Mark Hamill Explains Why He Won’t Return As The Joker
Mark Hamill explains the unfortunate reason why the Batman: The Animated Series Joker voice actor thinks he will not return as the Clown Prince of Crime in the future.
In the Star Wars franchise, Hamill, known worldwide for his role as Luke Skywalker, has created another, just-as-iconic performance as Batman villain Joker over the years.
In 1992, Hamill first played the character in the groundbreaking Batman: The Animated Series and has since voiced the character in several spinoff series, films, and video games.
Hamill has had one continuous partner throughout his adventure as the Joker – Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy. And in an interview with Empire Magazine, he admits that he does not believe he will come back as the Joker following the death of his close friend and collaborator.
The cartoon perfectly recreated Gotham City, with personalities and storylines so complex that certain classic villains, like Mr. Freeze, adopted them as default traits.
The cartoon perfectly recreated Gotham City, with people and plots so complex that they became the default features of some renowned villains, such as Mr. Freeze.
Conroy’s Batman and Hamill’s Joker carried the program, and their exchanges are still regarded as the best depiction of the characters’ dynamic.
Conroy died last year after a long fight with illness. Below is an excerpt from the magazine:
Mark Hamill’s Case for Being the Best Joker
Over the years, Hamill established a precious version of the Joker, with iconic character features like the finest Joker laugh attributed to Hamill.
He has voiced the Joker across several animated series & films, including Batman: The Animated Series, Mask of the Phantasm, New Batman Adventures, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.
He has played the Joker in several animated shows and films, including Batman: The Animated Series, Mask of the Phantasm, New Batman Adventures, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.
The actor manages to bring the messy side of the Joker to life perfectly every time he is on the screen.
Be it whatever situation the character is put in, there has not been a single time when Hamill’s version of the Joker has not felt authentic to Batman’s greatest comic book villain.
Hamill’s position as the Joker has also been stretch to other types of media, with his appearance in the Batman: Arkham series of video games helping to modernize the villain and introducing new generations of DC fans to his version of the character.
The first game in the series, Batman: Arkham Asylum, was release in 2009, 14 years after the conclusion of his first appearance as the character in Batman: The Animated Series.
Hamill did an excellent job revitalizing his act and proving why he is the greatest Joker of all time.
Three other live-action Joker portrayals come the closest to matching Hamill’s. In 1989’s Batman, Jack Nicholson played a member of Gotham’s mafia in a highly lethal yet campy interpretation of the character.
Then there was Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger’s Joker was charmingly hook to disorder, with his darkly humorous take on the character also being a criminal mastermind, effectively defeating Batman by corrupting Harvey Dent.
Finally, Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker was the subject of his film, which chronicled the villain’s origin narrative. Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker was both captivating and heartbreaking.
However, Hamill’s version of Batman: The Animated Series is still the best, as the actor’s performance includes all the most useful parts from the other versions.
