Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000) (V)

Director:

Curt Geda

Writers:

Paul Dini (screenplay)
Paul Dini (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The joke's on you!

Plot:

Bruce Wayne's supposedly long dead archenemy mysteriously returns to wreak havoc.

Plot Keywords:

Mentor | Clown | Secret | Twin | Shootout

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Will Friedle	...	Terry McGinnis / Future Batman (voice)
Kevin Conroy	...	Bruce Wayne / Batman (voice)
Mark Hamill	...	The Joker / Jordan Price (voice)
Angie Harmon	...	Commissioner Barbara Gordon (voice)
Dean Stockwell	...	Tim Drake (voice)
Teri Garr	...	Mary McGinnis (voice)
Arleen Sorkin	...	Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn / 'Nana' Harley (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Barbara Gordon / Batgirl (voice)
Mathew Valencia	...	Tim Drake / Robin (voice)
Melissa Joan Hart	...	Delia Dennis / Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee (voice)
Don Harvey	...	Charles Buntz / Chucko (voice)
Michael Rosenbaum	...	Stewart Carter Winthrop III / Ghoul (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Woof the Hyena-Man / Ace the Bathound (voice)
Henry Rollins	...	Benjamin Knox / Bonk (voice)
Rachael Leigh Cook	...	Chelsea Cunninham (voice) (as Rachel Leigh Cook)
Ryan O'Donohue	...	Matt McGinnis (voice)
Lauren Tom	...	Dana Tan (voice)
Vernee Watson-Johnson	...	Mrs. Carr (voice)
Mark Jonathan Davis	...	V.R. Newsman (voice)
Mary Scheer	...	Mrs. Tim Drake (voice)
Andrea Romano	...	Joker Jr. (voice)
Bruce W. Timm	...	Guard (voice) (as Bruce Timm)

Directed by
Curt Geda

Writing credits
Paul Dini		(screenplay)
Paul Dini		(story) &
Glen Murakami		(story) &
Bruce W. Timm		(story) (as Bruce Timm)
Bob Kane		(creator: Batman)
Jerry Robinson		character: The Joker (uncredited)

Produced by
Alan Burnett	....	producer
Paul Dini	....	producer
Jean MacCurdy	....	executive producer (as Jean Maccurdy)
Shaun McLaughlin	....	associate producer
Benjamin Melniker	....	executive producer
Glen Murakami	....	producer
Bruce W. Timm	....	producer (as Bruce Timm)
Michael E. Uslan	....	executive producer (as Michael Uslan)
Teruhisa Yahaji	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Kristopher Carter

Film Editing by
Joe Gall

Casting by
Leslie Lamers

Art Direction by
Makoto Shiraishi

Production Management
Bonnie Buckner	....	post-production supervisor
Akira Shimizu	....	production manager
Osamu Taniguchi	....	production manager

Art Department
Hiroyuki Aoyama	....	storyboard artist
Ted Blackman	....	background key designer
Ted Blackman	....	property designer
Ronaldo Del Carmen	....	storyboard artist
Curt Geda	....	storyboard artist
Toshihiko Masuda	....	storyboard artist
Shayne Poindexter	....	property designer
Bob Smith	....	storyboard artist
Bruce W. Timm	....	storyboard artist
Keith Weesner	....	background key designer

Sound Department
Gregory Beaumont	....	sound effects editor (as Greg Beaumont)
George Brooks	....	sound effects editor
Linda Di Franco	....	adr editor
Linda Di Franco	....	dialogue editor
Kelly Ann Foley	....	adr supervisor
Robert Hargreaves	....	sound designer
Robert Hargreaves	....	sound re-recording engineer
Robert Hargreaves	....	supervising sound effects editor
John Hegedes	....	adr dialogue engineer
Mark Keatts	....	adr editor
Gary Marullo	....	foley artist
Tom Maydeck	....	adr dialogue engineer (as Thomas J. Maydeck)
Tom Maydeck	....	sound re-recording engineer (as Thomas J. Maydeck)
Pat Rodman	....	assistant sound engineer (as Patrick Rodman)
Pat Rodman	....	foley mixer (as Patrick Rodman)
Mako Sujishi	....	synth recordist

Animation Department
Vincent Bassols	....	animation timing director
Jan Browning	....	animation checker
Brenda Brummet	....	animation checker
Eleanor Dahlen	....	animation checker
Geno DuBois	....	ink and paint supervisor
Shane Glines	....	character designer
Gregory Hinde	....	animation checker
Karl Jacobs	....	animation checker
Toshihiko Masuda	....	animation director
Glen Murakami	....	character designer
Bruce W. Timm	....	character designer (as Bruce Timm)

Editorial Department
Artin Aghamalian	....	color key
Bradford Keatts	....	colorist (as Bradford H. Keatts)
Bradford Keatts	....	supervising on-line editor (as Bradford H. Keatts)

Music Department
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	music contractor
Diane Griffen	....	music editor
Nathaniel Levisay	....	music copyist
Michael McCuistion	....	music arranger
Michael McCuistion	....	orchestrator
Larry Rench	....	orchestrator
Patti Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Other crew
Ana Arce	....	copier/shipper
Martin Crossley	....	copier/shipper
Christopher Keenan	....	development and creative supervisor
MacGregor Middleton	....	production coordinator
Keiko Oyamada	....	associate director
Andrea Romano	....	voice director
Bill Ryan	....	copier/shipper
Dane Taylor	....	production technology
A.J. Vargas	....	production coordinator
Star Wirth	....	copier/shipper
Ryan Jeremy Woodward	....	title designer: main titles

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Animation (presents)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Warner Home Video
• YTV

Other Companies

• DC Comics  characters based on
• Eric Stonerook Music  music preparation
• Modern VideoFilm  video post-production facility
• Monterey Post Sound  sound recording and post-production facilities
• Rhino Records  soundtrack
• The Music Team  music contractor

Also Known As:

"Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker" - Europe (English title) (cut version)
"Return of the Joker" - USA (informal English title)
"Batman of the Future: Return of the Joker" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence (director's cut) (2001)

Runtime:

74 min (original release) | 77 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Brazil:Livre | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Germany:6 | UK:12 | USA:Not Rated (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (director's cut) (2001) | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG (VHS version)

Company:

Warner Bros. Animation

Trivia:

Cameo: [Paul Dini]appears during the course of the movie, mainly the first few minutes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Batman calls Ace on the Joker, the satellite system is damaged. It shows the Jolly Jack warehouse and the beam on the same map. The beam is heading at a very steady rate and would have arrived long before the end of the fight.

Quotes:

Batman:He's tough. Any suggestions, boss?
Bruce Wayne:Joker's vain and likes to talk, he'll try to distract you, but don't listen. Block it out and power on through.
Batman:Wait... I like to talk, too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Justice League: Epilogue (#4.13)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker End Title

'Batman' has never been so good!

I do not know why this was a direct-to-video release. It was very exciting and I think it would have done pretty well in theatres. I rented BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER because I love the BATMAN BEYOND television show and I loved BATMAN BEYOND: THE MOVIE. The first couple of scenes seemed a little too much like the television show, but as soon as I saw the new Joker, I knew this was going to be Batman like we have never seen him before. This was so different from the show in so many ways and had such great animation. It was a fast-paced animated thriller. It was intense. I loved it. A few days later, I bought it on DVD and listened to the filmakers' commentary. I had no idea that so much work was done on this movie in such a short time. Sadly, none of the filmakers' mentioned the cuts that were made by Warner Brothers due to the amount of violence. I think it would be really interesting to see the footage that was cut from the movie. Hopefully, Warner Brothers will come out with a version that contains the cut footage some day. Until then, I'll just enjoy the movie the way Warner Brothers released it. It is one of the best animated movie I have ever seen. I hope there are some more BATMAN BEYOND movies in the future.