By Nico Pascual
Image: Comic Alert
The first official trailer for Batman: The Killing Joke has officially be released and it looks promising. The trailer features Mark Hamill returning as the Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman, roles they have been playing sporadically since the 90’s Batman: The Animated Series.
The Killing Joke will be the first DCU animated movie to be released with an R rating and that comes as no surprise. The trailer’s dialogue echoes the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and illustrated by Brian Bolland. Widely regarded as one of the most famous (and best) Batman graphic novels of all time, The Killing Joke revolves around the mysterious origin story of the Joker and his descent into madness. Over the course of the novel, the Crown Prince of Crime terrorizes Jim Gordon and ultimately paralyzes the commissioner’s daughter, Barbara. Although not part of the Batman continuity, the novel offers us another look at the Joker’s origin, and sets in motion the chain of events which leads to Barbara becoming the Oracle.
The film is produced by Bruce Timm and is set to be available digitally later this year. The movie also includes a 15-minute prologue which will serve as an introduction to the classic tale and as an extra treat for longtime fans.
