Hot Toys - MMS DX 01- The Dark Knight - The Joker spec and pics

[SnakeDoctor]

Maulfan did a photo analysis several pages back that shows that the mouth expression is definitely different between the two. There also appear to be slight scuplting differences below the eyes.

At the very least, it is a modified BR sculpt -- not a direct repaint.

SnakeDoc

 

[MaulFan]

I also noticed more wrinkle lines under his eyes, there's some scarring/wrinkling at the right corner of his lips on the BR but not the Mob. I also think the eyes might be wider on the Mob, would have to see unpainted sculpts to be certain on that though.

However, the right side of hair is identical, so I believe it is just the BR head with an alternate face and front bangs. It's not a 100% new head, but it's not just a repaint of the BR either.

 

[blakus939]

The more I look at the pics, the more I am disappointed they are just re-releasing the BR sculpt with moveable eyes. Heath was so expressive in this movie, it seems like a wasted opportunity.

QFT id KILL for a smiling sculpt. Even if they gave a 2nd head with smiling sculpt, id go gaga for it!
Its quite similar to the BR head but there are a few subtle differences, its not COMPLETELY the same. Eyes look quite big in the new one, a bit overly big i reckon. And that excessively clean makeup is still burning me

 

[MaulFan]

I don't think they're overly big, I think they're perfect for capturing a relaxed look.

The BR lips and squinty eyes make him look very focused, like the "you remind me of my father" moment.

The new eyes and lips are a nice, neutral, but not lifeless, representation of him as he sits at the mob meeting or pacing around the Prewitt building.

Like Jack Sparrow, Joker's tough to capture in 1 head. Really, there's probably at least 10 variations you could come up with between makeup and expression.

Of the 3 heads (BR, BR masked, Mob), I'm glad the Mob has a look that represents the average look Ledger had in the film. If we can't get every look, I prefer one that best represents the character. Of the 3 heads we got, I don't think HT ever really captured Sparrow that way, the smiling head was too smiling, the cannibal too specific, and the first head too serious.

The big smirk on the masked BR head ruined that portrait's versatility for me, the posed eyes and particular expression on the BR are pretty limiting. Between posable eyes, the makeup and the expression on this mob head, I think I'll get the most versatility out of it that I could get out of any Ledger Joker head, which is great.

Now, my perspective is as a photographer and I use my figures more than others. I can understand how folks who just display their figures have specific poses/dios/etc. in mind and would be bummed not getting a portrait that lends itself to their ideas.

 

[ray_gt8]

hey guys ,, im rookie here ,,
need so many help from you guys

i already took a preorder for that joker ..
i love it
have guys order it ?

 

[wofford29]

Looking at the pic above it doesn't look any different at all to me. Even the mouth area that's highlighted. Any difference could easily be made to look that way with a simple paint job over the exsisting sculpt. The only difference I see which isn't a part of the sculpt but for function is the cut open eye areas for the new eye system.

 

[MaulFan]

I looked at my BR head for a long time at the detail before doing the comparison, there is definitely the changes I highlighted and it's not a matter of paint.

 

[wofford29]

Ditto with looking at my own sculpt. Definitely looks like paint to me. Cake on more white around the mouth and the little sculptural details are covered up. You can even see that under the right side of his lip in the comparison. Some of the scars are still visible just covered in bright white.

 

[MaulFan]

Guess we just see it differently, I stared at my BR head for like 30 minutes under bright light and trying to match lighting from the Mob closeups and I never saw things going on with the portrait on the BR that I see going on in the Mob head, I see clear sculptural elements that aren't like the BR head.

 

[intothevoid]

However, the right side of hair is identical, so I believe it is just the BR head with an alternate face and front bangs. It's not a 100% new head, but it's not just a repaint of the BR either.

I think the right side has been modified as well (photo credit to xenoviper):

The hairline looks to have been corrected from an outward curving one ) to an inward curving one (, if you get what I mean - I'd illustrate on paint but i'm at work so need to be quick!

This is more accurate to Heath's hair as shown in the comparison pic above.

 

[Hecubus]

it has a much better "rooted" hair look as well, IMO

 

[wofford29]

That hairline does indeed look improved so maybe they did touch up other areas. I just can't see anything other than playing with the paint in his mouth area.

The head on the left is looking down a little more than the one on the right.

 

[blakus939]

the jawline on the left looks much more defined and squared imo, i dunno, it's hard to say looking at pics, when i get him in hand, with a true to life comparison to BR, will be able to tell any differences for certain

 

[LChinoz]

At the most, it's a modified BR Joker sculpt, but it is tough to see real definitive differences, and Hot Toys did not make it clear, calling it a "new make-up head," but not a newly sculpted one. If they wanted to start from scratch, I do not picture them using such a similar expression as the BR head.

 

[Devil_666]

Mocked this up because it's easier to see using a BR Joker head without paint.

I think it's obvious the mouth (specifically the bottom portion of the mouth) is different. All that scaring on the BR Joker is sculpted, it's not paint. And none of that is present in this "new" Joker sculpt.

In this next set of photos (New Joker/My BR Joker) you can see the ears are different aswell (BR Joker ears are bigger):

So at the very least we know it's not just a BR Joker head sculpt with a new paint job. No denying that because there IS differences between the sculpts.

Now the question is, is it a modified/resculpted BR Joker head?

I personally don't believe so. To me, the similarities are because it's the same actor/character being sculpted. Not sure if it's sculpted by the same person (Yuli?) but that would further explain the similarities. Is it possible that it's a modified BR Joker sculpt? Absolutely. I just don't think so.

 

[MaulFan]

What makes me thing it's a modded BR is the way the hair curls around his right ear, it looks just like the BR, so either it's modded, or for some weird reason Yulli did it identically. I would think if it was a totally redone head, the strands wouldn't be so dead on the same. Close sure, it's the same relative hair, but I'd think something to spice it up and differentiate it.

Now more importantly, WHEN is this shipping

And that's rhetorical.

 

[Devil_666]

Well if it was Yuli, I would imagine she'd use her BR Joker head sculpt as a reference. And even if it wasn't, I'd still imagine someone using it as a reference because that head sculpt was/is universally accepted as the best mass market depiction of Heath Ledger from TDK. That would account for certain things being EXACTLY alike. Even the sculpted brow wrinkles are exactly the same.

Honestly I don't care, I still like the BR Joker head and I like this new sculpt as well. So I'm happy.

 

[MaulFan]

Oh I love it too, I just enjoy the analysis side of collecting, and not nitpicking, but appreciating the craftsmanship. Like I said, i see a slight pull to the upper lift on the left side of the Mob head, and I appreciate the subtly of that and it's fun exploring.

 

[Devil_666]

Of course.. discussion is cool.

 

[MaulFan]

It'll be nice if there's a bit more red around the lips on the production piece, at no point in the movie was it on just the scars, even at his cleanest it blended out past them a bit.