<P> On July 31, 2006, The Dark Knight was officially announced by Warner Bros with the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker . The casting decision surprised others, and was seen as a controversial move at the time, receiving notable negative reactions on the internet . Nolan remembered the cynicism he endured surrounding Ledger's casting, saying that "the whole world turned around and said' What are you doing?' You know, Heath Ledger, Joker, didn't make any sense to people at all ." In his 2016 book The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture, NPR contributor Glen Weldon recalled that fans were outraged over the choice of Ledger, due to his past roles in films such as Brokeback Mountain (2005). </P> <P> However, with the first trailer released in 2007, the film and its portrayal of the Joker received very positive response from audiences and entertainment industry professionals alike . Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro gushed of his impression for Ledger's performance, finding it "really, really edgy and scary ." American Batman writers Paul Dini and Jeph Loeb both chimed with the positive reactions . Loeb, who had been critical of Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the Joker in 1989's Batman, expressed his excitement for Ledger's interpretation, saying the casting felt "just about right . I eagerly anticipate more!" </P> <P> Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker received critical acclaim, winning numerous posthumous awards for his performance, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, and a Best Actor International Award at the 2008 Australian Film Institute Awards . </P> <P> "I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad - crazy - brilliant as the Joker", wrote Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, stating that the film is deeper than its predecessor, with a "deft" script that refuses to scrutinize the Joker with popular psychology . Travers praised the cast, saying each brings his or her "' A' game" to the film ." Travers said Ledger moves the Joker away from Jack Nicholson's interpretation into darker territory, and expresses his support for any potential campaign to have Ledger nominated for an Academy Award, </P>

Who plays the joker in the dark knight rises