Sep 072016
 

MonaghangothamlargerThe INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES recently reported that thou the Joker’s laugh at the end of season 2 was indeed a proof that the “Joker idea” is not forgotten and that Cameron will be back it seems that the fans will not have a Joker until the mid-to-late part of season 3.  Well, hoping that they keep the high standards that the series has had in the writing, maybe it is going to be worth the wait.

Here is a copy of the original report by  CZARINA NICOLE ONG:

“Gotham” fans were confused when Cameron Monaghan’s Joker bit the dust sometime during Season 2, but they got their hopes up that the villain will make his way back to the show when they heard his laugh in the finale.

Executive producer Ken Woodruff told TV Guide that fans were right that they heard the Joker’s trademark laugh. However, Jerome Valeska (alter ego of the Joker) won’t be returning just yet.

“[The laugh] was really to keep [the Joker] alive, to keep Jerome and that threat of the Joker alive. We wanted to make sure fans don’t feel that we’re completely done with [the mythology of the Joker] because we are 100 percent, absolutely not,” he explained.

Woodruff added that it’s not something they’re going to explore right away when Season 3 starts, and they will only start to unravel the mystery of the Joker sometime in the middle of the season.

“We are absolutely planning in Season 3 – but primarily in the mid to second half of Season 3 – to delve back into the mythology of the Joker, and characters that may or may not be the Joker – but more likely characters that are an amalgamation of what we’ll come to know as the Joker,” Woodruff teased.

He said there will be an “underground” movement trying to fulfill the Joker’s legacy, and they hope to expand it should the show bag a fourth season.

Meanwhile, Woodruff told IGN that they have already introduced Harley Quinn in the past two seasons, and fans might have just missed her. “You may have already seen Harley as a person that you thought you had met and known for a long time. So we always reserve the right to sort of do that as well,” he said.

As for Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith), he will go “full-on Riddler” in Season 3. “I’m out of Arkham as a free man, not a fugitive, so I have this amazing opportunity for rebirth,” Smith told Briotainment.

And Harley already introduced but missed in the past two seasons?  Hmmm, what could that mean? Hopefully not that they want to make either Barbara Kean  (much talked about) or Leslie Thompkins as possible candidates.  Innovative as the idea might sound, I don’t think that it will go too well with the fans. We’ll see…only a few days left until the new season starts.

(Watch GOTHAM again this fall starting on September 19, at 8:00pm in FOX)

Sep 072016
 

killingjoke_ani_byphaWell, well, well…either enticing the fans or teasing of things to come, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill announced that they are not done voicing Batman and Joker respectively for the Animated Universe of DC.  Here is the report by Evan Saathoff for birthmoviesdeath.com:

As everyone here likely knows, Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy have been voicing the Joker and Batman since forever, most famously during the Batman: The Animated Series run, but they probably do it a lot in their spare time as well. Recently they teamed up again for that ill-advised animated The Killing Joke movie.

And it doesn’t sound like they’re done yet. The two were on a panel together at Canada’s Fan Expo and when asked if they were ready to hang up their Batman and Joker voices, both answered with a resounding “no”, after which Conroy joked that next they might do Hush, after which Hamill suggested A Death in the Family.

While these titles were obviously lobbed around as jokes to get the audience excited, it does seem like something is brewing between these two. If it is another animated movie, neither Hush nor A Death in the Family seem outside the realm of reason. What do you think? Are there other Batman stories you’d prefer an adaptation of next? Please feel free to shout your suggestions at the first person you see!

And I have to say that thou the news are interesting, after the disappointment with the Killing Joke and his prologue plus some technical aspects of the movie makes me very cautious  of another DCAU adaptation.  If they are going to adapt a masterpiece of comic art and writing, they should have a better sense on what would work best to IMPROVE the story, not sink it. Still the idea of an animated version of DEATH IN THE FAMILY  (and who knows, maybe DEATH OF THE FAMILY…hint, hint) could be very interesting to see…

Jun 182016
 

killingjoke_ani_byphaYou can get to see the KILLING JOKE on the big screen before it hits the stores

FATHOM EVENTS, along DC COMICS  have organized a one night event where they will show the KILLING JOKE animated film in  theaters world wide.

The special event is to occur on JULY 25 and many theaters offer two showing times.  You can visit Fathom Events site HERE to see a list of the theaters who are going to show the movie and purchase your tickets ($13.31 + service fee).

I already have purchased mine and can’t wait to hear Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy through the speaker system and watch the movie in digital…Hurry fast to get yours before they are gone…

May 302016
 

..and we fans love him for that.

And that is because Mark Hamill, is the best known voice of the Joker in animation and video games.

He started voicing the Clown Prince of Crime in BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (BTAS) in 1992 after the original voice actor for the role, Tim Curry, was deemed too scary for the role.  Once Hamill took the helm of the role he made him his and came to be portrayed on subsequent animated series like SUPERMAN ADVENTURES, STATIC SHOCK, and the JUSTICE LEAGUE. His haunting, maniacal, and crazed laugh is likely forever stuck in the heads and became the trademark of the character.

He even voiced the Joker in several animated movies like BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM, BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER  and the BATMAN SUPERMAN MOVIE.

Not satisfied with the animated media, Hamill made the jump to the video game industry when he was cast as the voice of the Joker first for the game BATMAN: VENGEANCE based on his BTAS character and lately for the ARKHAM ASYLUM/ ARKHAM CITY/ARKHAM KNIGHT video games series.  He also went on to voice the Clown for other animated games like DC Universe Online.

Hamill then retired but was open to return for voicing Joker in an animated adaptation of THE KILLING JOKE

getthelastlaughwithMarkHamill

…that has finally been completed and ready to hit the stores in August 2, 2016.  But that has not stopped Hamill who is supposed to return to his character once more for the Cartoon Network TV show, JUSTICE LEAGUE ACTION, which will likely premiere sometime in the next year.

As Hamill has played the Joker longer than any other actor, it’s no surprise that he’s spent more than a bit of time trying to get inside the Clown Prince of Crime’s warped head. In the most recent issue of Entertainment Weekly, he had this to offer about arguably the most intriguing super villain of all time:

Opening quote

Joker is always frustrated because he doesn’t think of himself as a villain…He thinks of himself as an under-appreciated genius. The citizens of Gotham City don’t accord him the reverence and the acclaim he feels he deserves. I give him that theatrical impresario voice, like the Jose Ferrer character in Enter Laughing. The Joker has a flamboyance that appeals to me. He enjoys what he does so much. I just can’t quit him.

Closing quote

Of course, the most exciting bit out of this is that it would seem Hamill has no intentions of giving up the role anytime soon, which will no doubt make a lot of fans very, very happy. However, the glimpse into the Joker’s mind that he also offered fans with this quote is also quite intriguing as well.

Anyone who’s watched Hamill’s version of the Joker knows that this description fits him perfectly. He does have more of a classic criminal attitude about him than some other iterations (such as Ledger’s anarchist), but the reason he ultimately does all of the crazy things that he does is to show off his comedic, criminal genius.

(Based on original article by Zain Charkawi for OUTER PLACES which you can read HERE)
May 192016
 

DC’s Rebirth is on the way, and it’s not just the logo that’s getting a makeover. Plenty of characters will be getting a costume refresh in DC’s roster shake-up as well. It seems like the clown prince of crime might be one of them, judging by this gorgeous variant cover by Rafael Albuquerque.

Albuquerque posted the Fried Pie Comics variant cover for Batman #1, due out July 15th to Instagram today—and while he doesn’t explicitly confirm that this is the Rebirth Joker, a presumption can be made, considering it’s gracing the cover of one of the event’s biggest new series.

RebirthJKRpic

While it might not be the Joker’s new design, it would not be surprising if it was, when you consider the more-than-passing resemblance to Jared Leto’s Joker (just, you know, minus the crazy tattoos).

The suit is obviously a callback to the Joker’s threads in The Dark Knight Returns—although we have seen set pictures revealing that Leto’s Joker wears a similar getup at some point in Suicide Squad—but the haircut and general frame of this Joker definitely seem to be evoking the new cinematic take. It wouldn’t be the first time DC’s done this either, with Harley Quinn getting a Suicide Squad makeover in the comics recently [that definitely resembled her Suicide Squad movie counterpart].

(Original article by James Whitbrook at GIZMODO.COM HERE)

May 192016
 

SuicideSquadJKRandHQfeaturepic3On May 19, IGN reported that in in an interview, Jared Leto revealed that playing the Joker for Suicide Squad had been the most fun he had in film.  Here is an excerpt of the report by NICOLE CARPENTER:

Suicide Squad actor Jared Leto had a “blast” playing the Joker, despite having to shave his eyebrows off for the second film in a row.

Getting the call to play the Joker was “terrifying and exciting” for Leto. “It was a real honor to get asked to play the part,” he added. “These characters are so special to people and I have a lot of respect to that.”

During an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show, the actor told Degeneres filming Suicide Squad was “the most fun [he’s] ever had on a film.” And it sure sounds like he did; back in April, it was reported Leto sent a bunch of disturbing gifts to his co-stars.

Leto also became “part detective, part writer,” and met with actual killers and psychopaths when preparing for the role.

He’s not the only one who did weird things to get into character. Enchantress actress Cara Delevingne said she got naked in the woods and walked around howling.

Following is Leto’s interview with Ellen Degeneres :


(Original article HERE)

Apr 232016
 

SixFlagsTHEJOKER4DcoasterVALLEJO (KCBS) – The biggest roller coaster to open in Northern California in more than a decade is getting ready to open at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo.

Roller coaster enthusiasts gathered Friday for a hard hat tour of “The Joker,” named after the villain in Batman.

Amusement park blogger Kris Rowberry told KCBS he’s ridden on 250 roller coasters around the world. He was in awe of the latest creation at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

“This ride is just about as insane as its namesake, the Joker. This is probably the most anticipated ride in 20 years in Northern California, and with good reason,” Rowberry said.

Six Flags spokesperson Nancy Chan said there’s 3,200 feet of twisting and turning track that is supposed to contain 15 extreme airtime moments. Perhaps the biggest attraction?

 “Goes right into a couple of elements, one of which is a brand new element called a step-up under slip, which is an inverted roll. It literally takes people horizontally, and then upside down. So there are three inversions on this coaster, so this is crazy,” Chan said.

Chan expects the ride to open to the public later this spring.

NBC reported:

The biggest question is when the ride will open. Six Flags is staying mum on an exact date, but estimates that fans will finally get a taste of “The Joker” by the end of May.

Here is a sneak Peak:

(Original article at CBS SF Bay Area HERE)

Apr 232016
 

SuicideSquadJKRandHQfeaturepic2COMINGSOON.COM, Silas Lesnick released an interested bit of an interview with Jared Leto and Margot Robbie talking about what it was playing the Joker and Harley Quinn.  Here is an excerpt of that article:

“I don’t think I’m allowed to talk about that so much,” Leto smiles, “But we walked in a completely new direction. I think we knew that we had to do that. It was important to do that. When the Joker has been done and done so well, it gives you a bit of an indication of where you shouldn’t go. There’s a bit of a map there. That’s the good part about it.”

As a fan of the character himself, Leto is thrilled at the chance to offer a brand-new take on a role that has become something much bigger than the sum of its parts. 

“It’s quite an honor,” Leto continues. “Joker has been written about in pop culture for 75 years. I’m just the latest in the long list of people who have redefined and reinvented this character. The actors, the voice actors, the television series, the writers, the artists and the fans. People have taken the Joker and reinvented and redefined for 75 years. It is really special to be asked to do that.”

Starring opposite Leto is Margot Robbie in the first ever big-screen depiction of psychiatrist turned psychopath, Harley Quinn. While the Suicide Squad Joker may be aiming for a brand-new take, Robbie suggests that what we’ll be seeing from her character is classic Harley.

“I did a lot of research on mental illness and codependency,” she says. “I was trying to access a way in to understanding why she’s so in love with the Joker. I kind of decided that she’s codependent on him. Now that I’ve done the research, I realize that that’s more of an addiction than an illness… You see many sides of her. Sometimes she’s really funny. Sometimes she’s really mean. She just enjoys everything she does. Whether she’s doing something good or bad, she’ll have an equal amount of enjoyment out of it. She’s not always the most likable character.”

(For complete article, please visit COMINGSOON.COM HERE)

Apr 162016
 

killingjoke

Entertainment Weekly has reported on their site that the Animation studio has rated their Direct to Video animated film THE KILLING JOKE  R…which sets a precedent for the DC Animated Universe.

Batman: The Killing Joke isn’t kidding around. Warner Bros’. direct-to-video animated film based on the notorious Alan Moore comic has been rated R, the studio’s home entertainment division tells EW exclusively.

The Killing Joke marks the first film in the DC Universe Original Movie franchise to receive an R rating, and the second Batman movie to do so. (The extended home-video version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was the first.)

And for me this is encouraging.  Means that DC is sticking to the original spirit of the novel written by Alan Moore and not “watering” the material for a younger audience.  This was not a graphic novel for children when it was first published, and it is DEFINITELY NOT A FILM FOR CHILDREN even now.  I can’t wait to see the movie.

(For the complete ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY article, please go HERE)

Apr 032016
 

killingjoke_ani_byphaMy favorite Joker story of all time, and I can’t just way to see it…so to tease the fans DC Has released a preview of the animated film…full 10 minutes of insights of what promises to be one of the best Batman animated films in a long time.   Please sit back and enjoy this nice preview with me…

 

I can’t wait for this film to come out….