Director Christopher Nolan has said that the Joker will not be returning in Batman 3 or any other subsequent bat-films as long as he's helming the franchise. From the latest issue of Empire Magazine:

"'No,' says Nolan emphatically and unhesitatingly. He resists elaborating simply because, quite understandably, he says, 'I just don't feel comfortable talking about it.'"Nolan's Dark Knight incaration of the Joker was portrayed by Heath Ledger , who won a posthumous Academy Award for his performance in the film.With The Clown Prince completely out of the running for the next installment, the question remains as to who will be the villain in Batman 3 Do you sympathize with Nolan's decision or would you like to see more Joker right away? Sound off in the comments below.