Nolan si n'ihe nkiri ahụ nweta mmụọ nke Joker na akwụkwọ akụkọ na 1940, akwụkwọ akụkọ ihe osise nke 1988 bụ The Killing Joke, na usoro 1996 bụ The Long Halloween, nke na-akọghachi mmalite nke Two-Face. A na-eji aha "Dark Knight" mee ihe na Batman na Batman # 1 (1940), na akụkọ nke Bill Finger dere. A na-ese Dark Knight na Chicago, yana n'ọtụtụ ebe ndị ọzọ na United States, United Kingdom, na Hong Kong. Nolan jiri igwefoto ihe nkiri IMAX 70 mm mee ihe nkiri ụfọdụ, gụnyere ọdịdị mbụ nke Joker na fim ahụ.
Afọ 1940