Heath mauls comics

Film

13:30 15 September 2006

Heath Ledger has allegedly revealed he hates comic book movies - just weeks after signing up for the 'Batman Begins' sequel.

The 'Brokeback Mountain' star has been cast as super-villain The Joker in the follow-up to the 2005 blockbuster, entitled 'The Dark Knight'.

He is quoted by website darkhorizons.com as saying: "I actually hate comic book movies, like f***ing hate them. They bore me and they're just dumb."

Ledger claims he only agreed to star in the sequel because he liked director Chris Nolan's work.

The actor - who has a daughter with his actress fiancée Michelle Williams - explained: "I thought what Chris Nolan did with 'Batman Begins' was actually really good, really well directed, and Christian Bale was really great in it."

Ledger insists his portrayal of The Joker is going to be very different to Jack Nicholson's critically acclaimed interpretation in the original 1990 movie 'Batman'.

He said: "My Joker is going to be less about his laugh and his pranks and more about him just being a sinister guy."

(C) BANG Media International