Dark Knight theory: Heath Ledger’s Joker was a FAILED member of the League of Shadows

It was Ledger’s most iconic role before his untimely death in 2007, aged just 28.

But The Joker we met in The Dark Knight never had his backstory revealed.

Nevertheless a new theory claiming he was part of the League of Shadows from Batman Begins has proven very popular among move fans.

Reddit user KeithRawsonSomething writes: “The theory of Joker being a soldier has been passed around for years now, and I just don’t buy it.”

They continued: “Virtually everything in the Nolan Bat universe is intertwined and it’s my belief that the Joker was meant to be part of the connected universe.

“That being said, over the past couple years, I’ve been toying with the idea that maybe Joker was originally a recruit of the League like Bruce Wayne was, but he failed the final rite and the drug created with the flower tore his mind in half.

“Rejected and insane, he starts creating his criminal persona (maybe his great fear was clowns) and waiting for his chance to take his revenge against Ra’s Al Ghul.

“But he never gets the chance to because Batman takes him out.”

They added: “Because [of] this, he sees Batman as both his most fearsome opponent and closest ally.”

Yesterday the first look at Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker movie was revealed.

The solo outing is an origin story that sees the Clown Prince of Crime began life as a failed comedian.

Phoenix plays proto-joker Arthur Fleck in the 1980s set DC movie, one that isn’t expected to feature Batman at all.

The star was spotted shooting a scene in New York, shown leaving Ha Ha’s Talent Booking, which he spits at before continuing down the street.

Walking past litter everywhere, he lights a cigarette before a clown confronts him in what appears to be less than friendly conversation.

The pair are standing in front of large red lettering on the wall which reads, Amusement Mile, a section of Gotham from the comics where a fun fair is located.

Joker will be released on October 4, 2019.