When it comes to the best Batman voice actors that fans have heard over the years, Kevin Conroy is widely thought of as the best there ever was. (And that even rings true when his work is stacked up to that of live-action Bat movies). Now, a new actor is taking on the role in the realm of animation, and it's Hamish Linklater. The star is voicing the hero on Batman: Caped Crusader, and he recently told CinemaBlend how Conroy’s legacy affected his approach to the role.
During last week’s San Diego Comic-Con, I was one of the select members of the press who had the chance to speak with Hamish Linklater. During our conversation, he shared keen insight into what it's like playing Batman/Bruce Wayne for Amazon Prime Video's new Caped Crusader series. Linklater also reflected on his audition, saying:
I grew up as a massive fan of Batman: The Animated Series, and Kevin Conroy was like the voice of my god in my head. But I hadn’t seen the series in a minute when I got the audition. And I was sitting in this car in Minneapolis with my phone just, and I beat it to death. I just kept going back and listening to it, and going back and listening to it just because I wanted to hear that voice to find Batman and then I got as close as I was going to get but then I realized, I’m actually just chasing Kevin’s voice.
The Dark Knight is an 85-year-old iconic comic book hero that isn’t necessarily easy for an actor to bring a fresh approach to, especially considering there are so many other voiceover artists who have defined the part already. Linklater has a long history of working in theater and is known for his role on Netflix’s Midnight Mass. He also recently played Abraham Lincoln in Manhunt, which was released earlier this year. It's cool to hear that he's big fan of the late Kevin Conroy’s performance and interesting to know that Linklater initially found himself doing an impression of his predecessor.
Of course, Caped Crusader is a different animal compared to the revered Batman: The Animated Series. It’s been described as a “re-conception” of the hero particularly through its use of ‘40s noir aesthetics to present the Bat and his famed villains and allies. Later in our conversation, Linklater spoke to how the era in which the series is set helped him create his own voice for the beloved masked vigilante. In his words:
As far as Bruce Wayne goes, Bruce Timm was like Bruce is the person, that’s the human being and Batman is the invention. So what would a millionaire lothario in the 40s sound like? And Batman would have to have just been watching movies of – actually you’ll see a little of this in the second season, tease, tease – of Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant and that’s the sound he tried to invent, I guess.
Batman is very much a mask that Bruce Wayne puts on when he is fighting crime. So, in terms of Caped Crusader’s era and tone, Hamish Linklater had room to do something new with the hero through imagining who this version of the hero would be inspired by. As someone who has had a chance to see all 10 episodes of the new show already, I can confirm that Linklater does something fresh and exciting with both Bruce Wayne and his costumed counterpart.
For fans of BTAS, Caped Crusader should be a treat, as it certainly shares some DNA with it. The show was developed by the ‘90s series’ head producer (and DC Animated Universe co-shepherd) Bruce Timm alongside J.J. Abrams and The Batman’s Matt Reeves. Hamish Linklater’s version of Batman helps usher in an exciting new era for an animated Batman, and it's exciting to think about what he'll bring to the show (which has already been renewed for a second season) moving forward.
You can check out the Batman: Caped Crusader trailer now and binge all ten episodes of the new series with a Prime Video subscription when it drops on Thursday, August 1 amid the 2024 TV schedule.
