image to be used for wider "poster stills."

all i can say, being a creative and visual person myself.... holy crappola this looks cooh.