I've already touched on the Joker being recasted in other threads, but I'll just reiterate that the character of the Joker should be involved, in some capacity, in the next film for a number of reasons. But this isn't the thread for that so I'll digress...
Back to the subject, I dont think its so much Ledger's performance, its the fact that a true interpretation of the Joker (which is what we got in TDK thanks to great writing just as much as great acting, lets not forget that) has alot of similarities to characters Depp has already played, not just Jack Sparrow.
If you combine elements from Depp's Willy Wonka, Sweeney Todd, Edward Scissorhands & yes, Jack Sparrow, it's a pretty damn close interpretation of the Joker. I never suggested Depp for the role initally, but I was never against it either. On the same token, I'd be excited to have him do any number of roles in the next film because he's quite simply one of the best actors of this generation. He's a star because of these eclectic roles, and the fact that women happen to like him, not because he's tabloid fodder like Jolie, so when people try to lump him in that group I see it as almost disrespectful to his talent. If not for the female adoration, he could just as easily be another Daniel Day Lewis or Sean Penn, guys who are respected for their craft, and ability to play off kilter individuals. Besides Pirates & Willy Wonka, he's almost never done anything hugely successful commercially anyway, so please with all the "he's too big of a star" crap, he ain't Tom Cruise or Will Smith. Anyone suggesting he isn't one of the best actors of his generation needs to get over themselves
