What if...

[Texan38]

My friend and I had a discussion this past weekend and asked ourselves a couple of questions we'll never really know the answer to but pondered on, for example:  Would 'The Dark Knight' had been such a big hit if Heath Ledger were still alive? I, for one, wouldn't have gone to the theater to see the movie but because I heard so much talk around Heath's final, completed performance, I was curious and went the day it opened.
If Selena were still alive, would Jennifer Lopez be as popular? Considering she became more well known because she played slain singer in the movie, which in turn made her want to pursue a singing career.
Morbid? I hope not to anyone. It was just a couple of questions that came up because of all the awards that have been going to Heath Ledger.
Does ones death change the course for others?

[HIV+Me]

I think The Dark Knight would've been popular even if Heath Ledger hadn't died, it was not only exciting but also well-conceived, unlike a lot of other comic book-to-movie adaptations (I'm talking to you, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, etc.)  The previous Batman movie did well.  Ledger just brought such a key element to the movie it was intoxicating, but don't dismiss the rest of the superb cast.

As for Selena, I'll admit, I don't think I knew much about her before she was murdered.  (Then again, I didn't know we had a President Kennedy till he was assassinated, but I was in the 1st grade.)  And while Jennifer Lopez was fine in the movie, it really took a couple more years before her career took off.