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Early Dark Knight Concept Art Shows A Much Creepier Joker

slashfilm.com — These early pre-Heath Ledger Joker conceptual designs can be found in "The Art of The Dark Knight." I was shocked to discover that the Joker design they eventually settled on, actually seems a lot tamer than some of the early concepts.

Who dugg this? Made popular Aug 8, 2008

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  • IbbyIbby, on 08/08/2008, -23/+877i prefer the one they went with

  • jetfuel, on 08/08/2008, -3/+319Seems very... Leatherface.
  • krekc, on 08/08/2008, -2/+296Im happy with what they did for Heath who was awesome by the way. Im really happy they didnt over do the purple and green.
  • TheThirdLevel, on 08/08/2008, -3/+269That's freaky. However, I prefer the longer hair better, it just adds a lot of sheer ***** ownage.
  • Evilblobs, on 08/08/2008, -7/+168Looks more like concept work for the Holy Wood album by Manson.

    While this Joker may look creepier, there's no denying that Ledger's was indisputably psychopathic in every sense of the word.
  • Stupidumb, on 08/08/2008, -3/+145Me too, I really don't want a guido Joker with a blowout hair cut. I don't think anyone does...
  • Aitese, on 08/08/2008, -6/+133I'm scared of pencils now...Heath Ledger's Joker was better.
  • geoffreyireland, on 08/08/2008, -11/+100These photos genuinely scare me. Holy crap.

    Really sinister
  • Doodleshanks, on 08/08/2008, -1/+88Does he have a green version of the New Jersey Douche Bag haircut?? If so...that IS pretty damn creepy!
  • WoollyMittens, on 08/08/2008, -4/+66That concept art looks like the "My Chemical Romance" version of the joker.
  • commiecat, on 08/08/2008, -0/+55Looks kinda like Sid Vicious.
  • blahtastic, on 08/08/2008, -1/+44Your...Batcave?!?!?!?!
  • xkingADROCKx, on 08/08/2008, -1/+41It looks like something out of Bioshock.
  • Radan, on 08/08/2008, -1/+41The Joker is supposed to more or less represent anarchy. Except for the scars, this version is too tidy if you ask me (short hair, proper clothing). The Joker they went with is much more ***** up, which suits the role that Ledger played.
  • xstarsprinklesx, on 08/08/2008, -0/+37You can clearly see they're scars in the mayor's speech scene, when he's not wearing makeup:

    http://movies.popcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/200 ...
  • EllimistX, on 08/08/2008, -2/+38Yeah, it wasn't so much the look but the personality that made Ledger's Joker so effective.
  • jehan60188, on 08/08/2008, -1/+36the bottom right one makes him look like some kind of raver-kid, not a psychopath...

    it's the hair. the hair is too clean-cut. not like the dirty-blond/green long, oily, mange that they ended up going with...
  • aaronmcdonald, on 08/08/2008, -4/+37Which one did they go with? Didnt know there was a new batman movie! Only came out of my cave this morning!
  • Marlon, on 08/08/2008, -0/+29especially when he first sees Rachel Dawes and wipes his hair away from his bow....that scene wouldn't be as creepy with short hair.
  • martoq, on 08/08/2008, -0/+25I agree with most on here. Its good that they scrapped this. Scary, maybe. Campy, definitely. I like the darker "realism" that we got from the movie.
  • Myonosken, on 08/08/2008, -0/+22...and scratchy?
  • redfred18t, on 08/08/2008, -5/+27Giggity giggity
  • johnomaz, on 08/08/2008, -3/+24THe one they went with was way scarier. This one looks EMO and like he would only wear Armani suits and be driven around in a limo.
  • damndj, on 08/08/2008, -2/+22McCain ships babies overseas.
  • Drahkar, on 08/08/2008, -4/+24I agree. Joker was crazy, but he was also brilliant in his madness. The guy int he picture just looks like he cut up his face but never tried to deal with it where the injuries the one they went with had were obviously treated, but left scars.

    I think most people would have been so turned off by his looks that nothing they did with the character would have been able to make up for it. They were making a bat man flick, not a horror film.
  • wolfe86, on 08/08/2008, -2/+22He looks like he eats babies.
  • Mr.Gone, on 08/08/2008, -0/+19Ichi
  • jdandre, on 08/08/2008, -2/+20I don't think they could have done better than the end result with Ledger. He made the Joker, not the makeup.
  • LemonChicken, on 08/08/2008, -0/+17Damn you, Sander Cohen.
  • Indierocka, on 08/08/2008, -0/+17I'm not okay with that joker
  • ackbarforeva, on 08/08/2008, -3/+19why so disturbing?
  • DivisibleByZero, on 08/08/2008, -3/+18That haircut looks like he was supposed to be some "hip, young joker who'll really speak to today's Urban Youth". I'm glad they scrapped it.
  • shakabrah, on 08/08/2008, -1/+16is that elijah wood in the purple jacket?
  • merrickx, on 08/08/2008, -2/+16Creepier? More like Guido-er.
  • c010rb1indusa, on 08/08/2008, -0/+14Yes indeed, and the one on the bottom right looks like frodo in joker makeup.
  • albatross5000, on 08/08/2008, -2/+15That's not a clown's face -- that is leatherface. Not Batman's Joker.
  • HippyJM, on 08/08/2008, -2/+15Looks like Scott Weiland from STP
  • jonnymj, on 08/08/2008, -0/+12Those early designs really look a lot like Paul Bettany, who coincidentally was in A Knights Tale with Ledger.
    I wonder if he was who they were considering first before Ledger came on the radar.
  • inactive, on 08/08/2008, -1/+13I prefer the final product, It really gave that anarchist feeling to it.
  • MasterPain, on 08/08/2008, -3/+15Yager Bombs !
  • dshPls, on 08/08/2008, -0/+11***** skank!
  • hellsing47, on 08/08/2008, -0/+11The art concept looks like a glamorous punk rock version of the Joker.

    I liked the gritty, grunge look of the one they went with.
  • Wade, on 08/08/2008, -1/+11Is the misspelling intentional?
  • bleutuna, on 08/08/2008, -4/+14I think this owns. I wish they'd gone this far.

    For the apparently dimwitted commenters above - you do realize that whether Ledger would have had this makeup on or not, he would still have given us the same PERFORMANCE.

    So stating, 'I like Ledger's Joker better!' really doesn't make a helluva lotta sense. It would have still ben Ledger's Joker, his face would have just been significantly more messed up and a lot scarier (and more reminiscent of a smile).
  • JRjJ106, on 08/08/2008, -1/+10McCain provides bottled hot water to dehydrated babies.
  • MirrorminD, on 08/08/2008, -1/+10so glad they went with the Ledger version and whats up with the last pic, is that the Joker if he was emo?
  • P1um, on 08/08/2008, -2/+11WAY too soon
  • jpbreeder, on 08/08/2008, -2/+11Rip off from "Ichi the Killer"
  • specialK16, on 08/08/2008, -0/+9I'm gonna get dugg down, but this one looks more the joker from the Animated Series. Happy, and simply crazy.

    I actually liked it.
  • ptsuk, on 08/08/2008, -0/+8I would have liked if the one they went with had more pronouced scars (farther back or raised a bit more) perhaps. I did like the fact that heath kept "tonguing" while speaking as everyone does when they have a mouth sore or cut/scare. OW that hurts, OW that hurts. But i can't stop touching it with my tongue! OW!
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