Don’t worry,Mark Hamill’s Joker isn’t ready to leave the building just yet! When most people think ofMark Hamill, they instantly associate him with his iconic role as Luke Skywalker inStar Wars. That is perfectly understandable, because it is him you see playing the part and few, if any movies, have ever been as popular as any of theStar Warsmovie he appeared in. But there are a great many fanboys and fangirls out there who will associate him just as much withThe Joker, because he has been brilliantly voicing the character for more than 20 years. And it doesn’t look like he’s ready give it up just yet.
Hamillis again reprising his role as the Clown Prince of Crime in the upcoming animated feature-length adaptation ofBatman: The Killing Joke. In recent years,Hamillhas been flirting with the idea of retiring his work as The Joker, but he seems to keep getting pulled back in. He recently took to hisTwitterto assure fans thatThe Killing Jokewill in fact, not be his last turn as The Joker. When a fan asked “Was the killing joke the last time you’ll do the Joker??? Please say no.“Hamillvery simply, but assuringly replied “no.”
Even before he was one of the most recognizable actors in the world,Hamillwas doing voiceover work onScooby Doomovies and has continued to have a prominent career in that world ever since. The Joker is by far his most recognizable character from his incredible career in voiceover, and many considerMark Hamill’s portrayal of the character onBatman: The Animated Seriesto be one of the, if not the single best we have ever seen, or heard in this case. Most will putHeath Ledgerat the top of their list, butBatman: The Animated Seriesis still widely regarded as the best, most well-rounded representation of that world, and The Joker is no small part of that.
Batman: The Killing Jokeis adapting one of the most famous and well-regardedgraphic novelsof all-time. It was originally written by comics legendAlan Moorein 1988. The book was a one-shot which finally provides a bit of an origin story for The Joker and contained story elements that still ripple through the DC Comics universe today. Once it was announced thatKevin Conroywas returning to do Batman forThe Killing Joke, many hoped thatHamillwas going to return as well, and fortunately that turned out to be the case. ButHamill’s reassurance on Twitter shouldn’t be taken as gospel. He really enjoys to mess with fans a bit and always likes to keep things a bit secretive until the time is right. But it is nice to know that he is at least, even if somewhat jokingly, open to it.
Prior to reprising his role as The Joker in theR-ratedanimatedThe Killing Joke,Hamillprovided the voice of the character for theBatman: Arkhamvideo game series, for which he was awarded a BAFTA in 2012.Batman: The Killing Jokewill be making its world premiere at San Diego Comic Con on Friday, July 22 and will be playing in select theaters for one night on July 25. The movie will be released digitally on July 26 and Blu-ray on August 2. you may check outMark Hamill’s tweet for yourself below.
