Warner Bros campaigns for Heath Ledger's Oscar win

Melbourne, November 19 : In a bid to ensure an Oscar for the late actor Heath Ledger, Warner Bros has set up a campaign to leave its stamp on the forthcoming Academy Awards.

The Hollywood studio, which backed the box-office 2008 hit 'The Dark Knight', has initiated efforts such as its first Oscar specific ad and setting up of a special website to lure Academy members and voters of the leading award ceremonies.

The third-oldest American movie studio has dedicated http://www.warnerbros2008.com to two of its top contenders namely 'The Dark Knight', and the Clint Eastwood directed drama 'Gran Torino'.

The voters have been offered to see special free screenings of the two films in the residential cities of most members of the Academy along with links to two optimistic columns that plead the decision makers to drop their 'prejudice' against comic book adaptation and fantasy films.

Heath Ledger, who died due to accidental overdose of prescription drug, had been critically acclaimed for his outstanding performance as the Joker in the latest batman flick, reports the Daily Telegraph.

If the late celebrity goes on to win the Oscar for the best supporting actor title, his name would be the first since Network's Peter Finch in 1977 to win an Academy Award from six feet under.

ANI