Batman: The Killing Joke animated film is coming

[Decepticonus]

Taking a semi-short story and finding a way to make it longer isn't worrying. Taking a 30+ issue saga and making a 70 minute movie out of it... that is worrying.

That's fair.

They did say there'd be some kind of prologue. I think an ending with Oracle and a sorta day in the life of Oracle on the horn with Batman or even Birds of Prey would be cool.

 

[hellblazer103]

all i want after this one is a long halloween animated movie and i'll be content.

 

[dude stannis]

So they're animating the fertilizer and not the rose.

That appears to be the case.

Taking a semi-short story and finding a way to make it longer isn't worrying. Taking a 30+ issue saga and making a 70 minute movie out of it... that is worrying.

YES! Superman: Doomsday should've been a miniseries, or a trilogy.

 

[Demon Hunter]

The issue certainly isn't about nudity, which shows your total lack of understanding of the topic. You realize entertainment and culture are tightly bound to each other right? If you don't think being critical of entertainment is important because it's not the "real world" then you don't think the Killing Joke is important. So why bother animating it?

I agree. This would have made a better story, and could still be a better animated movie. But it's not the Killing Joke.

Oh, I'm completely aware of the issue you're talking about, but are you?

What The Joker does is that story is horrible and appalling, but if anything, that can cause only awareness of these topics instead of ignoring them. Toning it down just because a couple of feminists got offended, you think this is the solution?

I'm fine with people being critical of entertainment. I'm even fine if you're offended by it, as long as you don't preach it to other people. I mean everybody is entitled to be a little stupid from time to time.
Once you start writing angry letters to artists and make petitions to bring down a piece of fiction, then I have a problem.

As I said, stop getting ********* over fiction. There are more pending real life issues you can devote that energy to.

 

[Sawyer]

I'm really curious to see how Bolland's art translates to animation. I think they've done a pretty good job thus far with artists like Darwyn Cooke, Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli, Ed McGuinness, Michael Turner, Frank Quitely... it's too bad there are some where they didn't even bother trying to emulate the style of the comic artist, like Flashpoint Paradox.

 

[XENOFON]

this is gonna be awesome!

 

[The Joker]

No surprise but Hamill is eager to voice Joker for this movie;

http://www.comicbookresources.com/a...es-to-voice-joker-for-killing-joke-adaptation

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

No surprise but Hamill is eager to voice Joker for this movie;

http://www.comicbookresources.com/a...es-to-voice-joker-for-killing-joke-adaptation

This movie will have already been recorded. Hamill is skillfully playing the game or they've gone in another direction (unlikely).

It's Conroy that always slips up, so lets see if he says too much at NYCC this year.

 

[Mad Ones]

Oh, I'm completely aware of the issue you're talking about, but are you?

What The Joker does is that story is horrible and appalling, but if anything, that can cause only awareness of these topics instead of ignoring them. Toning it down just because a couple of feminists got offended, you think this is the solution?

I'm fine with people being critical of entertainment. I'm even fine if you're offended by it, as long as you don't preach it to other people. I mean everybody is entitled to be a little stupid from time to time.
Once you start writing angry letters to artists and make petitions to bring down a piece of fiction, then I have a problem.

As I said, stop getting ********* over fiction. There are more pending real life issues you can devote that energy to.

Comic book movies make billions of dollars and are watched by people of all ages and cultures. Their stories are drawn from texts that treated women as objects for the male gaze, objects to develop male characters, and as victims that don't get to recover like male heroes. The adaptations being made now need to work against much of comic book history or else that history repeats itself, but at a much greater scale now that these characters reflect and shape popular culture on a large scale. This might mean some stories are reworked, changed, or retired.

The Killing Joke only brings awareness to the sexist treatment of women in comic books by being a prime example of it, but that isn't the intention or purpose of the story. I never said they should "tone down" the violence. I think they should adapt something that develops Barbara as a character and gives her agency and complexity. The story could still include trauma and violence, but Barbara needs to be the subject, not the object, of the story. Why adapt The Killing Joke and not the New 52 Batgirl stories?

This isn't a scathing condemnation of all of comic book history. It has had problems and triumphs.

People can be critical of culture AND work towards addressing practical problems. Do you also have problems with those who are "butt hurt" with the new Fantastic Four movie? Why are people only allowed to be outraged if the issue at hand is comic book accuracy?

 

[The Joker]

This movie will have already been recorded. Hamill is skillfully playing the game or they've gone in another direction (unlikely).

It's Conroy that always slips up, so lets see if he says too much at NYCC this year.

How do you know the movie has already been recorded? Why would they keep it a secret about who's doing the voices? It's not as if that's some sort of spoiler. As if there is any spoilers to this story anyway since we all know it. I don't see what is to be gained by Hamill pretending he wants to do it when he already has.

 

[Greens]

Why adapt The Killing Joke and not the New 52 Batgirl stories?

Perhaps because The Killing Joke is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed graphic novels DC has ever put out, and New 52 Batgirl is not?

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

How do you know the movie has already been recorded? Why would they keep it a secret about who's doing the voices? It's not as if that's some sort of spoiler. As if there is any spoilers to this story anyway since we all know it. I don't see what is to be gained by Hamill pretending he wants to do it when he already has.

These movies are often recorded over a year in advance. James Tucker and Andrea Romano have stated this many times before. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox was actually recorded in Spring 2012 before being released in late July 2013.

In fact, Morena Baccarin did ADR for Batman: Bad Blood a few months ago and that movie won't be out until Jan/Feb, most likely.

They never announce the voice cast this early and are always sworn to secrecy. Rumour has it that Tara Strong has worked with Bruce Timm on a new DTV, but he refused to say what it's for. Many now suspect she has voiced Barbara for The Killing Joke.

Make no mistake, this movie has already been recorded, but Hamill won't be allowed to say anything until next Spring at the earliest.

 

[The Joker]

You learn something new every day. Thanks for the informed reply

I still don't see why they keep the voice cast a secret though. That just makes no sense. It's not going to make any difference other than potentially raise the anticipation levels more.

 

[Rorschach2012]

all i want after this one is a long halloween animated movie and i'll be content.

Can't forget Dark Victory too.

TLH, Dark Victory, and Hush and I'll be happy with no more adaptations

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

You learn something new every day. Thanks for the informed reply

I still don't see why they keep the voice cast a secret though. That just makes no sense. It's not going to make any difference other than potentially raise the anticipation levels more.

It's all a PR game. It seems to me that the announcement of Batman: The Killing Joke by Bruce Timm completely overshadowed the premiere and press for Justice League: Gods and Monsters.

That's a big No-No for WB as they want to keep all the attention on their latest project before it drops on July 28th.

Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy have been re-tweeting and favoriting fans tweets on twitter, but they obviously can't say anything. Plus, they are both very close friends (not just work colleagues) with Timm and Romano, so it's not like they can't just call them up and ask what's going on. They know the situation, which is, they've been cast, but they need to keep their mouth shut until next Spring during the release of Justice League vs. Titans.

 

[BobJM]

Can't forget Dark Victory too.

TLH, Dark Victory, and Hush and I'll be happy with no more adaptations

I could do without Hush (though I'd gladly take it).

But the adaptations that I absolutely need to see...

The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Kingdom Come
Trinity (often doesn't get the respect it deserves)

 

[Rorschach2012]

I don't really feel the same about Trinity, it's a nice story but not one of ny favorites . The Mad Monk and the Monster Men are my favorite Matt Wagner stories

A Kingdom Come adaptation would be amazing though.

 

[Drizzle]

Hamill and Conroy must be a part of this.

 

[dude stannis]

If they're going to do Long Halloween or Dark Victory, they'd need to do them as mini series. It's a waste to try and condense them to 70 minutes.

 

[Loki882]

I kind of think that TLH might be too long to fit into one 70-minute movie. Maybe you could make a two-parter (ala TDKR) and it would work. It's also why I hesitate to argue for a Black Mirror adaptation, despite how much I'd love to see it.

 

[Jekecy]

If they're going to do Long Halloween or Dark Victory, they'd need to do them as mini series. It's a waste to try and condense them to 70 minutes.

Two-partner is the obvious route. At least there is precedent for it.

I'm more concerned over how they would adapt the art style. Sale's artwork is unique, though I don't know if it'll look well animated. At the same time I don't want them messing with what's so iconic about the story as the narrative itself.

 

[dude stannis]

Even then, they needed a two-parter for a four issue story, TLH and Dark Victory are 13 issues a piece.

 

[Sawyer]

TDKR is a lot more dense than either of those, though. I think you can do TLH in a two-parter.

 

[Loki882]

TLH has a lot of stuff going on in it, and you'd have to cut/edit it in order to fit one film.

 

[Slade W]

I could do without Hush (though I'd gladly take it).

But the adaptations that I absolutely need to see...

The Long Halloween
Dark Victory
Kingdom Come
Trinity (often doesn't get the respect it deserves)

I would love to see The Long Halloween and Dark Victory made into movies. The Long Halloween is the best Batman story ever IMO.