Collider - Heath Ledger

The 6 Best Movie Performances Since 1990, Ranked

Safwan Azeem — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 21:30:11 GMT

Trying to rank great performances gets ridiculous fast because the job changes completely from film to film. One role depends on disappearing into an ordinary person so thoroughly that technique becomes invisible. Another requires an actor to walk into a blockbuster, face one of popular culture’s most famous heroes, and somehow create the character everybody talks about afterward. There is no clean equation for that. That’s why people get pissed in the comment sections of such takes.

10 Greatest Batman Movie Villains

Liam Gaughan — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:11:14 GMT

Batman has the greatest rogue's gallery of any superhero, and that is reflected within the films that have starred him. The role of playing a Batman villain is not just one that is handed off to a one-note actor, as there are many Academy Award winning, acclaimed performers who have taken on these roles. That a Batman villain is a prestige part might seem surprising, but the source material is filled with so much potential that there’s no surprise that it’s attracted such interest.

17 Years Later, This Legendary Star's Final Film Is Officially Streaming Free

Victoria Luxford — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:51:14 GMT

Movie fans around the world mourned when Heath Ledger tragically died on January 22, 2008. The 28-year-old was, at that point, best known for 2005's Brokeback Mountain, which nabbed him a Best Actor Oscar nomination; his highly anticipated performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, which would eventually win him a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar, was months away from release, but had been completed.

The Joker’s Fate After ‘The Dark Knight’ Was Never Told on Screen, but This Shadowy Novel Hints at the Truth

Victoria Luxford — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:24:14 GMT

The Dark Knight (2008) delivered one of the most iconic performances in movie history. Christopher Nolan cast Heath Ledger as the Joker, an anarchic, mysterious criminal devoted not to money or power, but to chaos. His grand plan was not to control or profit from Gotham City, but to plunge it into chaos. In the words of Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) faithful butler, Alfred (Michael Caine): "Some men just want to watch the world burn."

26 Years Later, Mel Gibson’s 3-Hour War Epic Is Preparing To Take Over the World

Britta DeVore — Sun, 10 May 2026 00:45:13 GMT

Give Mel Gibson a period drama, costume, and a weapon of the time, and he’s in. During the celebrity’s lengthy career in Hollywood as both an actor and director, he’s flipped through the pages of history to take on some of his most demanding performances. Several of these types of genre projects have stood out as highlights of his career, whether the title be his ode to one of the most important and exhilarating chapters in the history of Scotland with Braveheart or his turn as a soldier fighting for the United States during some of the most brutal days of the Vietnam War in Randall Wallace’s We Were Soldiers.

17 Years Later, This Superhero Masterpiece Is Still One of the Best Movies Ever

Rohan Naahar — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:02:26 GMT

Two movies redefined superhero cinema forever in the year 2008. Coincidentally, both movies found spots on the domestic PVOD charts this week, as they prepare to celebrate their 18th anniversaries. Nearly two decades have passed since the films' release, so audiences who remember seeing them in theaters may be surprised. Both movies complemented each other, primarily because they took diametrically opposite approaches to the genre. While one was a colorful, quip-a-minute throwback to the blockbuster cinema of the 1990s, the other was an epic crime drama modeled after Michael Mann's Heat.

25 Years Later, Heath Ledger’s Cult Fantasy Romance Exits the Realm of Free Streaming

Ryan O'Rourke — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:00:12 GMT

HBO began the year by once again enrapturing viewers in the world of Game of Thrones with the release of the new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Following Sir Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), the show delivers a smaller-scale, lower-stakes adventure in Westeros that focuses less on the fantastical elements and political machinations of the flagship show and more on how a lowly hedge knight gets by and makes a difference in such an unforgiving land. It's also much different tonally, taking a more optimistic and comedic approach in between the drama through its pure-hearted main character. The approach brings to mind another, more anachronistic medieval story featuring the late great Heath Ledger in one of his most underrated roles.

21 Years Later, Heath Ledger's Most Underrated Gem Is a Can't-Miss on Streaming

Rohan Naahar — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:20:12 GMT

Before he cemented himself as one of the greats of his generation with Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, the late Heath Ledger appeared in a handful of movies that showed unambiguously what he was capable of. Some of his early hits include the romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, the period epic The Patriot, and the medieval comedy A Knight's Tale, in which he played the lead role. Ledger's range was there for everybody to see; he could've made a career as any category of star — be it mainstream, indie, or one-for-them-one-for-me. One of his more under-appreciated performances, however, came in a movie that was released in the same year as Brokeback Mountain, and, indeed, was slightly overshadowed by it. The movie in question is heading to streaming this March, where a new generation of fans can check it out.

11 Years Before 'The Dark Knight,' Heath Ledger Starred in a Cheesy Fantasy Series That Competed With 'Buffy'

Kendall Myers — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:06:12 GMT

While fantasy series have become more mainstream recently, they aren't new, with examples likeBeauty and the Beastand Merlin showing just how fun older fantasy series can be. However, because they were not as popular as their big-budget streamer counterparts, some of these stories have been forgotten, including the short-lived series Roar. While Roar has a lot to offer, its claim to fame is trulyHeath Ledger's involvement, as he took on his first leading role in the FOX series before becoming a household name and 11 years before his masterful performance as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.

25 Years Ago, Heath Ledger's Career Was Redefined in This Great Action-Comedy You Can Watch for Free

Victoria Luxford — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:16:12 GMT

In 2001, Brian Helgeland's A Knight’s Tale took a sword to the rules of the historical action movie. Filled with rock music, irreverent humor, and a loose regard for historical accuracy, all the elements came together to make something that felt unlike anything else you’d see in the theater. It also gave audiences a star unlike anyone else in Heath Ledger, taking on his first Hollywood leading role just two years after arriving from Australia. While he would go on to make many performances in his short but celebrated career,A Knight’s Tale was the movie that truly changed everything. As the movie turns 25, it’s the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with the adventure, as it’s now available to stream for free on Tubi.