Warner Bros. hopes award show audiences will be clapping their hands for "The Dark Knight."

I guess Bruce Wayne just isn’t happy with his fast cars, fortune and cool bat gadgets. Now, he wants an Oscar. To make sure he gets it, Warner Bros. will re-release “The Dark Knight” in January to make sure award voters don’t forget how Batman saved Gotham from the psychotic Joker this past July.

Perhaps the Joker will have the last laugh, though, because he may be the one who ultimately covets Oscar gold.

All kidding aside, I cannot fault this blatant ploy for awards for one reason – Heath Ledger. While the film as a whole provides as solid a superhero story as you’re likely to find, Ledger’s mesmerizing portrayal of the Joker burns a lasting impression into the psyche of moviegoers. As much as I appreciate how Christopher Nolan tackles some weighty themes with this story, Ledger alone deserves the majority of the credit for the popularity of this latest Batman flick.

I wouldn’t be surprised if “The Dark Knight” receives multiple nominations, but I suspect posthumous recognition for Ledger will ultimately comprise the majority of the film’s honors.