Maggie G. and Aaron E. talk Dark Knight, plus video of The Joker!

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When Maggie Gyllenhaal talks about her role in the Batman Begins sequel, The Dark Knight, I get to post pictures of Maggie Gyllenhaal.

So far it’s been a good arrangement for all parties involved.

Maggie talks in this new interview about taking over the part of Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend (and current Gotham City legal eagle), Rachel Dawes, from Katie Holmes, who declined to return for reasons unknown.

“I’m not thinking of it as a role that anyone’s played before,” Maggie says. “I’m not walking into Katie Holmes’s performance. I’m thinking of it as an opportunity to play somebody who’s alive and smart. Chris [Nolan] asked me to do this because he wanted me, not because he wants some generic lady in a dress.”

And here’s the really hot part:

“I’m really excited about it. I mean, it’s not some silly action movie. Chris Nolan is directing. Christian Bale is starring. I’m really excited and curious about doing a couple of stunts.”

Stunts! As much as I love Maggie Gyllenhaal, I’m especially looking forward to meeting Maggie “Danger” Gyllenhaal.

Oh, Maggie Gyllenhaal. I’m really excited and curious, too.

Did I type that out loud?

Moving on.

Next up is some really fun stuff from Aaron Eckhart, who plays Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. Harvey unfortunately gets rewarded for helping Batman (Christian Bale) and Gotham cop numero uno Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) fight the mobsters and freaks who are taking over the city by having the bad guys burn half his face off with acid. The trauma unlocks a second personality with its own perverted morality, resulting in a villain called Two Face. He goes back and forth between the two personalities by flipping a coin that’s scarred on one side. If the clean side comes up, Harvey’s in control. But if the scarred sign comes up, Two Face comes out.

Here’s an interview where Eckhart mentions how awesome Heath Ledger is going to be as The Joker.

Once you’ve read that, you’ve got to check out this hilarious video interview that Eckhart did for MTV Movies Blog. I’m not sure what’s funnier — MTV interviewer Josh Horowitz’s attempts to sneak in questions he knows Eckhart can’t answer, or the hilarious way that Eckhart tries to sneak around the questions while still sort of answering them. Either way, it’s massively entertaining.

And finally, Fox News Chicago posted these three videos of some of the Dark Knight filming being done on Chicago’s Lower Wacker Drive.

The middle video on the page not only shows the Batmobile driving around but also features The Joker zipping around on a skateboard before standing around chatting with some of the crew members. Is it Heath Ledger or a stuntman? I’m not sure. There’s more Joker in the third video, too.

And then Jett over at Batman on Film posted these two videos; the first shows Batman riding the Batpod and the second shows even more Joker.

I still can’t believe how scary and awesome The Joker looks. I can’t believe how far his smile extends up the sides of face.

I can’t believe we’re now less than a year away from the release date of July 18, 2008!

  • Jen

    I choose to believe that’s Heath who, I’m sure, still knows how to ride a board after doing Lords of Dogtown.

  • http://johnbierly.wordpress.com John

    Jen! It’s great to see you around here! Do you have a blog yet? :) I think you should. I think your analysis of the Ledger/skateboard situation is right on. The Joker of Dogtown. I like it.

    And yes, you are correct. The truck says “SLaughter is the best medicine.” That’s friggin’ brilliant. And I love it the most.

  • http://randomactsofmediocrity.blogspot.com/ Jen

    I thought it was rather brilliant of me. *nodnod* I haven’t seen Lords of Dogtown yet, but I’m tempted to just to see what Heath is capable of – the skateboarding in the clip isn’t exactly high difficulty level. However, I’m not sure I particularly like the Joker as some sort of bitter twenty something board punk who hangs out at the local skate shop on weekends and supports public skate parks, whipping his gang of hardcore skaters into punk rock frenzies. Its just so very.. Kidz or something out of The Wiz (not really sure what reference I’m going for here, I’m sure I’ve seen a skater gang in some movie or another I just can’t for the life of me figure out what).

    And I do have a blog, it’s just more on a personal note.

  • Greg

    I work on Wacker Drive. For some time now, when I walk outside my office to buy lunch I pass movie trailers housing actors. I’ve not seen anyone recognizable, but I’ll let you know should anything interesting happen while I’m waiting for my sandwich and/or soup. I know of some people who work as extras for about $60 a day, but they basically just stand around all night and don’t do anything. And that’s Batman, the local report.

  • http://johnbierly.wordpress.com John

    Jen: I don’t think we have to worry; I can’t see Nolan turning The Joker into a punk skater. I can, however, see The Joker trying to elude the Batmobile on a skateboard because he thinks it’s funny. :)

    Greg: You are The Man, man. Maybe you should hang out in front of the trailers with your sandwich and/or soup and see what happens. I bet Heath Ledger would like some soup.

  • http://randomactsofmediocrity.blogspot.com/ Jen

    Oh, well.. I’m sure you’re right John. Nolan is, after all, a pimp daddy mack. However, it is still bringing back bad memories of Alicia Silverstone participating in motorcycle races in whichever Batman movie she did that in. I may just have to stop thinking about it for a while.

  • http://johnbierly.wordpress.com John

    It was Batman and Robin, and it was b-b-b-bad. I’m glad those days are behind us.

    Way glad. :)

    One of the people who wrote a Chicago set report said he was looking at Heath Ledger through his binoculars and Ledger just happened to look directly in his direction. The writer said it was like staring Death right in the face. I have a feeling he’s going to be awfully terrifying in this movie, just like The Joker should be.

  • zagat’s guide to batman

    Hi,

    I work on the sets a lot. And to clarify, we get a lot of downtime. Also, when we have to cover long distances, we’ll bring various transpo options to set with us. A lot of the electricians have bicycles and the PA’s often bring skateboards. So, you probably saw Heath just messing around, because it takes hours to set stuff up.

  • http://idisitanetwork.hi5.com Candy

    Everybody wants Katie back for Batman. Katie did a grate Job!! Im sorry Maggie, but your act was not good…

    Maggie should take notes about the performance of Kattie at Rachel…

  • http://whatistechnoagain.wordpress.com/ whatistechnoagain

    I thought Maggie was as good—in a different way, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing (after all, Rachel Dawes doesn’t exist in the comics, so you can’t follow a character source or anything)—if not better than Holmes. Even though I loved Katie as Rachel in BB, Maggie was more … interesting, I guess. Hehe.