Batman Year One From Warner Animated!!!

[Christopher]

I don't think I'd be interested in a TDKR movie. That was the work that introduced me to the fact that there was more to Batman than Adam West and the Superfriends, but I've long since lost my taste for Miller's excesses.

However, I might be a little interested if they brought back Michael Ironside, who played Batman in the TDKR segment in "Legends of the Dark Knight" on The New Batman Adventures.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I do think TDKR is a bit over-rated and hasn't aged greatly, but a one-off animated movie of it would interest me. More so than Year One, probably because I think Begins covered his early years so well (and yes, I know there are differences).

No strong views on who I'd want to voice the roles, but I think Mark Hamill would be hard to beat as an aging Joker.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

There are enough differences between Year One and Batman Begins to make it a worthwhile adaptation in my opinion. It's also a story that'll be a lot easier to adapt as a 70-minute film than the much longer New Frontier comic book. One thing's for sure: Year One will be a monster sales success.

By the way, for those who haven't heard, the fall release for the DC animated DTV line is Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, a sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. It'll presumably adapt the second story arc of the Superman/Batman comic book series, which features Darkseid and Supergirl. The DC Showcase animated short attached to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will be Green Arrow, written by Greg Weisman.

 

[Christopher]

^Weisman's writing it? Dang, it's a shame the shorts aren't available on the rental editions these days.

Although I'm not that interested in a Superman/Batman sequel. Public Enemies was the worst one they've done yet.


As for Mark Hamill, he's said that the upcoming Arkham Asylum video-game sequel is the last time he'll play the role. And if they did do a TDKR movie, I would want it to be a distinct interpretation with no ties to the DCAU, and that includes casting the roles differently. You'd probably want to cast some veteran older actor as the Joker, probably one known for playing dark, villainous characters.

Or maybe not. How about Kiefer Sutherland? I loved his voice work as the mostly-unseen villain in Phone Booth, a great, malevolent performance with a superb Evil Laugh. I've said for years that he should star in a remake of The Shadow, because that performance reminded me a lot of Orson Welles' Shadow, but it would be terrific for a really dark Joker as well.

(By the way, not for a TDKR adaptation, but I've just had a cool thought of someone I'd love to hear as the Joker sometime: David Tennant. In fact, he could do a great Joker in live action, since he's got the height and build for it.)

Personally, I can't wait to hear John Di Maggio as the Joker in Under the Red Hood. His work on various WB Animation projects over the past few years has proven that he's incredibly versatile and talented, even more so than he demonstrated on Futurama. He can do a lively comic character like Bender or Dr. Drakken, a larger-than-life bon vivant like TB&TB's Aquaman, and a commanding, intense villain like Black Adam on TB&TB or Brother Blood on Teen Titans. Put those together and you could have an awesome Joker.

 

[ClayinCA]

Personally, I can't wait to hear John Di Maggio as the Joker in Under the Red Hood. His work on various WB Animation projects over the past few years has proven that he's incredibly versatile and talented, even more so than he demonstrated on Futurama. He can do a lively comic character like Bender or Dr. Drakken, a larger-than-life bon vivant like TB&TB's Aquaman, and a commanding, intense villain like Black Adam on TB&TB or Brother Blood on Teen Titans. Put those together and you could have an awesome Joker.

Christopher, I've heard a few clips of his performance. He's amazing.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^As for Mark Hamill, he's said that the upcoming Arkham Asylum video-game sequel is the last time he'll play the role. And if they did do a TDKR movie, I would want it to be a distinct interpretation with no ties to the DCAU, and that includes casting the roles differently. You'd probably want to cast some veteran older actor as the Joker, probably one known for playing dark, villainous characters.

What about Michael Massee? As it happens, he even looks like the Joker but I think he also has a good voice for the role. Always gives great villainy - 24, Flashforward, Revelations, The Crow. I'm not aware of him ever doing voiceover work but there's always a first.

How about Kiefer Sutherland? I loved his voice work as the mostly-unseen villain in Phone Booth, a great, malevolent performance with a superb Evil Laugh. I've said for years that he should star in a remake of The Shadow, because that performance reminded me a lot of Orson Welles' Shadow, but it would be terrific for a really dark Joker as well.

Actually, I think Kiefer could voice a great Batman for an animated TDKR. That scary Jack Bauer voice coming from the Batmask?! Yikes!

(

By the way, not for a TDKR adaptation, but I've just had a cool thought of someone I'd love to hear as the Joker sometime: David Tennant. In fact, he could do a great Joker in live action, since he's got the height and build for it.

Apparently he's said he'd be interested in playing The Riddler in the current Batman movie series. Funnily enough, before Ledger was cast, I was hoping that Tennant's Dr Who predecessor Christopher Eccleston would land the role.

 

[Christopher]

This is the first time the Joker's appeared (or at least spoken) in one of the DC Universe DVD films, isn't it? And that would make him the third post-Hamill Joker in animation, after Kevin Michael Richardson in The Batman and Jeff Bennett in TB&TB. (Fourth if you count Michael Dobson in the "motion comic" adaptation of Batman Black and White, but I heard a clip of that once and it was a blatant impression of Hamill's Joker.)

Anyway, Di Maggio and Andrea Romano seem to have settled into a very steady working relationship. She's using him constantly in role after role, and she keeps giving him more and more opportunities to expand his range as a performer. She's been using him for a bunch of characters in Ben 10: Alien Force and its sequel Ultimate Alien, including the main villain in the latter, but I was surprised when I realized the other week that a very gentle, soft-spoken character in a Ben 10 episode was played by Di Maggio. Talk about avoiding typecasting!

 

[Samurai8472]

I really hope the "HUSH" story arc is adapted in the future

 

[Lapis Exilis]

Then again, come to think of it, I was never crazy about the art in B:YO. So I might not be too upset if the visual style were changed. But that's my reaction as a viewer. I guess I'm thinking in terms of what I'd be considering if I were responsible for making it, and one consideration would be trying to appeal to the fans of the original art by emulating its style. Like the way they used Ed McGuinness's highly exaggerated character design style (which I really don't like) for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Or like they supposedly modeled New Frontier on Darwyn Cooke's style, though personally I don't see that great a similarity.

I never cared for Mazzuchelli's art when I was younger but it has really grown on me in later years. It's a strange synthesis of minimalist and packed with detail. Take a look at the panel when you first see Gordon on the train, or when he meets with Loeb in his office for the first time. Mazzuchelli's faces are always a little strange, but other than that I find his art really compelling. The storytelling qualities of it are far above the average comic artist in terms of communicating mood as well as plot and character information and his mise en scene is pretty extraordinary for the medium. He is also capable of creating very iconic panels without resorting to the standard superhero comic cliches, which can be said of very, very few people who've ever handled a top line character like Batman. There's something quiet about his art, quiet, but haunting.

I really hope the "HUSH" story arc is adapted in the future

If they're getting down to producing moving versions of great comic book stories, I'd go more for the classics that have stood the test of time than prestige marketing releases, except maybe The Killing Joke. Dark Knight, Dark City, the good parts of the Silver St. Cloud run (that is, minus Dr. Phosphorus), Prey, the fantastic little LoftDK one-shot Batman/ Gordon story Storm, Matt Wagner's Faces, just about any of the Gotham Central stuff - pieces that are just damn good stories.

 

[Admiral_Young]

An alternate version of the Joker appeared in the Crisis of Two Worlds animated movie but yes I believe that "Red Hood" will mark the first appearance of Joker in the Warner DC Animated line. The small clips I've heard of DiMaggio have been really good right now. Obviously Mark Hamil has set the bar when it comes to voicing him but I really liked what I heard.

 

[DarthPipes]

Awesome news. I just hope they give the movie enough time.

 

[byron lomax]

If they're getting down to producing moving versions of great comic book stories, I'd go more for the classics that have stood the test of time than prestige marketing releases, except maybe The Killing Joke. Dark Knight, Dark City, the good parts of the Silver St. Cloud run (that is, minus Dr. Phosphorus), Prey, the fantastic little LoftDK one-shot Batman/ Gordon story Storm, Matt Wagner's Faces, just about any of the Gotham Central stuff - pieces that are just damn good stories.

I was thinking about stories I'd like to see adapted, and I agree with most of your choices. I would also add the LotDK arc "Blades" and "Hothouse", a Poison Ivy story beautifully rendered by P. Craig Russel. Realistically, though, I don't think most of these stories would even be considered; for example Dark Knight, Dark City, my favourite Batman story, was never even traded.

Personally, I'd like to see a Gotham Knight type movie with adaptions of short Batman stories that would represent different Batman eras. Begin with a story by Finger/Kane, then move onto 50s wackiness, an O'Neil/Adams story, something by Grant/Breyfogle, maybe a segment with AzBats.... Not too sure it would work, but it would be interesting to see.

 

[Christopher]

^Oh yeah, a "Batman Through the Ages" anthology would be really cool to see. They could just give the '50s-era story to the TB&TB crew.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ That would be kind of cool. I'd like to see something like that. With each segment filmed in a different anime style.

 

[Warped9]

In Justice League: New Frontier I really liked seeing the original style Batman set in the '50s.

 

[Christopher]

^ That would be kind of cool. I'd like to see something like that. With each segment filmed in a different anime style.

No, anime wouldn't be the way to go for something like that, something where the intent was to capture the artistic and storytelling styles of the comics from those decades. I think byron lomax's Gotham Knight analogy referred to the anthology format, not the anime nature of it.

I was going to say that what would be cool for the '40s would be a simulation of what we might have gotten if the same team that made the Fleischer Superman shorts had done a Batman short too. But then I realized that we already pretty much have that: the main-title sequence to B:TAS.

 

[Broccoli]

Although I'm not that interested in a Superman/Batman sequel. Public Enemies was the worst one they've done yet.

No way! That honor belongs to Superman: Doomsday.

As for Mark Hamill, he's said that the upcoming Arkham Asylum video-game sequel is the last time he'll play the role.

Didn't he also say that for the first AA game?

 

[Stevil2001]

Ooh, I hope they get someone good for Gordon. I always thought Year One was a so-so Batman story, but a fantastic Jim Gordon one.

Are they really doing the Supergirl arc from Superman/Batman? I was impressed that it was actually possible to be even worse than Public Enemies. At least the animated version won't have Michael Turner's "art" dragging it down. Do you think they'll maintain the skanky Supergirl?

 

[Broccoli]

Skanky Supergirl?

Has she ever been anything but?

 

[Christopher]

Are they really doing the Supergirl arc from Superman/Batman? I was impressed that it was actually possible to be even worse than Public Enemies. At least the animated version won't have Michael Turner's "art" dragging it down.

Well, PE was pretty faithful to McGuinness's art style. But I hope you're right and they don't try to duplicate Turner's look. *shudder* Those creepy pale eyes... his women looked like anorexic zombies or something.