The Dark Knight Referenced Another Comic Book Movie (That's Not From DC)
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight includes a subtle reference to a non-DC superhero movie. When The Dark Knight was released in 2008, the movie was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. The film's box office success and widespread critical and audience praise also made it a watershed moment in superhero movies becoming what they are today.
In The Dark Knight, Batman (Christian Bale) continues to battle Gotham City's criminal underworld after Batman Begins. This leads the desperate mob bosses of Gotham to band together to protect their laundered millions. However, a new mysterious criminal known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) arrives to propose eliminating Batman.
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The Joker has a particularly acidic relationship with crime boss Gambol (Michael Jai White), the Joker having robbed the mob bosses and making repeated jabs at Gambol in the meeting. Eventually, Gambol can't hold back his rage anymore, exclaiming "Enough from the clown!" and leaping to his feet to attack the Joker. Though the Joker's jacket full of grenades stop him in his tracks, the line itself is an Easter egg to Michael Jai White's previous superhero movie, 1997's Spawn. More specifically, the line references his Clown nemesis in the film.
Based on Todd McFarlane's eponymous comic, Spawn saw White portray government assassin Al Simmons. After being murdered by his superiors and sent to hell, Simmons becomes a soldier with supernatural powers intended to lead the armies of hell. The sinister Clown (John Leguizamo) is Simmons' intended guide in taking him through his powers but becomes his enemy when Simmons refuses to lead hell's forces.
Spawn was a moderate hit in 1997 but left
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