Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell try to fill a void left by Heath Ledger

Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan, reporting from Cannes, has a wonderful piece about Terry Gilliam and his new film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,"  which Heath Ledger was still working on at the time of his death...

Terry Gilliam went to the movies the other night, and this is what he saw: "Trailers from 'Transformers,' ' G.I. Joe,' ' Harry Potter'; they all had the same explosions, the same sound mix, the same rhythms, it was all the same film," the director says, still not quite believing it. "Hollywood's been doing this for 20 years. When's it going to end?"

It ends right here and now at Cannes' Festival du Film, where Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," a work as exceptional and unusual as its title, premieres out of competition today. A tale of good and evil battling for souls that's made with Gilliam's fantastic and fantastical visual imagination, "Imaginarium" is the director's best, most entertaining film in years.

"Imaginarium" is also perhaps the most anticipated film of the festival because it's the one Heath Ledger was working on when he died in January 2008, the one that ends with the on-screen credit "A Film From Heath Ledger and Friends" because colleagues Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell pitched in to finish it.

More unusual still, the structure of "Imaginarium" and the nature of what was left to shoot when the actor died made the use of those substitute actors so seamless that, Gilliam said, "the postproduction sound guy assumed it had been written that way."

It's no wonder, then, that Gilliam feels that he "didn't make this film. Forces from above and below made it. It made itself. I don't panic anymore. It's got its own relentless momentum. It just needed some human sacrifice..."

READ THE REST

--Geoff Boucher

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Credit: Photo of Heath Ledger by Jennifer S. Altman/For the Los Angeles Times. Terry Gilliam photo by Patricia Williams/For the Times

Heath Ledger's Oscar will not go to his parents after all

Tom O'Neil over at Gold Derby, the blog devoted to tracking all of Hollywood's trophy shows, has an update on the status of the Oscar statuette won posthumously by Heath Ledger for his searing performance in "The Dark Knight." Here's an excerpt from the post that went up Thursday:

[Heath's father] Kim Ledger told reporters at LAX that he had no plan to give Matilda the Oscar statuette anytime soon. "We'll keep it for her forever!" he said. Will he ever give it to Matilda? "Oh, yeah, down the line," he replied.

Had he forgotten the deal he made with the academy due to jet lag? Or was the Ledger family planning to chuck all that, keep the Oscar after the ceremony and head back to Perth, Australia, with it?

The matter finally has been resolved — quite differently from what the Ledgers told the media.

Academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger tells Gold Derby: "We expect a representative of the Ledger estate to bring the statuette in tomorrow (or soon thereafter) so that the engraved plate can be affixed.  Soon after that, we expect the statuette (with engraved plate) to be delivered to Michelle Williams."

READ THE REST

-- Geoff Boucher

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Heath Ledger and his 'gentle way' remembered

Michael Ordoña has a great piece today in the Los Angeles Times on Heath Ledger, who should (and, I think, will) win a posthumous Oscar for his searing performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." Here's an excerpt:

It was far from the first time he had transformed himself for a role, whether drastically, as the scruffy skateboarding impresario in "Lords of Dogtown," or subtly, as the repressed, gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain." Here, the recollections of some who worked with the supporting actor nominee add detail to a picture of a complex man and challenging artist whose creative fire and generosity of spirit lifted those around him.

"His energy and enthusiasm for life will never cease to inspire me," said Ledger's longtime friend and business partner Matt Amato. "A friend of mine said after Heath died that we must continue in Heath's 'gentle way.' Those words sounded perfect to me -- Heath's gentle way."

From Heath Ledger's American debut in the underrated "Taming of the Shrew" adaptation "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) through "The Patriot" and the Chaucer-inspired romp "A Knight's Tale," the handsome young actor looked to be on a teen-idol trajectory. But even then, he showed signs of being separate from the pack.

'The Dark Knight' snubbed in best picture race

UPDATED: Here's a story I have appearing in the Calendar section of the Los Angeles Times tomorrow:

There are always a lot of emotions on Oscar nomination day, but there was an especially bittersweet surge on Thursday when the late Heath Ledger’s name was called out in the category of best supporting actor for his portrayal of the maniacal Joker in "The Dark Knight" — it was, after all, one year to the day after his death.

Even as the team behind the Warner Bros. film embraced the posthumous honor for Ledger, they also dealt with the disappointment that the acclaimed blockbuster was left out of the best picture race.

No superhero movie has come close to the marquee category in the past, but Warner Bros. had high hopes that "Dark Knight" could follow in the footsteps of "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Beauty and the Beast" and "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" as a youth-skewing hit able to transcend its popcorn-genre roots and earn a best picture nomination from the stuffy academy.

In the barest appraisal, "Dark Knight" was yet another summer sequel about a masked-man fighting crime. But after its July release, the film, directed by Christopher Nolan, started racking up so much box-office success (it now stands as the second-highest grossing movie of all-time in the U.S. behind "Titanic") and such intense critical acclaim (only "WALL-E" scored a higher quotient of raves among the year’s wide-release films, according to Rotten Tomatoes) that Oscar talk began to gain traction.

Ledger’s performance as the scabby and diabolical Joker was clearly regarded as an Oscar contender early on, but the conversation widened considerably this month when Nolan was nominated by his peers for the Directors Guild award for achievement in a feature film. That came on the heels of a best picture nomination from the Producers Guild, whose top category typically mirrors the academy’s picks for the best films of the year.

But can Heath Ledger WIN the Oscar?

There are always a lot of emotions on Oscar nomination day but there was an especially bittersweet surge in sentiment this morning when the late Heath Ledger's name was called out in the category of best supporting actor -- one year to the day after his death.

The nomination for Ledger's scorching performance as the scabby and diabolical Joker in "The Dark Knight"; had been considered a certainty in recent months but there was still a collective sigh when it was announced. Now the question is, 'Can he win?' There has been a posthumous actor winner in the past -- Peter Finch's widow Eletha Finch memorably accepted his best-actor Oscar for the unforgettable 1976 film "Network" -- but Finch died a month after he was nominated. Ledger's accidental prescription-drug overdose hasn't lost any of its tragedy, of course, but the beloved Spencer Tracy and even James Dean (whose life and early death were evoked by many of Ledger's eulogists) were in similar nominated-after-death situations, and they did not win the trophy.

There's also been some quiet talk in town lately of realpolitik realities of Hollywood that say the studios campaign harder for living actors (who will, after all, make more movies) and that those actors present for interviews and press statements in upcoming weeks are powerfully wooing Academy voters who are "auditioning" for winners.

Perhaps, but I think Ledger will win because his performance was so very powerful and because those same Oscar voters love drama. I think on Oscar night we will see little Matilda, the young daughter of Ledger, smiling as her father's name is called out once again. Beyond the joy to Matilda and her family, it's nice to think of that shining moment as the final image in the public's memory of this gifted performer.

-- Geoff Boucher

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Still want more?    ALL "DARK KNIGHT" COVERAGE AT HERO COMPLEX

CREDIT: Heath Ledger photo by Associated Press. "The Dark Knight" images courtesy of Warner Bros.

'Watchmen,' 'Fringe,' Heath Ledger all in Everyday Hero headlines

Welcome to today's edition of Everyday Hero, your roundup of handpicked headlines from across the fanboy universe....

WHAT PRICE WILL BE PAID?: The nasty legal squabble over "Watchmen" is winding down but what's the bottom line for Warner Bros.? Reporter John Horn gets into the nitty gritty and finds that Larry Gordon, the colorful producer who brought landmark action films such as "48 Hrs.," "Die Hard" and "Predator" to the screen, may get stuck with part of the sizable bill in the property dispute: "The court fight over 'Watchmen' is costing Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, but the biggest bill of all could fall to the film's producer, Larry Gordon, his lawyers and their insurers, who could be on the hook for substantially more money. Court documents in the nearly yearlong dispute over the superhero movie's distribution rights show that Warner Bros., which is poised to lose valuable rights to 'Watchmen' after a judge's favorable ruling for Fox, is pursuing Gordon 'for all damages Warner Bros. suffers as a result of Fox's claims' ... Two people familiar with the dispute said that those Warner Bros. damages could potentially total tens of millions of dollars. Among the possible settlement terms under discussion is a deal in which Fox could end up with as much as 8.5% of 'Watchmen's' gross receipts, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. 'Watchmen' director Zack Snyder's last film for Warner Bros., 2007's '300,' grossed more than $456 million in worldwide ticket sales. It is unclear whether Gordon has initiated an insurance claim against the law firm that negotiated his 'Watchmen' deal with Warner Bros., but Gordon has said in a letter that the same lawyers may have made 'a unilateral mistake' as part of an earlier deal involving the film's rights." [Los Angeles Times]

"FRINGE" BENEFITS: The television show "Fringe" really found its rhythm as its first season wore on and Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly told the assembled press at the Television Critics Assn. gathering that its paranormal pursuits are building momentum. "It's a keeper ... they've really found the storytelling model now ... what you're going to see in the second half in the year, if you follow the serialized story you're going to find [satisfying content each week and yet] the stories really do re-set themselves each week ... I would not expect it to take off after 'Idol' but I do think it will tick up another level." [The Hollywood Reporter]

HEATH LEDGER'S GLOBE, A POSTSCRIPT: Chris Nolan made a lovely speech in accepting the posthumous Golden Globe for Heath Ledger and now Melanie Ambrose has a piece about the late actor's family and its plans for the prestigious but bittersweet trophy. Ledger's daughter, 3-year-old Matilda, will get it: " 'It will belong to her because she is part of him,' Ledger's mother, Sally Bell, tells WHO. 'I should imagine that eventually it will be going to Matilda,' Bell says from her home in Perth, Western Australia. 'At this stage she is only so young, but down the track she will have all these things. It will belong to her because she is part of him.' Bell says her family is 'bursting with pride' over her son's recognition for playing the Joker in 'The Dark Knight,' a role he 'loved.' 'It is such a fantastic and wonderful legacy for his daughter. Matilda will have so many people who will be able to speak to her about her father's abilities and the respect he had in the industry. That is such a wonderful legacy to leave.' Bell learned of his Golden Globe win before boarding a flight in Australia and admits there were 'a few tears.' 'There is a lot of emotion tied up in this, and we have to deal with that emotion first before we can relax and enjoy the moment, if you know what I mean,' she explains." [Who Magazine]

ON THIS DATE: The late Jeff Morrow (1907-1993) was born on this day in New York City and had a long and varied professional life (he worked, for instance, in theater productions with Katharine Hepburn and Mae West in his younger days) but he is best known for roles in sci-fi films such as "This Island Earth," "The Creature Walks Among Us" (which was the sequel-to-the-sequel of "The Creature From the Black Lagoon") and the unintentionally hysterical "The Giant Claw," which presented a terrifying avian creature who wasn't very terrifying at all. He was also one of three astronauts confronted with a mystery in "The Twilight Zone" episode "Elegy" during that iconic show's first season. To celebrate his birthday, let's remember that acting in bad movie is harder than acting in a great one. To see some, uh, great scenes featuring Morrow, go to the bottom of this post.

Heath Ledger, 'Watchmen,' Tin Tin and Jonah Hex, all in Everyday Hero headlines

HEATH LEDGER WINS A GOLDEN GLOBE: I went to the Golden Globes last night and contributed to the Los Angeles Times team coverage (we go all out for Hollywood trophy shows, too much in fact) and I got to say hello to Christopher Nolan as he crossed the banquet hall during one of the early commerical breaks. (The Globes are by far the best award show to cover; it's dinner seating, all the stars are liquored up and you can walk over and talk to anyone, which is why I got to interview Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks in the span of 10 minutes last night.) Not long after I spoke to Nolan, the late Heath Ledger won for his performance in "The Dark Knight." Here's what my colleague John Horn wrote about it, as well as the surprise victory for "Slumdog Millionaire" as best picture: "If 'Slumdog Millionaire' provided the most joyous moments at the 66th annual award show, Ledger's posthumous win for supporting actor offered its most poignant. Ledger died last January from an overdose of prescription medications, before 'The Dark Knight' was released and became the second-highest-grossing movie in Hollywood, trailing only 'Titanic.' 'The Dark Knight' was the actor's last completed film role. 'I for one will start to be able to look less at the gap in the future and the incredible place Heath made for himself with his talent and with his dedication,' Chris Nolan, the film's director and co-writer, said in accepting Ledger's award for his haunting performance as the Joker." [Los Angeles Times] To see all the awards won to date by Ledger's performance, check out this story in the Hollywood Reporter.

HORTON HEARS A "HEX": There was a story in the trades a few days ago about yet another change in the lurching effort to make a film adaptation of Jonah Hex, the grim, disfigured DC Comics western antihero. The movie has the great Josh Brolin locked in as the star but everything else seems to change every few months. The latest new face in the process is an animation specialist looking to saddle up with a live-action, six-shooter tale: "Jimmy Hayward, who directed the animated 'Horton Hears a Who!,' will make his live-action debut with 'Jonah Hex,' the Warner Bros. western based on the DC Comics character. Josh Brolin is attached to star in the film, which previously had Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor ('Crank') on board as directors. The duo, who also wrote the script, bowed out over creative differences in November. The studio, which hopes to put the movie into production in March or April, went on a fast-track search, putting together a short list that included such names as Andy Fickman and McG before narrowing it down to Hayward. The character of Hex, known for having the right side of his face disfigured and wearing a Confederate army uniform, was a rough-and-tumble gunslinger and part-time bounty hunter whose adventures always ended in blood. One incarnation of his comic book series saw the Western genre combined with supernatural elements, and it's this aspect that was featured in Neveldine and Taylor's script. The studio will likely keep the script, though it's expected that Hayward will put his stamp on it." [Hollywood Reporter]

MORE "WATCHMEN" TO WATCH: Here's a television promo for the March release...

IS TINTIN GAY?: Journalist and former politican Matthew Parris is quite the firebrand figure in England and his latest essay might ruffle some feathers of fans of the classic "Tintin" comics, which are soon to be adapted into a film: "Billions of blue blistering barnacles, isn't it staring us in the face? Sometimes a thing's so obvious it's hard to see where the debate could start. What debate can there be when the evidence is so overwhelmingly one-way? A callow, androgynous blonde-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his best friend, a middle-aged sailor? A sweet-faced lad devoted to a fluffy white toy terrier, whose other closest pals are an inseparable couple of detectives in bowler hats, and whose only serious female friend is an opera diva... And you're telling me Tintin isn't gay? And Liberace was a red-blooded heterosexual...But really, what next? Lawrence of Arabia a ladies' man? Richard the Lionheart straight? And I suppose the Village People were a band of off-duty police officers, "YMCA" was a song about youth-hostelling, and Noddy and Big Ears are just good friends. But I'd better make the case because, astonishingly (and though when I googled “Tintin” and “gay” I got 526,000 references), there are still Tintin aficionados who remain in denial about this. Last year, as part of my BBC radio 'Great Lives' series, my guest, the international photojournalist Nick Danziger (who had nominated the life of Tintin), and my expert Tintinologist, Michael Farr (author of 'Tintin: The Complete Companion' and numerous other Tintin-related works), stunned me by not only denying hotly that their hero could have been gay, but even insisting that the thought had never occurred to them. Don't you find, though, that it's often the people closest to someone who never tumble to it?" [Times of London]

ON THIS DATE: The ABC series “Batman” premiered on this day in 1966 with the episode “Hi Diddle Riddle,” featuring Frank Gorshin as the Riddler and, in a unforgettable moment of farce, Adam West dancing the Batusi. If lore is to be believed, the show was inspired in part by the hooting crowd reactions to vintage Batman serials that were screened at the Playboy Club in Chicago (we all know what a comics and movie fan Hugh Hefner is) and its pop-art camp sensibility was a direct result of executive producer (and uncredited narrator) William Dozier's deep disdain for comic books. To celebrate this milestone in television history, let's punch people today and make our own zany sound effects. To see some video from the show, go to the end of this post...

Spider-Man on Broadway, 'Dark Knight' DVD and Jeph Loeb all in Everyday Hero headlines

Mary Jane on Broadway: Gossip maven Elizabeth Snead has a somewhat breathless item about Evan Rachel Wood of "The Wrestler" and "Across the Universe" taking on the role of Spider-Man babe Mary Jane Watson for the Broadway play that is shaping up as the most expensive production in the history of the Great White Way: "Evan Rachel Wood will play Mary Jane in Julie Taymor's 'Spider-Man' on Broadway! 'I start rehearsals in June and will be on Broadway for a year,' she said Wednesday at a press junket for 'The Wrestler.' She's already learned the songs, written by Bono, and did a run-through for Marvel. But that's not why she recently colored her hair red, like Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane movie character. 'No, I didn’t even think about it,' she insists. 'After I got it done, I looked in the mirror and went ‘Duh!' I emailed Julie the picture!' Who will be Spidey?  'We're trying to convince Jim Sturgess (her 'Across the Universe' costar). We did the workshop together, but I don’t know if he can commit to a whole year.' How about the villains? 'There will be some new ones and some old ones,' she said cautiously. And will she have to do wire work? 'Yeah, I’ll be dangling from buildings and things. It should be fun.' But she insists that Spider-Man will never, ever sing in tights. 'That was the deal. He never sings in Spandex,' Wood says. And will she have to do that upside-down kiss? 'Everyone keeps asking me that! I think there might be one at the end. I'm gonna have to have a talk with Julie. I can’t remember if there is one. But people will be waiting for it so we might have to make that happen.' " [The Dish Rag] Read more on the Spidey's Broadway venture here and here.

Heath Ledger's Golden Globe nod: The late actor's family put out a statement expressing their pride for the nomination annouced Thursday. Here's an item by Melenie Ambrose: "Heath Ledger's no-holds-barred performance as the Joker in last summer's Batman blockbuster 'The Dark Knight' has earned the late actor a posthumous Golden Globe nomination, announced Thursday morning. Commenting on the honor of being nominated for best performance by an actor in a supporting role, Heath's Perth, Australia-based father, Kim Ledger, said in a statement to PEOPLE, 'We thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for honoring Heath's performance in 'The Dark Knight.' He added, 'This nomination is deeply appreciated and is not lost on those of us who continue to love and miss him. We are so proud our boy's work is being recognized in this way.' Ledger will compete in the supporting actor category with Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. for their roles in 'Tropic Thunder,' Ralph Fiennes for 'The Duchess' and Philip Seymour Hoffman for his role in 'Doubt.' " [People magazine]

"The Dark Knight" at retail: Business reporter Dawn C. Chmielewski goes into the numbers on the DVD and Blu-ray release of "The Dark Knight," which is a home-video hero that Hollywood hopes will save the day: "The major promotion push behind the DVD release of Warner Bros.' summer blockbuster, 'The Dark Knight,' appears to have worked -- at least out of the gate. The film, which brought in $530 million in ticket sales in the United States, sold nearly 3 million copies Tuesday, the first day of its DVD release in the U.S., Canada and Britain. 'The Dark Knight's' retail reception is reminiscent of strong first-day sales for 'The Matrix' and 'Titanic' (any debut of 1 million or more units is considered a home run). At the present rate, 'Dark Knight' looks to be on pace to catch Paramount Pictures' 'Iron Man,' which sold 7.2 million units in its first week on store shelves this year. Hollywood has been anxiously watching home video sales as the recession deepens because they are a major profit center for the studios. Nielsen VideoScan estimates that home video sales are off 5.2% this year as several movies that did well at the box office didn't sell as well as expected on DVD. The studios have been hoping that the new Blu-ray high-definition format will help to spur the sluggish DVD market. As many as 25% to 30% of the 'Dark Knight' discs sold -- or 600,000 copies -- were purchased in the Blu-ray format. That surpasses the previous record set by 'Iron Man,' which sold 260,000 Blu-ray discs upon its first day of release. [Los Angeles Times]

Standing still, moving forward: Reviewer Kenneth Turan had some fun with "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and then he had some fun writing the review: "Keanu meets Klaatu. It could be a match made in heaven, or at least in a galaxy far, far away. Which is just what 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' wants us to think. This contemporary remake of the science fiction classic knew what it was doing when it cast Keanu Reeves, the movies' greatest stone face since Buster Keaton, as a perplexed alien whose first words on Earth are 'This body will take some getting used to.' When you want distant and disconnected, Reeves is your man. The 1951 original offered the more genial Michael Rennie as the intergalactic visitor, a being arrived on Earth accompanied by giant robot companion Gort. Rennie's alien was a courtly individual with the charm of vintage James Bond, but Klaatu's temperament is not the only thing that has been changed in this enjoyable updating. For one thing, Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly), the widow who is Klaatu's main human contact, has been elevated from mom to mom and astrobiologist. And imperturbable robot Gort has gone from a clunky 8 feet to a lithe and bulked-up 28 feet tall. Take it easy on those steroids, big guy!" [Los Angeles Times]

"Ultimatum" tops: Some good news for Jeph Loeb, who was bounced from "Heroes" but still knowns how to write an "event" comic book: "Marvel Comics’ 'Ultimatum' No. 1 was the bestselling comic book title based on total unit sales to comic book specialty shops for November 2008, according to Diamond Comic Distributors. The new five-issue limited series features Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Ultimates, the Hulk and more in the defining moment of truth for Marvel’s 'Ultimate' Universe. Brought to you by award-winning scribe Loeb and superstar artist David Finch, the book spells the end of the Ultimate universe… or it may mean a new beginning. Marvel Comics also nabbed the top publisher spot in November, leading both retail dollar and unit market shares, with a 42.90% unit market share, and a 36.96% retail dollar market share.The top-selling graphic novel for November was DC Comics' 'Fables' tradepaperback 'Vol. 11: War & Pieces,' collecting issues #70-75 of the Eisner Award-winning series from creator Bill Willingham. Kotobukiya’s Iron Man Movie Fine Art Statue netted the No. 1 toy product, and WizKids’ DC HeroClix: Arkham Asylum Booster Pack was the bestselling game product to comic book specialty shops." [Diamond press release]

'Twilight,' Christopher Nolan and 'Fables' in Everyday Hero headlines

A busy Monday edition of Everyday Hero, your roundup of handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe...

A storybook ending for "Fables"?: Writer Bill Willingham has done a sparkling job these past six years on the Vertigo comic book series "Fables," which presents the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, Jack Horner and other "legends in exile" being part of a sort of storybook diaspora -- the secret community of magical peoples living in New York City. It's got a dash of "Shrek" to it, I suppose, but really it reminds me more of Neil Gaiman's tales of assorted gods from different cultures struggling to live with one another in the unmagically modern and secular world. Anyway, it's a great series and now perhaps it will be a TV show. There's an announcement story in the trades today by Nellie Andreeva and Borys Kit saying that ABC might be bringing the refugees of Fabletown to life: "The network has handed out a put pilot commitment to the fantasy project, based on the comic book created by Bill Willingham and published by DC's Vertigo imprint. 'Six Degrees' creators/executive producers Stu Zicherman and Raven Metzner are penning the script for the hourlong drama set at Warner Bros. TV. David Semel has come on board to direct "Fables," which revolves around characters from fairy tales and folklore living in exile in modern-day New York. 'Their lives become interconnected in very big way,' Zicherman said. 'They share a secret and a bond.' Zicherman and Metzner wouldn't elaborate which fairy tale characters will be featured in the TV series but noted that Big Bad Wolf and Snow White, who are central to the comics, will have a similar role on the show. The comic book series' first storyline followed Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, who investigates the murder of Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red. 'We set up a structure to allow any fairy tale character to show up in any one episode,' Metzner said. The fairy tale characters will keep some of their trademark characteristics. For instance, Prince Charming will be handsome, while Big Bad Wolf will have to shave a four-day shadow from growing back every day." [Hollywood Reporter]

Batman at home: Reporter Scott Bowles visited with "The Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan to talk about the DVD and Blu Ray release this Tuesday, and it doesn't sound like there was much laying around the Batcave in the way of extras:  "There are features on the staging of the film's elaborate stunts, alternate angles and a segment on the technology behind Batman's gadgets, but not a single deleted scene or outtake from [Heath] Ledger's performance. Nolan says he wasn't keeping deleted scenes from fans. "For my past three films, I really haven't had scenes that didn't make it in the movie," he says. 'If it's in the final script, I tend put it on screen.' Any outtakes, however, were intentionally left off the DVD. 'I don't like outtakes or gag reels,' Nolan says. 'I don't think it's respectful to the actors, who signed on to have their performance on screen, not the takes that didn't work out. It discourages actors from going all-out if they think every mistake is going on the disc.' Nolan says he is jotting notes and doing some rough outlines for a third story, but he hasn't yet found anything he's willing to commit to film, despite Warner Bros.' eagerness to get a new film underway. 'It was obvious when the box office was so big ($530 million domestically) that we had underestimated how ready fans were to reboot the franchise,' he says. 'The worst thing you could do now that you've gotten the plane back in the air is mess up the landing.' Bowles also had Nolan talk about four of his favorite scenes in "Dark Knight." [USA TODAY]

Heath Ledger honored: More "Dark Knight" news as the late Heath Ledger picks up a major honor in the country of his birth: "Ledger's family paid a teary tribute to the Aussie actor in accepting an AFI award on behalf of his 'precious Matilda.' Ledger was posthumously given the Australian Film Institute's international award for best actor for his virtuoso performance as The Joker in 'The Dark Knight.' 'It was this swaggering, psychopathic clown that turned his career into a legacy and the name Heath Ledger into an ongoing inspiration to actors everywhere,' the AFI said at the glittering awards ceremony on Saturday night. 'He was the untamed spirit many of us wish we could be. May the legend live on.' His father Kim, mother Sally and sister Kate accepted the award from actor Michael Caton, receiving a standing ovation from the A-list film and television crowd in Melbourne's Princess Theatre. 'It's been without a doubt the most difficult year, losing such a loved family member,' said Kate Ledger, fighting back tears. 'We are so proud of him and humbly accept this award on behalf of his beautiful daughter, who we will cherish forever.' [ABC News]

Gift shopping? Think big: Reviewer Douglas Wolk weighs in on a heavy new collection that might not even fit down the chimney: "If there’s one book that art-comics enthusiasts would be happiest to find in their stockings this year, it’s probably 'Kramers Ergot 7' [Buenaventura, $125], except for the small matter that it’s bigger than an entire hearth. This is one of the grandest English-language comics artifacts ever produced — a mammoth hardcover anthology, 16 by 21 inches, of new stories by several dozen notable cartoonists, including Daniel Clowes, Seth, Gabrielle Bell, Kevin Huizenga, Sammy Harkham (who also edited the book) and the 'Simpsons' creator Matt Groening. Like the early-20th-century broadsheet newspaper comics pages that inspired it, 'Kramers Ergot' occupies its readers’ entire visual field, and most of its contributors have some fun with its dimensions, cramming the page with tiny details or opening it up for apocalyptically huge vistas. The cleverest gesture comes from Chris Ware, whose two-page contribution is built around a cartoon of a sleeping baby printed at the child’s actual size." Wolk, the author of "Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean," goes on to recommend other comics tomes for the holiday, including "Absolute Ronin," "Swallow Me Whole" and "Herbie, Vol. 1" [New York Times Sunday Book Review]

The dark side of "Twilight": It's been a great month for "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke; what could possibly ruin it? Oh, wait...this weekend Nikki Finke broke the news that the filmmaker won't be back to continue the tale of Edward and Bella: "I've confirmed that Summit Entertainment has rejected 'Twilight' director Catherine Hardwicke from helming the sequel in this big new franchise. No doubt my news will speed up the studio's announcement, and Summit will surely spin this as all going down amicably along the lines that 'she couldn't fit the film into her time frame.' (Summit does want a ridiculously speeded-up sked for the next installment.) But this terrible news for Hardwicke comes just as she and the 'Twilight' cast are on their European press tour. Tuesday's interviews in France will now focus entirely on what, if anything, Catherine did to deserve this treatment. This also could blow up into a scandal for Summit if it chooses a male director over Hardwicke, whose 'Twilight' easily beat Mimi Leder's 1998 'Deep Impact' box office gross as the biggest opener for a female director. That was a record embraced by Hollywood feminists as a sign of growing gal power." [Deadline Hollywood]

Punishment: Reporter Brandon Gray adds up the numbers on a franchise that, despite plenty of opportunities, just can't shoot straight: "The weekend's most prominent new release, 'Punisher: War Zone', had a pitiful start, grossing an estimated $4 million on around 2,700 screens at 2,508 theaters. It was the smallest opening ever for a Marvel Comics adaptation by far, even lower than 'Howard the Duck', and was a quarter of the previous Punisher movie's opening in terms of attendance. 'Punisher: War Zone' tried to reboot the franchise after the disappointment of 'The Punisher' in 2004, like 'The Incredible Hulk' versus 'Hulk' from 2003, but its marketing campaign was murky and made no attempt to entice those unfamiliar with the character. What's more, distributor Lionsgate released the similar 'Transporter 3' last week, stealing some of its thunder. [Box Office Mojo]

CREDITS: "Fables" art courtesy of Vertigo. Christopher Nolan at Spike TV Scream 2008 Awards, photographed by Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images. Catherine Hardwicke on the set of "Twilight," photographed by Rick Bowmer / Associated Press.

Heath Ledger, Green Lantern, J.K. Rowling's 'Beedle' all in Everyday Hero headlines

Here's the latest edition of Everyday Hero, your roundup of handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe...

The Oscar goes to ... ?: Reporter Rachel Abramowitz of the Los Angeles Times (who also did a great article a few months back on Hollywood's sad treatment of the heirs of J.R.R. Tolkien) takes a look at the tricky business of campaigning for a posthumous Oscar in a Calendar article on Heath Ledger. "How do you run an Oscar campaign for Heath Ledger, the widely admired young actor who died last January of an overdose of prescription drugs? Very carefully, it seems, as Warner Bros., the studio behind 'The Dark Knight,' tries to tread the line between tribute and exploitation in rallying academy support for Ledger's performance as the maniacal, nihilistic Joker.... It is a near-consensus in Hollywood that Ledger is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination for supporting actor and might even win, which would make the forever young Australian the only actor besides 'Network's' Peter Finch to earn an acting Oscar posthumously. Still, he faces strong competition from other contenders, who could include Philip Seymour Hoffman ('Doubt') and Michael Shannon (for his breakout performance in 'Revolutionary Road'). Already, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members say that if Ledger is nominated, his spectral presence could help reverse the ratings slide for the Academy Awards show as fans tune in to see if his riveting turn as the demonic Joker is honored." [Los Angeles Times] .... ALSO Read my recent interview with Christopher Nolan in which he talks about an Oscar for Ledger.

Super cameo in "Green Lantern"?: Screenwriter Marc Guggenheim talked to Jennifer Vineland about the Green Lantern screenplay he is working on with Michael Green and the film's director, Greg Berlanti. He explains that the core story is locked in and now they are working on streamlining it with an eye on budget matters (such as limiting the number of locations). He also said that during their fanboy tangents they chew on topics such as cameo appearances for other DC heroes: "And while there's already a lot of speculation over who would play Green Lantern -- Ryan Gosling? Matthew Settle? David Boreanaz? -- what about Clark Kent, who will make a small cameo? Will the part go to someone already established on film or television to be the Man of Steel, like Brandon Routh or Tom Welling? 'There were rumors that Tom Welling would have a cameo in "Batman Begins" as a young Clark Kent, to meet up with a young Bruce Wayne,' Guggenheim noted. 'But you have to be careful when you do things like that, because it sounds great in concept, but when you sit down to watch it, it poses the danger of pulling you out of the film.' But as a self-proclaimed 'sucker for a good Easter egg,' Guggenheim said, 'The fanboy in me would love that. Robert Downey, Jr. in "The Hulk" was awesome. I love that stuff in general, and I think the fans would enjoy it. Brandon Routh or even Tom Welling [in "Green Lantern"] would be awesome. And anything is possible. The beauty part of being the writer, though, is that I don’t actually have to make that judgment call.' " [Splash Page blog at MTV]

Beedlemania!: The boy wizard may be gone, but the magic endures. Here's a report from Ben Hoyle in the U.K.: "A year and a half on from his seventh and final adventure, Harry Potter mania has erupted again. J.K. Rowling’s latest book 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' went on sale early this morning, forcing thousands of parents out of bed and into frostbitten queues outside bookshops long before dawn. Booksellers said that the collection of fairytales, which do not feature the boy wizard, was bound to be the Christmas number one, the first time that a work of fiction has claimed that position in recent memory. More than seven million copies of the book have been printed in 28 languages. Last night it was ranked first on Amazon's British and US websites. The online retailer is printing 100,000 copies of a leather-bound collectors' edition priced at £50. While her previous books have made her an estimated fortune of more than £500 million, Rowling has donated all the profits from 'The Tales' to the Children’s High Level Group, the charity she set up with Emma Nicholson, the MEP. 'The Tales' are a central part of the final Harry Potter book. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, bequeathed a volume containing five wizard fairytales to Harry's friend, Hermione Granger. It offered clues to help Harry to defeat his great enemy, Lord Voldemort." [The Times of London]

She blinded me with science: Here's a fun one. During her channel surfing, Mary McNamara, the TV critic for the Los Angeles Times, has noticed a lot of lab coats lately: "In the beginning, there was the Professor. Though he never could figure out how to repair the S.S. Minnow, Russell Johnson's high school science teacher, stranded with the other castaways on 'Gilligan's Island,' was so ingenious he could re-charge a battery using only bamboo and coconuts, so morbidly cerebral it never occurred to him that he was the most likely mate for Ginger and Mary Ann. Now, there's Walter Bishop (John Noble), a psychiatrically challenged scientist so ingenious he can take a few wires, some ice cubes and a big battery and talk to the dead on Fox's 'Fringe.' Or Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell), who's too busy deconstructing experiments in cloning and mind manipulation at the 'Eleventh Hour' (CBS) to notice that the agent protecting him (Marley Shelton) is pretty hot. Over at 'Bones,' also on Fox, it's the same situation in reverse -- Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) would rather be performing her miraculous autopsies on the ancient dead but reluctantly solves more modern crimes with the emotionally irrepressible Det. Booth (David Boreanaz). Flip through prime time on any night, and along with the requisite numbers of cops and docs and lawyers you'll find an astonishing number of scientists. On CBS alone, there are the adorable physics geeks (played by Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons) of 'The Big Bang Theory' and Charles Epps (David Krumholtz), the mathematician turned detective of 'Numb3rs,' and the former fake psychic (Simon Baker) of 'The Mentalist,' who uses the power of informed observation to unravel mysteries. More than 40 years after the Professor talked Gilligan out of some ridiculous scrape or another while rigging up an irrigation system, rational thought has taken over television." Read the rest, it's clever and well-written. [Los Angeles Times]

-- Geoff Boucher

Heath Ledger, 'Hulk vs. Thor' and boozy manga in Everyday Hero headlines

Everyday Hero, your roundup of handpicked headlines from the fanboy universe ... 

Is this the year that the Academy Awards recognizes the heroic achievements of a cape movie? There's considerable speculation that the late Heath Ledger will snag a nomination for best supporting actor for his searing performance in "The Dark Knight," but does he have a chance to actually win it? There have been nominations in the past for actors in sci-fi and fantasy films (such as Ian McKellan as Gandalf, Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in "Aliens") but their names weren't inside the envelope. And, when it comes to pure superhero fare, there's been no Oscar love at all in the acting categories. Justin Chang has a long essay on the topic titled "Credibility Comes to Comics" in which he argues that 2008 may mark the turning point. "In a year that saw a surfeit of memorable performances in superhero pictures -- Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Gary Oldman in 'The Dark Knight,' Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow in 'Iron Man,' Charlize Theron in 'Hancock' -- it may be time for the academy to start taking this work as seriously as the actors and filmmakers have. [Variety]

Manga with grape expectations: Norimitsu Onishi reports from Tokyo about an odd pop-cultural twist on wine tasting and critique -- it's a manga called "The Drops of the Gods" with a character named Shizuku who has become a tastemaking force. "In Tokyo, wine sellers monitor his weekly pronouncements before adjusting their stocks accordingly. In newer markets like Taiwan and urban China, his recommendations are turning the newly affluent into wine converts. And in Seoul, South Koreans now hold forth on "terroir'" and how a bottle "marries" with a particular dish without blinking. Never mind that Shizuku is a comic-book figure, the hero of a manga series, 'The Drops of the Gods,' created and written by a middle-aged Japanese sister-and-brother team. Asian readers who have never heard of Robert M. Parker Jr. scrutinize the comic hero's every sip, learning about wine in words and images that may seem strange to traditionalists." [New York Times]

Money problems: Steve Geppi is a powerhouse figure in the comics sector as CEO of Diamond, the only show in town, really, when it comes to national comics distribution. But Geppi's side project, a namesake pop-culture museum in Maryland, is a bit shakier, reports Liz Farmer. "Geppi'€™s Entertainment Museum, which opened in Camden Station 25 months ago, went 19 months without making any kind of payment to its landlord and accumulated a debt of more than $700,000 to the state in rent and other fees, according to documents obtained by the Daily Record. The museum, founded by Stephen A. Geppi, CEO of Diamond Comic Distributors Inc. in Timonium and publisher of Baltimore Magazine, accrued approximately $622,500 in unpaid rent to the Maryland Stadium Authority as of Oct. 6. The museum also owed more than $77,000 in late fees and unpaid electricity bills that have accumulated since February 2007, according to accounting documents from the authority." [The Daily Record (Maryland)]

Thunder and lightning: And, finally, here's the trailer for the new Marvel animated series "Hulk vs. Thor." The straight-to-DVD release hits stores in January.

-- Geoff Boucher

Photo: The late Heath Ledger in 2006, photographed by Jochen Luebke of AFP/Getty Images