Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) (V)

Director:

Curt Geda

Writers:

Bob Kane (creator: Batman)
Paul Dini (story) ...

Release Date:

12 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The joke's on you!

Plot:

In this action-packed adventure, the sleeker, more dangerous and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back to terrorize Gotham, Batman and the aging Bruce Wayne.

Plot Keywords:

Mentor | Clown | Twin | Secret | Showdown

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Will Friedle	...	Terence 'Terry' McGinnis / Batman (voice)
Kevin Conroy	...	Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice)
Mark Hamill	...	Jack Napier / The Joker / Jordan Price (voice)
Angie Harmon	...	Commissioner Barbara Gordon (voice)
Dean Stockwell	...	Tim Drake (voice)
Teri Garr	...	Mary McGinnis (voice)
Arleen Sorkin	...	Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn / 'Nana' Harley (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Barbara Gordon / Batgirl (voice)
Mathew Valencia	...	Tim Drake / Robin (voice)
Melissa Joan Hart	...	Delia Dennis / Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee (voice)
Don Harvey	...	Charles Buntz / Chucko (voice)
Michael Rosenbaum	...	Stewart Carter Winthrop III / Ghoul (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Woof the Hyena-Man / Ace the Bathound (voice)
Henry Rollins	...	Benjamin 'Ben' Knox / Bonk (voice)
Rachael Leigh Cook	...	Chelsea Cunninham (voice) (as Rachel Leigh Cook)

Also Known As:

Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker (Europe: English title) (cut version)
Batman of the Future: Return on the Joker (UK) (TV title)
Return of the Joker (USA) (informal English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence. (director's cut)

Runtime:

74 min (original release) | 77 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Brazil:Livre | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Germany:6 | UK:12 | USA:Not Rated (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (director's cut) (2001) | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG (VHS version)

Company:

Warner Bros. Animation

Trivia:

When Bruce is checking the future-Joker's voice against that of the past-Joker, the clip is a newly animated (but previously scripted) segment from "Holiday Knights", which was the first episode of the redesigned Batman cartoon that appeared on the WB network.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Harley's bazooka fires multiple shots without reloading and at first fires a lump of bands, then switches to canon balls.

Quotes:

Jordan Price: You! Where's Amy?
Dee Dee: Missed the boat, I'm afraid!
[Price looks out the window and sees Amy tied to a pole]
Jordan Price: Turn the yacht around!
Chucko: Detox, bossman. We're here to talk business.
Ghoul: We'll be quick. Woof gets seasick easy.
[Woof walks in front of Ghoul looking nauseous]
Jordan Price: Our business is concluded.
[Batman flies to the window of the yacht and puts his finger on the window to listen in]
Jordan Price: I gave you the security codes so you could ransack the lab while those bunglers tried to kill Wayne.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Hare Ribbin' (1944)

Soundtrack:

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker End Title

'Batman' has never been so good!

I do not know why this was a direct-to-video release. It was very exciting and I think it would have done pretty well in theatres. I rented BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER because I love the BATMAN BEYOND television show and I loved BATMAN BEYOND: THE MOVIE. The first couple of scenes seemed a little too much like the television show, but as soon as I saw the new Joker, I knew this was going to be Batman like we have never seen him before. This was so different from the show in so many ways and had such great animation. It was a fast-paced animated thriller. It was intense. I loved it. A few days later, I bought it on DVD and listened to the filmakers' commentary. I had no idea that so much work was done on this movie in such a short time. Sadly, none of the filmakers' mentioned the cuts that were made by Warner Brothers due to the amount of violence. I think it would be really interesting to see the footage that was cut from the movie. Hopefully, Warner Brothers will come out with a version that contains the cut footage some day. Until then, I'll just enjoy the movie the way Warner Brothers released it. It is one of the best animated movie I have ever seen. I hope there are some more BATMAN BEYOND movies in the future.