Warner Bros. is lobbying for an Oscar for Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," the Los Angeles Times reports.

The studio has to navigate between honoring the Australian actor's work and seeming to exploit his untimely death last January, the newspaper said. Ledger, 28, died from a lethal combination of prescription drugs in his Manhattan loft.

The movie, starring Christian Bale as Batman, opened after Ledger died and was a hit with both critics and audiences. Many reviews singled out Ledger's performance.

Most Hollywood insiders consider Ledger almost certain of a nomination for the supporting actor Oscar, the Times said. The only posthumous Academy Award for acting went to Peter Finch as the crazed TV anchor in "Network."

Ledger ranked third on Forbes magazine's annual list of highest-earning dead celebrities, after the perpetual leaders, Elvis Presley and Peanuts creator Charles Schultz.

Terry Gilliam, director of Ledger's last film, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus," which has not yet been released, said the studio can't help exploiting Ledger's legacy.

"They're like a great white shark which devours whatever it can," he said.

Ledger was nominated for a best actor Oscar for "Brokeback Mountain."