Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

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IMDb profile
Directed by	Curt Geda
Produced by	Alan Burnett Paul Dini Jean MacCurdy Shaun McLaughlin Benjamin Melniker Glen Murakami Bruce Timm Michael Uslan
Written by	Comic Book: Bob Kane Story: Paul Dini Glen Murakami Bruce Timm Screenplay: Paul Dini
Music by	Kristopher Carter
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 12, 2000
Running time	74 min. 77 min. (Uncut Version)
Language	English

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (also known as Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker in Europe and Australia) is a direct-to-video animated film featuring the comic book superhero Batman and his archenemy, the Joker. It is set in the milieu of the animated series Batman Beyond, in which Bruce Wayne has retired and handed over the Bat-mantle to a younger man, Terry McGinnis.

As in the TV series, Will Friedle and Kevin Conroy star as Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne, respectively. Mark Hamill, who voiced the Joker opposite Conroy in Batman: The Animated Series, returns in the title role.

Before its release it was cut by almost four minutes to remove excessive violence, as a result of the Columbine High School shootings. The original version was subsequently released on DVD to much acclaim from fans and is notable for receiving a PG-13 rating from the MPAA for violence, a rarity in American animation.

1 Plot
2 Critical reaction
3 Re-editing
4 Comic Adaptation
5 Cast
6 Trivia
7 Offscreen
8 References
9 External links

[edit] Plot

Template:Spoilers Return of the Joker, as the title suggests, features the return of Batman's old arch-nemesis the Joker, who has not been heard of since before Bruce Wayne's retirement. Wayne, who knows the reason for the Joker's long absence, is certain that this can't be the same man, and he and Terry McGinnis (the new Batman) set out to discover who it really is and what he's up to. Along the way, it is revealed what happened not only to the Joker, but also to several other Batman-related characters who have been notably absent from Batman Beyond, such as Batman's old sidekick Tim Drake.

The new Joker has taken control of a faction of the Jokerz, a gang devoted to the Joker's image. He commands them to steal hi-tech equipment; the last piece he steals from Bruce Wayne personally. Worried that the Joker will harm Terry like he did to Tim, Bruce fires Terry. As Terry is dancing with Dana at a nightclub, he is attacked by the Jokerz. At the same time, the Joker attacks Bruce in the Batcave. When Terry arrives, Bruce is half-dead from Joker venom. As Bruce recovers, Barbara Gordon tells Terry the truth about the Joker.

At some point in the past, the Joker and Harley Quinn had kidnapped Tim Drake (Robin), horribly tortured him to insanity, and "adopted" him as their son, "J.J." (two lines in the torture, as well as a graphic scene, were deemed very disturbing, and were cut out). During the torture, Robin revealed to the Joker all of Batman's secrets — including his secret identity as Bruce Wayne. When Batman locates them, he is enraged to discover what has happened and threatens to kill the Joker, chasing him around the abandoned Arkham Asylum. Meanwhile, Batgirl is trying to avoid Harley Quinn, who is using her rocket launcher trying to throw Batgirl off a cliff outside the abandoned Asylum. Harley loses control of the rocket launcher, and both her and Batgirl are knocked off the cliff. Batgirl manages to grab a hold of a ledge on the cliif as well as Harley's hand, but before she can lift Harley to safety, her jester costume breaks, and Harley plummets to her apparent death. Meanwhile Batman is in the old Asylum's viewing room, watching a graphic scene of how the Joker tortured Robin. Batman's emotions get the best of him, and he threatens to kill the Joker, but The Joker gets the upper hand. Fortunately, Robin comes to his rescue and shoots the Joker (this scene was cut out of the original release).

Terry (as Batman) questions the now adult Tim Drake, who denies involvement. Terry then suspects Jordan Price, Wayne's rival at Wayne Enterprises, but he finds the Jokerz on Price's yacht, trying to kill him. He rescues Price before a giant beam from the sky destroys the boat. Terry deduces that Drake is behind the Joker as Drake, a communications expert, could use the stolen tech to hi-jack defense satellites to fire on the Earth.

After escaping from a trap at Drake's job and being chased by a satellite beam through Gotham, Terry tracks the Joker to an abandoned candy factory. Terry finally discovers the horrific truth behind the new Joker: the villain's consciousness and genetic make-up had been transferred into Robin's body via a stolen genetic microchip technology. Whenever the chip takes control of Drake, he transforms into the Joker. After surprising Terry by the transformation, the Joker knocks him down and explains that he could control Drake after he put the chip on him but only for short periods of time. His control of Drake grew as time went on which explains how he emerged in full control forty years later.

When the Joker directs the satellite beam at Wayne Manor, Terry sics Ace (Wayne's dog) on the Joker and causes the beam to head towards the factory. The two fight and, in an interesting twist on the Batman/Joker dynamic, Terry begins to play mind games with the Joker, and eventually destroys the chip in Drake's body; the Joker is destroyed once and for all. Terry escapes with Drake and Ace before the satellite destroys the factory. The movies ends with Bruce, Barbara and Tim reuniting in a hospital room while Terry dons the Batsuit once again and flies off into the heart of Gotham City.

Some years later, in "Epilogue", the final episode of the second season of the Justice League Unlimited animated series, it was revealed that the genetics technology used by the Joker had been stolen from Project Cadmus. The finale of the first season showed the future League (with Terry) and the present League fighting an enhanced version of the Jokerz seen in the movie. (The Jokerz gang was not seen in the episode "Epilogue" but in an episode entitled, "The Once and Future Thing.") Template:Endspoilers

[edit] Critical reaction

The film was well-received by fans, some fans believing it to be perhaps the best film the DC Animated Universe has ever produced. The gritty and somber mood of the film surprised many fans, and due to some disturbing elements in the film it has been rated PG-13. Fans felt that the film's story, particularly the lengthy flashback sequence, was exemplary of the quality of the Batman animated stories. The film did well financially and is noted by fans as a siginificant milestone in the animated Batman mythos.

[edit] Re-editing

The initial release of the movie occurred amid the backlash against violence in movies and video games aimed at children that followed the Columbine High School massacre; as a result, the movie was substantially re-edited shortly before release to tone down the violence. Many of the changes were controversial, particularly those made to a key scene in which one of the central characters is killed. The original unedited version has been released as "The Original. Uncut Version". This story was broken by Jim Harvey from Toon Zone.

The following are scenes that were changed in the edited-for-content version:

Lots of white flashes have been added to the action sequences where there were previously none. Additionally, combinations of punches have been mostly trimmed down to one punch. For example, Woof slashes the guard once now instead of twice. Batman no longer punches Ghoul in the gut, he just uppercuts him into the dish. Later on in the club, Terry's vicious attack on Ghoul is cut to a flash and Terry running away while Ghoul falls. There is a 360-degree fight sequence in the opening battle that has also been removed, where Batman fends off the Jokerz one by one.
Seat belts are added to Terry and Bruce as they drive home after their first meeting with the new Joker.
Bonk is not shot with Joker's flag-speargun, but instead given a dose of Joker laughing gas, taking his implied death off screen. Because of this, the whole "Take the trash outside, Dee Dee" and "Are you with me?" sequence is cut.
When Bruce throws the batarang, it appears as though he's simply pleased that he can still throw & catch a batarang, instead of it showing him using it to decapitate a Two-Face dummy.
When Terry enters the Batcave to find it demolished by the Joker, the letters 'HA! HA!' written across the floor are changed from red to purple, probably to assure us it is not written in Bruce's blood.
All other blood is removed. Only one example was passed over. In the flashback sequence when Batman smashes through the projection, he smacks the Joker. Blots of blood fly from the Jokers mouth, but he is not bleeding in the next shot.
In the unedited version, when Batman (in the flashback) frees himself from the Joker's ribbon wrap, he throws the knife that he used to free himself with at the Joker. The Joker ducks at the last second and the blade goes through the stage curtain. This would explain the hole behind the Joker.
Two of the Joker's lines are changed. One line, "I'll begin with how I peeled back the layers of the boy's mind" is changed to, "I'll begin with how I effected young Robin's makeover." In another, the words "the serums and the shocks took their toll," are cut out.
The Joker originally wanted Robin to shoot Batman with a gun designed to kill, saying, "Make Daddy proud." The edited version shows that the Joker wants Robin to "make him one of us" by shooting him with a gun designed to make Batman similar to the Joker and Robin. Awkwardly, the Joker's line, "the last sound you'll hear will be our laughter," is kept in. Also, the gun is tossed away in the fight with the Joker. When Robin drops down to cry, the gun is right next to him. When Batgirl comes to comfort him, the gun is gone.
The Joker is not shot, but slips in some water and is electrocuted off screen. The dialogue in the subsequent scene is changed, with no mention of the Joker being buried under Arkham Asylum.
Barbara says that Leslie Thompkins helped Tim Drake "back to himself" instead of "back to sanity."
During a montage where Batman and Batgirl comb "the underworld" looking for clues about Robin's disappearance, Batgirl talks to a nicely-dressed man and woman instead of two sleazily-dressed women (who are pretty obviously hookers) on a street corner. Oddly enough, these two women appeared in the Batman animated TV series, in the episode "The Ultimate Thrill" (circa 1997).
The Joker no longer slices Batman across the chest or in the leg (originally intended to explain why Bruce Wayne now walks with a limp), and any blood is digitally removed. Joker just punches Batman. However, if one looks closely at the Joker's hand, the knife handle is still visible in the edited version.
More than half of the "Our Family Memories" home movie is cut out, only showing Robin tied up and struggling, and cutting the scene where Joker opens the barbeque lids, picks up the voltage tongs, and shocks Robin.
A lot of dialogue is changed as well; references to the word "kill" are changed.
The opening fight sequence is trimmed, cutting out a second Dee-Dee kick and completely redoing the entire Batman/Dee Dee sequence.
The club fight is changed. The pink clown no longer punches Terry and says "I don't know why the boss wants a dreg like you outta the way, but hey, as long as it's fun...". He just goes for his gun and says "Slag him!"
Bruce says "Robin defeated him." instead of "Robin did shoot him". Joker says "Bat-Kook" instead of "Bat-Fart". Jordan Price says "Ice" instead of "kill." Tim Drake says "I can still hear his scream" instead of "I can still hear the shot." Joker says "...with such yutzes" instead of "...with such putzes".
In the scene where the satellite laser chases the Batmobile it blasts an unmarked, dark, seemingly empty building. Originally it was a lit movie theater. In the edited version the word 'cineplex' can be seen exploding out of the wreckage in the last few frames of the shot.
The clothing on 'Nanna Harley' is changed from blue and purple to Harley Quinn's trademark red and black, probably to assure the audience that she is the real Harley Quinn, and that she did not die (although this is more for the benefit of the audience than actual censorship).

[edit] Comic Adaptation

While the comic based off the movie was largely uncensored, the page depicting The Joker's death had to be redone to match the movie. The rest of the comic, however, wasn't altered. As a result, the rest of the story refers to Joker being shot as opposed to defeated/killed.

ROTJ Page Comparison

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Will Friedle	Terry McGinnis / Batman
Kevin Conroy	Bruce Wayne / Batman
Mark Hamill	The Joker & Mr. Jordan Price
Angie Harmon	Commissioner Barbara Gordon
Dean Stockwell	Communications Engineer Mr. Timothy Drake
Teri Garr	Mrs. Mary McGinnis
Arleen Sorkin	Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn / "Nana" Harley
Tara Strong	Barbara Gordon / Batgirl
Mathew Valencia	Tim Drake / Robin
Melissa Joan Hart	Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee
Don Harvey	Charles Buntz / Chucko
Michael Rosenbaum	Stewart Carter Winthrop III / Ghoul
Henry Rollins	Benjamin "Ben" Knox / Bonk
Rachael Leigh Cook	Chelsea
Frank Welker	Woof the Hyena-Man & Ace the Bathound
Lauren Tom	Dana Tan
Mary Scheer	Mrs. Drake
Vernee Watson-Johnson	Ms. Joyce Carr

[edit] Trivia

Continuity-wise, the movie appears to to be set some time after the Batman Beyond series. Bruce finally takes back full-fledged control of Wayne/Powers, while his past demons are put to rest as he reconciles with Tim Drake. The timing of the main flashback sequence is debatable. However, producer Bruce Timm has reportedly stated that the events in said flashback take place at the end of the current DCAU timeline (post-"Destroyer" and pre-"Rebirth").

The voice of Ghoul was provided by Michael Rosenbaum, who did several voices for the television series Batman Beyond as well as playing The Flash in the Justice League animated series. While in the recording studio, he would often do a Christopher Walken impression that the producers found hilarious. When they were commissioned to create this film, they wrote the part of Ghoul for Rosenbaum's Walken impression.

When Bruce is checking the future-Joker's voice against that of the past-Joker, the clip is a newly animated (but previously scripted) segment from "Holiday Knights", which was the first episode of the redesigned Batman cartoon that appeared on the WB network.

Writer Paul Dini makes a cameo during the first few minutes of the movie.

The second time Terry confronts Tim Drake, he is a hologram. Dean Stockwell, the voice of Drake, played a character who was usually a hologram on Quantum Leap.

The movie marked Matthew Valencia's last performance as Tim Drake / Robin.

Although Harley Quinn was originally set to be killed in the flashback sequence, a short scene near the end of the movie just after the climax features an older woman who resembles Harley Quinn's appearance releasing her Twin grandaughter's, Dee-Dee. When the old woman scolds the two twins, one of them replies: "Shut up, Nana Harley!"

The Orbital Weapon comandeered by the Joker is an homage to the SOL Satellite in the anime and mangas titled "Akira" (just as the bikes that the Jokerz ride throughout the Batman Beyond series are an homage to the Clowns motorcycle gang from the same anime/manga).

[edit] Offscreen

According to an e-mail sent by Paul Dini himself regarding whether the Deeds are Joker's granddaughters, "after the Joker died, Harley (who, in his mind, survived the fall thanks to her heightened stamina - see the first season's 'Harley and Ivy' episode) had no reason to stay in Gotham and left to pursue different adventures (and different lovers) elsewhere. From there the family tree gets sort of fuzzy, but the Deeds are not of Joker issue. More than likely they knew of Nana Harley's old wild and woolly ways and went off to try it for themselves. Winding up with their Nana's old beau was just a happy coincidence." (Quoted from the mail sent by Dini).^{[citation needed]}