Michael Emerson as the Joker in BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS
LOST's Michael Emerson will be the voice of The Joker in Warner Bros. Animation's new movie adaptation of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. It's a little sad that Mark Hamill won't be lending his voice to the character anymore, but Emerson seems like a solid choice to take on the terrifying villain. I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing how he handles the character.
The image above gives us our first look at the character design, which will make an appearance in Part two of the two part animated film series. Here's what Emerson had to say about playing the character...
He's one of those great villains that an actor like me likes to play because he has layers — he has a face for the world and a face for himself. He is, in a way, a villain who is a natural actor. All of that is that is delightful and confounding at the same time.
It's freeing because of the largeness of it. When he laughs, there's nothing subdued about it. When he screams in rage, there's nothing controlled about it. The amp is turned to 11 at all times.
Do you think Emerson will provide a good creepy voice over for the Joker?
Here's the Synopsis:
...it’s been a decade since Bruce Wayne hung up his cape, following most of the other superheroes who had been forced into retirement. Facing the downside of middle age, a restless Bruce Wayne pacifies his frustration with race cars and liquor – but the bat still beckons as he watches his city fall prey to gangs of barbaric criminals known as The Mutants.
The return of Harvey Dent as Two-Face finally prompts Wayne to once again don the Dark Knight’s cowl, and his dramatic capture of the villain returns him to crime-fighting – simultaneously making him the target of law enforcement and the new hope for a desolate Gotham City. Particularly inspired is a teenage girl named Carrie, who adopts the persona of Robin and ultimately saves Batman from a brutal attack by the Mutant leader. Armed with a new sidekick, and re-energized with a definitive purpose, the Dark Knight returns to protect Gotham from foes new...and old.
Peter Weller will be the voice of Batman/Bruce Wayne and is joined by David Selby as Commissioner Gordon, Ariel Winter as Robin, Wade Williams as Two-Face and Michael McKean as Dr. Bartholomew Wolper. The film is directed by Jay Oliva, written by Bob Goodman and executive produced by Sam Register and Bruce Timm.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD and download on September 25th, 2012 from Warner Home Video. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 will be released in early 2013.