Heath Ledger's Dark tribute: A posthumous Oscar?

Jun 27, 2008, 10:00 GMT

Art Gallery of NSW on 05 March 2008 of \'Heath\', a portrait of late Australian actor Heath Ledger by artist Vincent Fantauzzo, which is one of the finalists in the 2008 Archibald Prize. This year\'s Archibald Prize has attracted 700 portraits, with the winner to be announced on 07 March 2008. EPA/ART GALLERY OF NSW/HO

Heath Ledger will receive a posthumous tribute at the end of 'The Dark Knight', it has been confirmed.

The actor - who died aged just 28 of an accidental prescription drugs overdose in January - plays Batman's villain The Joker in the movie and is already being tipped for a posthumous Oscar for the role.

The tribute at the end of the movie also acknowledges Conway Wickliffe, the special-effects technician who died last September in an accident involving a stunt car.

The tribute reads: "In memory of our friends Heath Ledger and Conway Wickliffe."

Meanwhile, the first review of Heath's performance in the film - a role which is said to have caused insomnia and led him to take the prescription medication which eventually led to his death - has been printed.

Rolling Stone magazine critic Pete Travers writes: "I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as The Joker. Ledger's Joker has no grey areas ? he's all rampaging. He creates a Joker for the ages."

'The Dark Knight', also starring Christian Bale, Sir Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman, is set for release worldwide at the end of July.