Apparently the actor nixed the idea of portraying the clown prince of crime in the sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins.
Batman-on-film.com has an interesting report about the casting of The Joker in The Dark Knight. Although ultimately we all know the role ended up going to Heath Ledger, it’s reported that Nolan & Co. actually made an offer to actor Sean Penn who turned down the role.
On the topic of The Joker, Director Christopher Nolan had this to say about his portrayal in the film:
Will The Joker be different that past live-action interpretations?
“Yes. I would certainly point to The Killing Joke but I also would point very much to the first two appearances of The Joker in the comic. If you look at where The Joker comes from there’s a very clear direction that fits what we’re doing very well.”
Click on the link above for more news on The Dark Knight.