The Art of The Dark Knight Shows Creepy Early Joker Concepts

Posted by Joe Ngo (joe@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 8, 2008

The Dark Knight Joker Concept

If you’ve seen The Dark Knight — and who hasn’t? — then I’m sure you agree with me that the Joker was one of the creepiest, twisted psychological villains ever. From the crazy laughs and that sick smile, you knew that he was a pretty bad ass dude. But it seems that some of the early concepts, before Heath Ledger even signed on, were way creepier, as you can see above.

While I’m happy with the concept that was used in the actual film, can you imagine how much darker the film might have been with one of these concepts? They were definitely trying to take the Joker to another level. No longer the overly made up face that Jack Nicholson’s Joker portrayed, but a scarred, sadistic looking one. I’m likin’ these concepts!

If you’re looking for more, it can be found in the book The Art of the Dark Knight. I’m sure it’s got plenty of other concepts that we never even imagined. What crazy things possibly weren’t in the movie?

Do you think any of these creepy concepts would have been better than the one they ended up using?

For more, check out the other photos over at /Film.


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  • So let's say you're that guy that got to pose for this stuff. Is it

    1) Awesome that you got to do that.
    2) Shitty that you didn't get to play The Joker and just got to play dress up.
    3) (d+SSc)=S(d+Sc)
    4) All of the above.
  • RANDOM-MAN TRIUMPHANT
    The one on the right looks like Niles from Fraiser
  • David
    the one on the left might give me nightmares but whats with the guy on the right? He llokes like David Bowie and Prince's lovechild??
  • Bob Funn
    Hopefully warners will release a better art of book as this one has very little art and all of the script which is fine if thats what you want.
  • THESE PICS WOULD BE TO EXTREME. AT THE END OF THE DAY THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE JOB ALWAYS MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. EVERYTHING ABOUT LEDGER'S JOKER WAS RIGHT ON!
  • Carlos
    the one on the right looks like Green Day's lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong.
  • Uma B.
    I almost got the art book today but decided that I didn't need about 10 pages of screenshots (mostly joker/batman related) and the full movie script. I would have liked to see more concept art... unless the price drops from 30 bucks, I'm gonna have to pass. :/
  • Dr Hugh
    One on the left looks like Michael Myers in a tux.
  • Amol
    This looks more SADISM or MASOCHISM to me and less like a comic joker. However dark the comedy is, it still should look like a comedy by The Joker. 1st Pic -This is hideous, ugly and looks like he has faced a real bad accident. He should have been in the hospital or in the morgue in the first place. 2nd pic: He does not appear as a joker at all.
  • Bryy
    .... what about TDK's final Joker design was light and fluffy?
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