The rumors swirling around Comic-Con last week that Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight, the Batman Begins sequel, were confirmed today by THR. The choice is sure to send ripples of controversy throughout the highly factious fanboy community, who'll debate endlessly whether or not the role should have been awarded to an actor most famous for starring in Brokeback Mountain. Their concern wouldn't be that he'd make the supervillain too effete, mind you, but rather that the guy who played Ennis del Mar wasn't capable of going nearly gay enough with the role: Requiring a face full of makeup, a Manic Panic Green Envy dye-job, and the need to punctuate every statement with a round of ear-piercing shriek-laughter, the Joker is one part that requires an actor to really embrace his inner drag queen.

• New 'Batman' names its Joker [THR]

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