The debate will forever rage regarding the definitive live-action Joker. Some people love Jack Nicholson, some people love Heath Ledger, and some people have already decided that they prefer Suicide Squad's Jared Leto, even if that seems a bit premature. However, the world of animation doesn't have that problem; Mark Hamill IS The Joker. The actor will return to the role for arguably his career-defining performance as The Clown Prince of Crime in this summer's Batman: The Killing Joke, and he recently decided to tease some fans with a quick reading of dialogue from the film. Check it out below to see for yourself.
Mark Hamill recently took the stage at Star Wars Celebration in London, and while he was there to hype up his most famous role as Luke Skywalker, the conversation eventually landed on his upcoming role as The Joker in The Killing Joke. The crowd goes wild at the very mention of the animated film, and Hamill clearly has a ball eating up the attention. At first he remarks upon the movie's R-rating, and then he has his phone handed to him so he can take on the guise of one of his most iconic characters and deliver a legendary monologue from Alan Moore's graphic novel.
As soon as he utters the line "memory's so treacherous," we as fans know exactly what to expect. Anyone who has read Alan Moore's The Killing Joke has likely read that very same monologue in Mark Hamill's voice a million times over the years. In the same way that Kevin Conroy has become the voice we hear when we read Batman or Bruce Wayne in DC comics, Hamill has similarly become arguably the most common go-to voice for The Dark Knight's arch-nemesis. From the menacing take on the words, to the maniacal laugh he uses to punctuate the monologue, Hamill delivers it all with a passionate glee that should get any fan excited.
One of the most interesting things to note about this video -- aside from the monologue -- is the fact that Mark Hamill admits that the upcoming version The Killing Joke will make some fairly substantial changes to the source material. The basic DNA of the original tale will remain plain to see, but the filmmakers have expanded the world of the story and centered it in a larger narrative between Batman and Barbara Gordon a.k.a Batgirl. Although purists might not love the fact that the movie will make such drastic changes, this will most certainly do quite a bit with regards to increasing Batgirl's relevance to the original story -- she's little more than a victim in Moore's work.
If you're as excited for The Killing Joke as we are, hearing Mark Hamill recite some iconic lines should only add to your mounting anticipation. The long awaited animated film will be available on Digital HD on July 26, and the Blu-Ray will hit shelves on August 2. Stay tuned for more details!
