‘Dark Knight’ honors Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger is getting a fond tribute from his collaborators on “The Dark Knight,” reports THR. The end credits of the “Batman Begins” sequel include a farewell note to Ledger, who died in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs; and to special-effects technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed last September in a stunt-car accident.

“In memory of our friends Heath Ledger & Conway Wickliffe,” reads the tribute included in the credits, which went up Thursday on the Warner Bros publicity Web site.

Ledger plays the villainous Joker in “The Dark Knight,” who begins a reign of terror on Gotham City that pits him against conflicted hero Batman (Christian Bale).

Beginning months before Ledger’s death, his frenetic performance and demented-clown makeup have been a cornerstone of the marketing campaign for the film.

“I needed a phenomenal actor, but he also had to be someone unafraid of taking on such an iconic role,” director Christopher Nolan says in the production notes for “The Dark Knight.” “Heath created something entirely original. It’s stunning, it’s captivating. … It’s going to blow people away.”

This is wonderful news.

RIP Heath!