Although an agreement had long been signed with Heath Ledger, this unexpected event forced Warner Bros. to act with caution. They contacted Heath Ledger's parents and family, and thanks to the existing contract, it didn't take much effort to reach an authorization agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Ledger.
In mid-April, as The Dark Knight completed its sound editing and Duke announced that post-production was fully complete and released the second trailer, Warner Bros. was the first to launch a commemorative Joker action figure—before the film's screening and ahead of all other characters. The figures were released in two versions: $9.99 and $10.99.
Due to Heath Ledger's death, the past two months had seen Warner Bros. hype it into a nationwide hot topic. As soon as the figures were released, they sold out immediately.
"What's going on?"
In a spacious apartment, Kyle was so angry he almost smashed his mouse. Staring at the screen, he said, "I didn't get one again."
His sister Ella walked over, glanced at the screen from behind, and asked curiously, "An action figure of a dead actor is this popular?"
"You don't understand." Kyle waved his hand and said, "His accident was all for the role of the Joker."
"You actually believe that kind of publicity?"
Since she worked in the media industry, Ella couldn't help but sneer. "Warner Bros. and Duke Rosenberg can turn Heath Ledger into whoever they want him to be."
"You still don't get it." Kyle pointed at the screen and said, "One Joker figure is going for $30 online, and they're snapped up in an instant. Even online they're out of stock now."
He added, "Heath Ledger is already gone. His figures are not only commemorative, but they may also keep increasing in value and even become rare collectibles."
Ella shrugged and said, "I'm not interested in that. Just help me pre-order a few early screening tickets online. I remember pre-orders start in a week."
"Don't worry." Kyle turned to his sister and said, "I've already prepared everything."
Under Warner Bros.' promotional hype, The Dark Knight became a sensation even before its release. The Joker surpassed Batman to become the central figure in posters, trailers, and all kinds of promotions. The commemorative Joker action figures launched by Warner Bros. sold out everywhere. They were nearly impossible to find in stores or online.
Anyone with a clear head could see Warner Bros.' true intentions, but public opinion has a massive influence on the masses, and many people followed blindly.
Moreover, Warner Bros.' promotional strategy wasn't just about praising Heath Ledger. Anyone in media knew one thing very well: controversy generates attention.
Although in the words of Duke and others, Heath Ledger was portrayed as so perfect that he didn't even seem like a typical Hollywood actor, Warner Bros.-backed media outlets were simultaneously spreading negative news.
The New York Post continuously reported that after Heath Ledger's sudden death, his current girlfriend Michelle Williams once feared that their daughter would "receive not a penny." Although Heath Ledger's father, Kim Ledger, had publicly stated that Matilda Ledger would be recognized as an heir, Michelle Williams reportedly questioned Kim Ledger's ability to manage the estate. The reports further sensationalized things—claiming that Michelle Williams and the Ledger family were on bad terms, and that she even threatened to boycott The Dark Knight premiere.
This news simmered for quite a while. When it had generated enough heat, Michelle Williams' spokesperson, Mara Buxman, held a press conference to state that the so-called "inside information" was incorrect. Michelle Williams had confirmed she would attend The Dark Knight premiere, and said claims that she would boycott due to family discord were ridiculous.
Shortly after, Warner Bros. confirmed that Heath Ledger's family would fly from their hometown of Perth, Western Australia, to Chicago to attend The Dark Knight's North American premiere on May 4th.
This was just one aspect—Warner Bros. had done far more behind the scenes. Though they publicly portrayed Heath Ledger as an actor who gave everything to his role, they worked just as hard behind the scenes to manipulate his cause of death.
For instance, in many media reports, Heath Ledger's death remained a mystery. By late April, multiple media outlets and websites revealed that Ledger's death was related to drugs, and claimed that during filming, he displayed bad moods, suffered from severe insomnia, and was frequently in a daze. He reportedly didn't get along with other staff and cast members either.
Then, someone came forward to refute those claims, sparking a heated debate.
Nicolas Cage, who played Harvey Dent, appeared on a television interview and firmly denied such rumors.
"Heath Ledger always maintained high spirits during filming. His mind was clear,"
Cage's comments echoed those of the production team. "Maybe his sudden passing led people to fabricate a lot of untrue stories out of suspicion."
He also revealed during the interview that during breaks on set, Ledger liked to sit to the side, leisurely smoking and chatting with others. When he talked about his two-year-old daughter Matilda, he glowed with happiness and looked like a very loving father.
"I was personally close to him. During filming breaks, he'd often show us pictures of his daughter and then talk endlessly about all sorts of stories between him and her. He looked so happy."
This was clearly part of the film's publicity campaign. Anyone who knew Nicolas Cage knew he was just making it up. "Ledger was very committed to shaping the role of the Joker. He was not, as rumored, distracted."
But so what?
There was no doubt—The Dark Knight had already become the hottest film of the summer.
"Can't they just let him rest in peace?"
On the private beach of her Malibu estate, Scarlett's eyes drifted away from the newspaper's coverage of Heath Ledger and looked toward Duke. "They're exploiting Heath Ledger."
Opening a can of beer, Duke took a sip and placed it on the round table beneath the parasol, then said, "Darling, this is Hollywood."
Expect Warner Bros. to give up using Heath Ledger for promotion? Is that possible?
The answer was obvious.
Scarlett Johansson sighed, closed the newspaper and set it aside. She sat up from her beach chair, grabbed the can of beer, took a big gulp, and turned her gaze to the sea.
Although she didn't particularly like this kind of approach from an actor's standpoint, she wasn't a newcomer to Hollywood. Having been in the industry for over a decade, she understood all too well how Hollywood operated.
This was never a pure circle—like all business circles, it was full of conflict and entanglement, and those fame- and profit-driven struggles were amplified countless times.
Heath Ledger wasn't the first to be used for this kind of promotion, nor would he be the last.
Scarlett firmly believed that.
"It's just…" She walked over to Duke and gently took his arm. "There's always this uncomfortable feeling in my heart."
Duke shook his head. "Heath Ledger's family has already reached an agreement with Warner Bros. We shouldn't dwell on it."
Even Ledger's own family hadn't objected—outsiders certainly didn't need to worry about it.
Sitting back in the beach chair, Duke let out a soft sigh. He had rarely felt the desire to save someone and had actually taken some concrete actions, only for it to end in failure.
For someone like Duke, he didn't feel guilt or sorrow after all, Heath Ledger was never his friend.
And those profiting off Heath Ledger weren't limited to The Dark Knight or Warner Bros. Many in this circle were doing the same. For example, his current girlfriend, Michelle Williams, had recently claimed she was considering working with a suitable studio to make a film in sincere memory of Heath Ledger, so that their two-year-old daughter Matilda would have something to remember him by.
Hollywood was just that kind of place—those who naively thought they could succeed here with only passion, talent, and hard work would only be mercilessly assimilated or devoured by the industry.
Then again, even if Michelle Williams herself didn't intend to capitalize on the incident, her PR and agents surely wouldn't let the opportunity slip by and would constantly try to persuade her.
And people are always influenced by their environment even someone as strong-willed as Duke wasn't an exception.
The sun gradually shifted toward the direction of the sea. Duke picked up the watch on the round table and glanced at it, reminding Scarlett, "We should head back now. We still have to change clothes and go out later."
Scarlett threw on her clothes, grumbling, "I still wanted to go for one more swim."
Duke helped her quickly pack up their things. The two of them stepped onto the soft sand and walked toward the elevator leading to the villa.
"There's actually a more interesting activity," Duke said as they walked. "If you're interested, you could join in."
"What kind of activity?" Scarlett asked curiously.
"How about dressing up as Catwoman and saving the world alongside Batman?"
Hearing Duke's words, Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to be in the entire Marvel series. Isn't it inappropriate for me to also play a DC Comics character?"
As they stepped into the elevator, Duke shook his head. "I'm not talking about saving the world in a movie. I mean in the real world."
"Saving the world in real life?" Scarlett was confused.
After returning to the villa by elevator and changing into new clothes, Duke finally explained to Scarlett, "Warner and I have prepared another publicity event. The candidate is basically decided. What we're going to see later is the little Batman who's going to work with you."
Since the beginning of this year, Duke had been searching for the right person. After several months of inquiries, they had finally found a young Batman fan.