Sir Michael Caine talks The Dark Knight
Story by Jack Foley
SIR Michael Caine has predicted that the new Batman movie The Dark Knight will be the best yet – and credits new Joker Heath Ledger with giving an “fantastic” performance.
Speaking while promoting his new movie Sleuth, co-starring Jude Law, Sir Michael said that he was very excited to have reprised his role as the butler in Christopher Nolan’s re-imagined franchise – and he predicted big things for the sequel to Batman begins.
“The problem with [The Dark Knight] was always going to be, how do you top Jack Nicholson as the Joker?
“Well, Heath Ledger plays The Joker and he’s fantastic. I couldn’t see how Jack could be topped but he’s at least equal to him. It’s extraordinary.
“Jack’s Joker was a very nasty old uncle, this Joker is a maniacal, murderous psychopath. And when you see the make-up – he looks like he’s mentally gone.
“He puts the make-up on to disguise himself and then goes and never takes it off again, or washes, so gradually it looks like leprosy.
“I’m a great fan of Christopher Nolan,” he continued. “I thought Batman Begins was the best Batman I’d ever seen. And I think this one will be better than that.”
The Dark Knight is currently scheduled to open in UK cinemas on July 25, 2008, but as the hype begins to build fans have been told to anticipate a new trailer in the form of a prologue to the movie, which tells the story of how The Joker became a make-up wearing murderer. It has reportedly been shot in IMAX format and a sneak peak has just been released.
While promoting Sleuth, Sir Michael also spoke of another of his forthcoming films, Is There Anybody There?, as well as the Get Carter remake and working with Sir Laurence Olivier on the Sleuth original.
Read the entire Sir Michael Caine interview