The Dark Knight (SPOILERS)

[Nuke Mayhem]

I still say "Don't Bring back the Joker," but more because I can't see it being done gracefully than any "respect for the dead" issues.

That's what I'm talking about, people seem to think bringing back the joker is a spit on Heath's Memory. They think it's saying "We don't give a damn about you, we just want our entertainment" but it's not. It's like a child who's dad died and doesn't want mommy to remarry because the child thinks it's like shoving his memory in the storage room or the trash. That's just how life is sometimes, we say our goodbyes to the ones we lost and move on.

[daltysmilth]

Well, there's also the problem of if you bring back the Joker, how do you do it?  Any actor you brought in to play him would basically have two choices, try to replicate the way Heath Ledger do it, or go in a completely different direction from how he did it.  And either way, a lot of people wouldn't like it.  If he did it differently from Heath Ledger, people would be upset that he was doing it differently from Heath Ledger, if he tried to replicate Heath Ledger, people would criticize him for not bringing anything of his own to the role.  As for me, I do think they should bring the character back, but it would probably be best if they wait awhile.

[Ortega]

I think it more like this: Heath performance of the Joker was memorable and unique, that I don't see the possibility of bringing the character back at least in near future.  Maybe in a decade or so, but i think bringing the Joker back in three or five years with a new actor would be a pale imitation, or the actor would have to bring something different to the role. Which, oddly enough, is exactly what Ledger did.  I can recall a year ago when he was announced as The Joker, people crying heresy and such, claiming that Nicholson's Joker was unsurpassable.  I'm not saying that bringing back the Joker would be a bad move, i'm just saying they would have to do something new with him.   So basically, i don't see them bringing Joker back, at least while Nolan's at the helm. 

[Nuke Mayhem]

I would wait after one or two sequels before bringing back the Joker, let the Riddler or whatever villain they use to quiet down the "Ban the Joker" rage and give people time to finish their grieving for Heath. Then when the time is right, bring back the Joker in the sequels where he now obsessed in proving Batman wrong about what he said when caught him at the end of "The Dark Night", by making Batman crack and become a maniac like him.

I even know the perfect way to bring him back.
First: At the end of the sequel before the one joker returns, after the credits, the screen shows the psychiatrist Harley Quinn (no clear view of her) walking down a hall of cells at Arkam with a security guard holding a shotgun, they stops at one. The guard yells "Paitent #5083 (or some random number), you have a visitor please sit on the floor at the back of the cell", the prisoner does what he says and the guard opens the door. Both the Harley and Guard walk into the cell and we see the prisoner in a prisoner's uniform and in a straight jacket sitting on the floor with head tilted down, all you can see is his light brown hair. Harley bends down to get closer to him, ignoring the guard's warnings. The prisoner lifts his head and it's Joker without his face paint on but you can tell it's him by the cut marks on the sides of his mouth and his messy hair. Harley says "Hello Mr. Joker, lets have a talk." The Joker grins and the screen goes to black.

Second: In the new joker sequel we find out Harley is a very controversial psychiatrist, and people of Gotham are not happy that the Joker's being treated a disturbed victim and wants him executed. Harley has been having sessions with the Joker for a little over a month now and he's been seducing her into believing he's a victim of an abusive father and framing vigilant, and starts to fall in love with him. When Harley finds out the mayor is going to give the people what they want and scheduled Joker's execution, she breaks him out of Arkam on his execution day and agrees to help him show the world that Batman is the real psychotic monster and it was his fault for what happened in "The Dark Night" (in reality, he wants to drive Batman over the edge and turn him into a maniac like himself). In return, the Joker agrees (with his fingers crossed behind his back) to marry her and raise a family.

[MrTorso]

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[gbeenie]

It's so monumentally over the top the tongue has to be jammed into the cheek.

I'd let him jam his tongue into my cheek.

Ew.  That seems like it would hurt.  What I'm saying is I'd like to have sex with him.

Oh, you just want Gwyneth Paltrow to have your clothes cleaned and pressed for you (hey; some fetishes are really specific).

[gbeenie]

It's so monumentally over the top the tongue has to be jammed into the cheek.

I'd let him jam his tongue into my cheek.

Ew.  That seems like it would hurt.  What I'm saying is I'd like to have sex with him.

I think Ann might fight you for that opportunity.

Live on Pay-Per-View?  (just asking!)

[gbeenie]

Seriously, the "Why So Serious" thing was one of the most clever things I've ever seen a movie do against the audience!
You hear him give his schpeal, and you're like- "Oh, great- so the Joker's just a kid with a violent father. Thanks, movie." The thought retreats to the back of your mind as you watch the movie, and suddenly-
He gives another origin story.
A FICTIONAL CHARACTER GOT THE BETTER OF THE AUDIENCE. We were all rubes!

That was brilliant. It's one of my favorite things in the movie.

[torgosPizza]

Well, there's also the problem of if you bring back the Joker, how do you do it?  Any actor you brought in to play him would basically have two choices, try to replicate the way Heath Ledger do it, or go in a completely different direction from how he did it.  And either way, a lot of people wouldn't like it.  If he did it differently from Heath Ledger, people would be upset that he was doing it differently from Heath Ledger, if he tried to replicate Heath Ledger, people would criticize him for not bringing anything of his own to the role.  As for me, I do think they should bring the character back, but it would probably be best if they wait awhile.

One of the most intriguing suggestions for another Joker I've heard would be Javier Bardem. I think he could pull it off, if he were to portray the Joker say, 10 years later? Maybe he'd been locked up at Arkham for a long time... of course this would have to be a couple sequels down the line, I think. But of all the actors out there, I think he has a good look for the part and can channel rage with the best of 'em.

[Tripe]

You know what, this dude actually does an ok Joker, even though he's taking the piss:

Here's a spoof of the Batman/Joker interrogation scene from "The Dark Knight" that I found amusing.

Gadfly

[ninjacat11]

Well, there's also the problem of if you bring back the Joker, how do you do it?  Any actor you brought in to play him would basically have two choices, try to replicate the way Heath Ledger do it, or go in a completely different direction from how he did it.  And either way, a lot of people wouldn't like it.  If he did it differently from Heath Ledger, people would be upset that he was doing it differently from Heath Ledger, if he tried to replicate Heath Ledger, people would criticize him for not bringing anything of his own to the role.  As for me, I do think they should bring the character back, but it would probably be best if they wait awhile.

One of the most intriguing suggestions for another Joker I've heard would be Javier Bardem. I think he could pull it off, if he were to portray the Joker say, 10 years later? Maybe he'd been locked up at Arkham for a long time... of course this would have to be a couple sequels down the line, I think. But of all the actors out there, I think he has a good look for the part and can channel rage with the best of 'em.

I could see that happening, especially if he channels a bit of Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men.

[RoninFox]

Seriously, the "Why So Serious" thing was one of the most clever things I've ever seen a movie do against the audience!
You hear him give his schpeal, and you're like- "Oh, great- so the Joker's just a kid with a violent father. Thanks, movie." The thought retreats to the back of your mind as you watch the movie, and suddenly-
He gives another origin story.
A FICTIONAL CHARACTER GOT THE BETTER OF THE AUDIENCE. We were all rubes!

That was brilliant. It's one of my favorite things in the movie.

Even though I didn't trust a word of what the Joker was saying in that scene, I loved his story and when he eventually went into his second version later I wanted to applaud.  Great moments.

[Chaos]

I loved those bits too, but not because he fooled me... I just thought it was a great tribute to The Killing Joke. I saw it coming as soon as he gave the first story, but still thought it was fantastic. My wife (who doesn't read comics), thought it was really cool when he changed the story, though.

[Johnny Unusual]

Just as the Joker said in the Killing Joke (and I may not get my wording exact) "I prefer to look at the past as multiple choice".

[Chaos]

I'm fairly certain the exact quote was "If I have to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice." Or something very close to that. I'm sure Ronin will correct me if I'm off a bit, he mentioned it in this thread a few weeks ago.