Christopher Nolan made the decision early on not to address the Joker in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan stated that it would be inappropriate and he felt strongly about his decision based on the relationship he had with Heath Ledger. True to his word, the Joker is never mentioned or even hinted at in The Dark Knight Rises.
However, Greg Cox touches on the Joker’s whereabouts in his official novelization of The Dark Knight Rises. While the book is officially licensed by Warner Bros. it’s likely that this is just Cox’s interpretation. Christopher Nolan never included any mention of the Joker in his original script. Here’s an excerpt from Cox’s The Dark Knight Rises novel:
Now that the Dent Act had made it all but impossible for the city’s criminals to cop an insanity plea, it (Blackgate Prison) had replaced Arkham Asylum as a preferred location for imprisoning both convicted and suspected felons. The worst of the worst were sent here, except for the Joker, who, rumor had it, was locked away as Arkham’s sole remaining inmate. Or perhaps he had escaped. Nobody was really sure. Not even Selina.
What do you think the Joker was doing for the past 8 years after The Dark Knight? While we’ll never know for sure, it’s fun to speculate. Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
SOURCE: The Dark Knight Rises novel [via /Film]
