<P> After learning that Batman (Christian Bale) has retrieved Lau, Maroni and the Chechen accept the Joker's offer . The Joker announces that people will die each day until Batman reveals his true identity, and makes good on his threat by murdering Gotham Police Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb (Colin McFarlane) and mob trial Judge Janet Surillo (Nydia Rodriguez Terracina). When Gotham's district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), attempts to draw him out by identifying himself as Batman, the Joker tries to kidnap him, only to be arrested . Batman interrogates him after Dent goes missing . The Joker also reveals that Dent's girlfriend (and Bruce Wayne's childhood sweetheart) Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has also gone missing and reveals their separate locations, both rigged up to time bombs . Switching their whereabouts, the Joker tricks Batman into saving Dent, who is disfigured in the explosion, while Rachel is killed . The Joker then escapes the police station with Lau, who had previously fled to Hong Kong only to be captured by Batman . </P> <P> The Joker kills Lau and the Chechen, burns his half of the mob's money, and takes over the Chechen's gang . Then, to prevent Wayne Enterprises M&A law accountant Coleman Reese (Joshua Harto) from revealing Batman's alter ego on TV, he announces that he will blow up a hospital if Reese is not dead within 60 minutes . During the panic, the Joker sneaks into Gotham General Hospital disguised as a nurse to meet with Dent, and persuades him to take revenge on the people he holds responsible for Rachel's death . He then blows up the hospital and takes a busload of hostages . He rigs explosives on two of the ferries separately containing citizens and criminals and tells the passengers that he will destroy both boats unless one blows up the other . Ultimately, however, the hostages choose not to blow each other up . Batman subsequently apprehends the Joker, who states that neither will kill each other and believes that they are meant to fight each other forever . The Joker gloats that he has won "the battle for Gotham's soul", as the city's inhabitants will lose hope once Dent's rampage as the murderous vigilante "Two - Face" become known . The Joker is then taken into custody as he laughs hysterically . Batman ultimately foils the Joker's plan by taking the blame for Dent's crimes . </P> <P> As a starting actor, Heath Ledger did not attach himself seriously to the roles he was playing . This changed, however, when at age 22 he started to watch some of his films . Realizing that they were movies he himself might not actually have wanted to see, it made him more cautious and respectful towards his professional choices . The 2005 fantasy film The Brothers Grimm marked a turning point for the actor as director Terry Gilliam gave Ledger (and his co-star, Matt Damon) opportunities to create characters they had not been given before . Gilliam helped Ledger put on a clown act for that film, an experience the actor later acknowledged as an influence for his performance as the Joker . </P> <P> Director Christopher Nolan had met with Ledger over the years for different roles . While meeting for the part of Batman in Batman Begins, Ledger explained that he was not interested in working on such a film . The actor reflected on his problems with portraying superheroes, saying; "I would just feel stupid and silly . I couldn't pull it off and there are other people who can perfectly, but I just couldn't take myself seriously ." However, later impressed with Batman Begins, Ledger sought the part of the Joker from Nolan . Impressed with Ledger's determination, Nolan cast him in the part . "Heath was just ready to do it, he was ready to do something that big ." Casting director John Papsidera reflected on the casting choice, saying the filmmakers knew they needed somebody courageous to play the part . Heath Ledger was cast before there was a script . </P>

Who plays the joker in dark knight rises