Heath Ledger in his final film - 'Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus'

Heath Ledger’s final film, ‘Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus’, has been trailered and it has already started ruling the box office. Speculations are growing on whether it would be the late actor’s best film beating the box office records of “Dark Knight”, for which the actor won a posthumous Oscar.

After receiving huge applauds for playing the role of Joker in Dark Knight, it is expected that the final film of Ledger will do well in box office and will be loved by all his fans. Ledger fans have liked the trailer of his last film and have considered it to be amazing. The trailer of “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” puts light on the past life of Dr. Parnassus. Ledger plays the role of a mysterious man whose job is to save the doc from a deal with the devil. The film also stars Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell as alternate versions of Ledger within the doctor’s Imaginarium.

Directed by Terry Gilliam, the audience can expect to catch a lot of Heath Ledger in the film. Before the filming of Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus was over Ledger had an unexpected death. This uncanny incident brought in four other Hollywood stars to fill in his place. Gilliam promises to take his audience through various emotional spectrum like he did earlier through his films like Year and Loathing in Las Vegas and 12 Monkeys. It would be a journey from gloom to glee and darkness to light.

The Oscar winning actor had an accidental death due to overdose of prescribed drugs in 2008.

Heath Ledger

Late actor Heath Ledger will always be remembered through his work. Recently a music video named, “King Rat”, directed by Ledger himself was released online. The music video that premiered online today was made for US rock band Modest Mouse.

“King Rat” is a 6 minute long animated video that showed whales and dolphins on board a ship, fishing for humans in the water. It constituted of whimsical and dark comedy. The video was appreciated by many. The concluding shot of the music video is a black screen on which a message in white is written, which says, “This began with our friend, a great defender of life, and was completed in his spirit”.

The Dark Knight actor died of overdose of prescribed drugs at the age of 28 last year. Earlier this year in March it was announced by the rock band, Modest Mouse that they would release the music video “in honor of Heath’s last piece of work as a director”, revealed their spokeswoman Lisa Markowitz. Ledger has also directed a video for one of Ben Harper’s songs.

Ledger began work on the music video in 2007, but he left it in progress when he died in January 2008. The video was finally taken over and completed by “Enter the Masses”, which is a film and video company where the late actor was a partner.

Heath Ledger

Directed by Late Heath Ledger, the Modest Mouse ‘King Rat’ music video will debut this year. The music video is all set to hit the stores. Ledger directed an animated video for King Rat, “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank”, which is a track off the band’s 2007 album.

Isaac Brock, a spokesperson of Modest Mouse, worked with Ledger on developing the concept.  Lisa Markowitz said that Brock “is supporting the completion of the video in honor of Heath’s last piece of work as a director”.

Heath Ledger, died last year due to overdose of prescribed drugs. The late actor was 28 years old when he passed away. He had earlier directed a music video for one of Ben Harper’s songs. Ledger, besides winning posthumous awards in BFTA, SAG and Golden Globe in tthe best supporting actor category for his unforgettable portrayal of Joker in the Batman film the Dark Knight, has also won the Oscar Award.

The Dark Knight

‘The Dark Knight’ has won many accolades along the way.  The film has accumulated/grossed more than a $1 billion. This is rated to be a historical achievement for the film. The sole reason being the stellar performance given by Heath Ledger. The role of the ‘Joker’ played by Ledger won acclaim and the much coveted Posthumous Oscar Award for Best Actor in Supporting Role. The film has passed the $1 billion mark at the box office making it only the fourth film in history to do so.

Dark Knight now joins an exclusive and prestigious club alongside ‘Titian’, ‘The Lord of the Rings’, ‘Return of the King’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’.

Christian Bale’s return as Batman and Christopher Nolan’s return as director was bolstered with the movie. It has now grossed $1,001,082,160 at the global box office.

Warner Brothers’ domestic distribution president Dan Fellman said :”From our initial record-shattering opening weekend to the unprecedented momentum of the film’s box office run, we could not be more proud of The Dark Knight. We salute our filmmakers, cast and crew on making cinematic history.”

The film instead of placing Batman’s cause, up in the film was made all famous only because of Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. Heath’s role grabbed all the headlines over recent weeks as he dominated the awards circuit winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild for his performance.

There are recent reports of a third film which has been circulating since The Dark Knight was released with the likes of Eddie Murphy, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp all linked to the project.

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger’s last film is in the lines. The Oscar mania is still very much fresh in the minds of all. Heath’s family is yet to come out of the initial shock and sheer happiness for Heath’s outstanding achievement. And here comes the news that Heath’s  sister, Kate Ledger told reporters that her family is very much in the loop on his final movie.

Kate was holding the Oscar backstage and soon after the reported issue occurred.

“We’ve seen a little bit of the footage,” she said of Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” Heath Ledger’s last film. “I think it’s going to be amazing.”
Heath’s posthumous Award was collected by his family. Parnassus deals with a story surrounding a traveling magician who gives customers more than they bargained for. The film is a joint production of financial entity Grosvenor Park and sales mogul Samuel Hadida of Davis Films.

Only time would say when the viewers and audiences get to see the first cut of the film. Heath is riding high on his stupendous acting glories in ‘Dark Knight’ even after he has left us. It has been alleged that Ledger died when the film (under Gilliam’s funhouse imagination) was in the middle of production. The project was in the midst of rumours of being thrown apart when talks were on with Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp who stepped in to save the project from being shelved. All the A-line actors will play different parts of Ledger’s role. However there have been other complications like the sales and marketing issues. The film is lined at a $20 million budget.

The film is yet to come out with a US deal. The reason being dissent among producers. An indie film veteran explained : “This movie stars Heath Ledger in his final performance — it will get a deal and come out in the U.S., But it’s no accident that it’s taking this long.”

Heath Ledger's sister Kate, father Kim and mother Sally Bell

Late actor Heath Ledger was honored with yet another award for his brilliant portrayal of Joker in the latest Batman sequel – The Dark Knight. The actor died 13 months ago due to an accidental overdose of prescribed drugs.  Ledger was only 28 when he died.

After Peter Finch, who won an Oscar for Network in 1976, Ledger is the only actor to win a posthumous best actor in a supporting role Oscar. Although the actor seemed to be a sentimental choice but the wiring portrayal of The Joker in the movie Dark Knight is truly awards winning.

Ledger’s family – father Kim Ledger, mother Sally Bell, and sister Kate – came up on the podium to accept the award on his behalf. The actor’s unexpected death left his colleagues and friends devastated. From Winslet to Jolie all those present in the Kodak Theater were all in tears.

Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor

“This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here – his peers – within an industry he so loved. Thank you”, said Ledger’s father, Kim, while accepting the award.

Besides the best supporting actor win, Dark knight was honored with a 2nd Oscar in the Best Sound Editing category. The award was picked by Richard King.

Related: 2009 Oscar Winners

Late actor, Heath Ledger is speculated to win the Posthumous Oscar Award for his heart warming role as the villainous Joker in “The Dark Knight.” Matilda, Ledger’s three-year-old daughter will be the owner of the Oscar statuette if Ledger wins the Award which seems highly possible.

Ledger will be the only star after Peter Finch who won in 1976 for “Network,” to receive the honour after death. Heath Ledger’s family will be accepting the Prestigious Award on his behalf. Heath’s family will be travelling all the way from Perth, the 28 year old actor’s homeland, to the Oscar venue.

Heath’s death had come as a shock for the industry as well as for millions of fans and people who did not even know him before ‘Dark Knight’. Heath aged 28, died due to prescription drug overdose. His presence and role portrayal made the film see awards galore. This year’s most of the accolades went to ‘Dark Knight’. The best supporting actor category was picked up by Heath this season for most of the awards.

Bruce Davis, executive director of the Academy said : “We have had Oscars awarded to a minor directly and Oscars awarded posthumously but generally there has been a spouse or an oldest child of legal age” who had accepted the Award. Bruce admitted that, “I don’t think we have ever had a situation like this.”

Dark Knight

There could be a trend breaking surprise for all the fans when the nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards will be announced on early Thursday morning. The Dark Knight, which was the biggest blockbuster and box office hit of the decade could be the first superhero movie to be nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for an Oscar in the best film category.

The squeal of the Batman movie have received raving critical acclamation  and has been springing up a lot of momentum lately particularly with its nominations for the Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America Award, the Writers Guild of America Award and several other crafts honors.

Even if the movie cant make it to the Best Picture category it will certainly bag one in the best supporting actor category. All credit to the late Heath Ledger, who died a year ago of an overdose of prescription pills.

Among the other films that might bag a nomination in the best picture category could be the critics favorite “Slumdog Millionaire”. The film has swept 4 golden globes early this month. “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” will give neck to neck fight in this category.

Lindsay Lohan

Late actor Heath Ledger had once warned Lindsay Lohan about the dangers of celebrity status. The late actor had warned Lohan to not let her celebrity status overshadow her acting career.

Lindsay has become known as a notorious party girl in recent years. Lohan has seen and has endured numerous legal troubles at a very early age and stages of her career. These include two arrests for driving under the influence (Dui) and a stint in rehab to fight her addictions.

Lindsay who rose to fame with “The Mean Girls” admits she has subsequently lost out on many movie roles because film bosses were too concerned about her party antics and her brash behaviour with co-stars.

And Lohan has revealed it was tragic that Ledger, who died last year (08), was the one who first pointed out to her that the press coverage of her social life could damage her career prospects.

She tells Interview magazine, “People really have come to believe – directors, producers, agents, whoever it may be – that I started in this because I wanted to be a celebrity.

But that was never my intention. “Heath Ledger once said something about this to me. He said ‘It’s build-you-up to knock-you-down, and that’s all it is. And you just have to see if you can stand through it.’ And it is like that, if you put yourself in this situation”.

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger’s mother and family are “bursting with pride”.

Heath Ledger won the prestigious Golden Globe award for Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for his critically acclaimed role as Joker in ” The Dark Knight”.

There was massive anticipation for the entire year for Heath to get the posthumous award. Heath Ledger’s mother has said that she would make sure that her son’s Golden Globe award and other accolades end up in the hands of the person who mattered most in his life: his daughter Matilda.

Sally Bell sounded like a mother full of pride. “I should imagine that eventually it will be going to Matilda,” Sally Bell says from her home in Perth, Australia, in an exclusive interview. “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.”

Sally was proud that her son Heath loved his role in the film. She was overjoyed with with the award. She said that her son won huge recognition for his role as the Joker in The

Dark Knight, a role he “loved.” Bell says she learned of his Golden Globe win before boarding a flight in Australia, adding there were “a few tears.”

Dark Knight’s director, Christopher Nolan received Heath’s award presented by  Demi Moore. The announcement of Ledger’s name was met by an outstanding response, a standing ovation by the crowd, and Nolan’s short but deeply moving speech. Nolan said: “I accept this with an awful mixture of sadness and intense pride,” he also added that Ledger’s untimely death at 28, did feel like “a hole had been ripped in the future of cinema.”

Actress Kate Winslet won the accolade for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for “The Reader” at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Winslet was as emotional as ever to have won the prestigious award.