The New York City police department has released a statement saying there is no reason to suspect Heath Ledger’s death this afternoon was a suicide. His body, while naked, was found on the bed and not on the floor. Whereas there were perscription drug bottles found, Ledger had been suffering from pneumonia.
The police have not ruled out suicide or any other cause. As in all unfolding stories, details will continue come out as the investigation procedes.
FURTHER UPDATE – 10:00 PM: Alan Horn, President and COO of Warner Bros. and Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group have issued the following statement to TMZ. The studio is producing the next Batman film, The Dark Knight.
"The studio is stunned and devastated by this tragic news. The entertainment community has lost an enormous talent. Heath was a brilliant actor and an exceptional person. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."
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Again, I'm interested in how this tragic event will change the hype machine for The Dark Knight. No matter how The Dark Knight is plugged going forth, it's always going to have an eerie feeling attached to it.
I have no doubt the folks at Warner Bros. didn't get much sleep last night, figuring out clever ways to overreact to the situation. Fortunately, they have time to let their own hysteria pass.Were I doing it, I'd come up with a new campaign de-emphasizing The Joker's image a bit, putting Bats up front and avoiding death imagery. And that's all I'd do, except for dedicating the movie to Ledger.
That's a logical approach to the situation, definitely. I can't help but be reminded about The Crow though. Brandon Lee's death had a traumatic effect on everyone involved with that movie. Alex Proyas, the director of The Crow, was so affected by the death that he didn't do another movie for four years (Dark City).Christopher Nolan has said repeatedly that this might be his last installment in the Batman franchise, and I'd think that this unfortunate circumstance will only lead to that becoming fact. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see another sequel for quite some time, or if we do, it'll be with a completely different cast, top to bottom. Guess we'll see.
The problem with such announcements is that we never know for sure if they're genuine or just a negotiating tactic. Ever see the Bob Campett cartoon "Porky In Wackyland?" That was shot on location, in Hollywood's business offices. Nothing's changed.