Heath Ledger always knew 'The Dark Knight' would be a hit: 'He was so smug'

Heath Ledger may have not been alive to witness it, but he always knew The Dark Knight (2008) would be a massive hit.

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Andrew Garfield — who worked with Ledger on the 2009 film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus — recalled Ledger’s confidence after filming his iconic role as the Joker.

“He had just finished The Dark Knight and he was so smug about it,” Garfield, 41, shared, laughing.

The Amazing Spider-Man star further recalled that when he asked how the film turned out, Ledger replied, “Yeah, it’s really good,” with a calm assurance that suggested he already knew the Christopher Nolan film was destined for greatness.

Garfield, still early in his own career at the time, was starstruck by Ledger, who had already made a name for himself in movies like A Knight's Tale, Brokeback Mountain, and 10 Things I Hate About You.

The actor — who is currently gearing up for the October 11th release of his new film with Florence Pugh called We Live in Time — also shared a humorous anecdote about Ledger’s reaction to seeing himself on the cover of Empire magazine. Ledger critiqued the photo, calling it a "f***ing s*** photo," despite Garfield insisting it looked incredible.

Tragically, Ledger passed away in January 2008 before the film's release, but when The Dark Knight hit theatres in July, his instincts were proven right. The film shattered box-office records and earned Ledger a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, cementing his unforgettable legacy.