Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
The sleeker, deadlier and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back with his own unique brand of havoc and mayhem. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, Terry McGinnis, aka Batman, discovers a dark secret in the life of the original Caped Crusader bruce Wayne: What happened the night he fought the Joker for the very last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's latest attacks, McGinnis vows to avenge his mentor and put the Joker to rest forever. But first - he's got to figure out how he's still alive and how to save Gotham in the process!
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker aired on Toonami on Friday, August 9th at 5pm (ET). The movie aired as a direct result of viewer voting - who were able to pick the first In-Flight movie in a string of which that would air in consecutive weeks. Viewers were able to vote between this film, Worlds Finest, and Sub-Zero - all DCAU flicks. The version that ran on Toonami was the edited UK version. The most obvious indication of this is the "Batman of the Future" title card, which is what Batman Beyond is called across the pond. The movie has aired a few times since its initial airing, last appearing a year later in 2003.
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: December 12, 2000
Run Time: 77 minutes
Rating: PG
Nominations
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker aired on Toonami on Friday, August 9th at 5pm (ET). The movie aired as a direct result of viewer voting - who were able to pick the first In-Flight movie in a string of which that would air in consecutive weeks. Viewers were able to vote between this film, Worlds Finest, and Sub-Zero - all DCAU flicks. The version that ran on Toonami was the edited UK version. The most obvious indication of this is the "Batman of the Future" title card, which is what Batman Beyond is called across the pond. The movie has aired a few times since its initial airing, last appearing a year later in 2003.
.: Movie Specs
Tagline: The joke's on you!Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: December 12, 2000
Run Time: 77 minutes
Rating: PG
.:Awards and Nominations
| Annie Awards: | Annie for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Home Video Production |
| DVD Exclusive Awards: | Video Premiere Award for Best Animated Character Performance Best Sound |
Nominations
| Annie Awards: | Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production; Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production; Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production |
| DVD Exclusive Awards: | Video Premiere Award for Best Animated Video Premiere Best Art Direction |
.:Misc.
- When Bruce Wayne is checking the Joker's voice against that of the Joker from the past, the clip is a newly animated (but previously scripted) segment from the first episode of the newly redesigned Batman series titled "Holiday Knights".
- Dean Stockwell played the voice of Tim Drake. He is also known as Al Calavicci from "Quantum Leap", and Brother Cavil in Sci-Fi's relaunch of Battlestar Galactica.
- Paul Dini makes a cameo at the beginning of the movie.
- The Orbiting weapon is a nod to Akira.
- After the Columbine school shooting, studio pressure forced a new cut of the film be produced. Several scenes were snipped and re-edited to produce the final "PG" rating. Entirely new scenes were even created to explain the Joker's death, amongst numerous other edits. After the film had been released for some time, the original "PG-13" version was released separately as a Director's Cut.
- In the UK, the film is titled "Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker"
