One of the most popular Batman comics of all time, a hugely influential work cited by Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan as influences on "Batman" and "The Dark Knight" respectively, with that (terrible) first look at Jared Leto‘s The Joker nodding very heavily toward Alan Moore‘s creation, I’m surprised it has taken this long for "Batman: The Killing Joke" to get some kind of adaptation. But now, it’s happening.
Over the weekend, Warner Bros. said that an animated movie of ‘The Killing Joke’ would be arriving in 2016 that will not only bring Moore’s story to life, but also add an original 15-minute prologue to lay the groundwork for those who are new to the tale. The story weaves a potential (but not exactly trustworthy) origin for the Joker that finds a series of events unraveling the family man and failed comedian that among other things, leads to the paralysis of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and the rise of the Oracle.
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No word yet on any of the voice cast though a few years ago, Mark Hamill urged fans to petition WB to get him to voice the villain (as he does before in other animated productions). ‘The Killing Joke’ will join "Batman: Bad Blood" and "Justice League vs. Titans" on WB’s 2016 animated slate of features that go straight to DVD/VOD. And I would wager a cranky Alan Moore will respond to all of this news in short order.
