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Article: Hyping Joker-without exploiting Heath's death; Warner will walk a fine line as it markets Batman flick 'The Dark Knight'.(News)
- Article from:
- Advertising Age
- Article date:
- May 12, 2008
- Author:
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Byline: CLAUDE BRODESSER-AKNER
`'You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain,'' declares Aaron Eckhart in the forthcoming Warner Bros. summer blockbuster "Batman: The Dark Knight.''
Unfortunately, in the case of his co-star Heath Ledger, both possibilities came true simultaneously. And because of that, some rather intense marketing headaches developed for Warner Bros.
After the Oscar-nominated Mr. Ledger was found dead from an accidental prescription-drug overdose Jan. 22, he was lionized by the public and press as having been heroically fearless in his choice of roles-and, at 28, taken far too young. But ...