Batman 3 Will Not Replace Heath Ledger

Although the Batman incarnation franchise will be back for a third installment, the Oscar-winning role for the late Heath Ledger—the maniacal Joker in The Dark Knight—will not, director Christopher Nolan reveals. “For me, Heath was the definitive Joker,” Nolan said in a recent interview. “It wouldn't feel appropriate to readdress that character.” Nolan would not reveal which villain or villains will pop up in Batman 3, which is scheduled to hit theaters in July 2012.