Looks like Heath Ledger wasn’t the first choice to play The Joker in the upcoming follow up to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight. According to the IMDB, the man who was first offered the role was Academy Award winner Sean Penn. This is consistent with a report I put up last year.
Now, I’m not upset at all that Penn turned down The Joker… partially because I think Heath Ledger has a chance at being a pretty good one… but a Penn Joker would have been so damn intense!!!!
Like or hate Sean Penn, you have to admit the man is ONE HELL of an actor… and the intensity he could have brought to that role would have been insane! It would have been a DIFFERENT Joker than the one Ledger is going to give us. I’m not saying better or worse… just different.
Damn… it would have been cool to see him in that role. The age was off… but still. Wow, Nolan really does know how to pick great actors. Now if he could just wake up and dump Holmes. (thanks to Rob for the heads up)
