After wereportedLuke Skywalker andBatmanvoice actorMark Hamillwas to take on the Joker once again in an animated movie adaptation ofThe Killing Joke,Comic Book Resourceshas confirmed the casting with official statements from the cast and crew. Not only that, but Hamill tweeted a teaser image along with a quote that’ll be familiar to fans of the famous Joker comic.
All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy…Just one bad day. Remember there’s always madness… Madness is the emergency exit. If I have to have a past, then I prefer it to be multiple choice.
This was written byAlan Mooreand spoken by the DC villain inThe Killing Joke. CBR also revealed thatKevin Conroywill reprise his voice role of Batman, whileTara Strongwill voice Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) andRay Wisewill voice Commissioner Gordon.
This is a re-teaming for Hamill and Conroy, who collaborated as their characters inBatman: The Animated Series. The former reprised Joker for various projects, including theArkhamvideo game trilogy and theJustice Leagueanimated series. Meanwhile, Conroy has been voicing the Caped Crusader in the animated space for more than two decades, including more recent films likeJustice League: Doom.
As Hamill remarked in a statement,The Killing Jokeis “what some consider the definitive origin of this iconic villain,” but it’s also one of the most controversial. Moore’s comic sees Batman racing to stop Joker as he turns his psychotic reign of terror on Commissioner Gordon and his daughter. If the depiction of Joker’s vicious treatment of Barbara wasn’t enough, a “Joker variant” cover of the title was drawn by artistRafael Albuquerquefeaturing a traumatized Batgirl in the hands of the madman. Such a firestorm was ignited thatDC canceled the cover.
An R-ratinghas been rumored for this film since cryptic comments were made by producerJames Tuckerat New York Comic Con, but fans will have to sit tight on that front. The film will be released later this summer, and you’re able to see tweets from Hamill and Conroy below.
