As it stands, the Warner Bros. project is hoping to touch down in the former British colony for a skedded nine days of shooting in November.

Warners wouldn't confirm the reports. Pic, whose plotline is being kept under tight wraps, also is lensing in Chicago and London.

"Dark Knight" returns Christian Bale to the bigscreen as Batman. Heath Ledger and Michael Caine also star.

Hong Kong production services companies have been abuzz for months with talk of what may be the highest profile foreign shoot for several years.

Warner has apparently applied for permits to shoot in the glossy business district of Central and neighboring Western. And one sequence could include the nightly Symphony of Lights laser show, a key tourist trademark for the city.

Local politicos have suggested that helicopters and night shooting could cause traffic chaos and noise pollution.

"We welcome the movie but want to ensure arrangements are hassle free," said Kwok Ka-ki, a local legislator.

It is not clear whether the Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures production will make use of the new Shaw Studios. State-of-the-art facility has lain unused for best part of the two years since its skedded completion, though it has recently been home to some commercials, including one shot by Ridley Scott's RSA, and is hosting Josh Hartnett-starring movie "I Come With the Rain" by helmer Tran Anh Hung.

In 1989 I can remember walking out of the first Batman film floored by Jack Nicholsons' performance as the Joker. He was frightening, but he was also incredibly humorous as the clown prince of crime. I always thought no one could capture the Joker like Jack did. So when I saw the Joker card at the end of Batman Begins I was a little skeptical at who they could get to fill the purple suit. Of course when I heard it was Heath Ledger I was horrified, the guy from Brokeback Mountain? The tough guy from 10 Things I hate about you, the knight from a Knights Tale? He was going to play the JOKER?!!?? Someone told me recently to view The Lords of Dog Town and I would understand that Heath could play the Joker but I have yet to find time to watch it. Michael Caine (Alfred) was speaking with some reporters the other day and he made some comments about Ledger that made me feel a little bit better about the situation, I mean Caine is an Oscar winning actor, he knows good acting right? Read for yourself...

The following appeared in a couple of Australian newspapers: MELBOURNE HERALD SUN and THE MERCURY:

"The worry going in was The Joker.

Jack Nicholson was the greatest Joker so, you know, how do you top that? Well, Heath Ledger's done it and he's extraordinary.

He's gone in a completely different direction to Jack. Jack was like a clown figure, benign but wicked, maybe a killer old uncle. He could be funny and make you laugh.

Heath is like a really scary psychopath. I did one scene with him and he was ready to go and had to come up in a lift and raid our place.

I didn't see him for rehearsal and when he came out of the lift he was so incredible I forgot my lines. He frightened the life out of me.

I'd never met him before. He's a lovely guy and his Joker is going to be a hell of a revelation in this picture."

And there you have it