By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

These days, DC’s animated movies are considered some of the best in superhero cinema. For decades, these films have provided both original stories and killer adaptations of beloved superhero comics. Even when the live-action movies were pretty awful (like most of the DCEU), these movies provided the deep characterization and whiz-bang action that every comic fan craves. A quarter century ago, though, Warner Bros., nearly drove their biggest fans away when they created Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000), a nearly perfect comic book movie.

The controversy surrounding Return of the Joker had nothing to do with its quality. You see, the film was so brutal that the studio demanded that it be censored, subsequently releasing a much crappier version of the film on home video. Once the uncensored version leaked online, fans demanded to know why WB tried to keep us from seeing something so cool. Later, they released the better version, but you don’t have to take out your bat-wallet to see it. It’s currently streaming for free on YouTube, and this film is a must-watch for any fans of Batman: The Animated Series.

Somehow, Batman Returned

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker takes place in a futuristic Gotham City. Bruce Wayne has long since retired as the Caped Crusader, but he’s mentoring a new Batman: Terry McGinnis, a high school student whose father was killed by a criminal. Terry fights a new generation of super-criminals because most of Bruce Wayne’s rogues’ gallery are dead and buried. This includes the Joker, which is why Wayne is so surprised to see the Clown Prince of Crime alive and well, leading a gang in some high-tech heists. Unless two generations of Batman can figure out who this costumed criminal is, he’ll unleash a deadly weapon that will transform all of Gotham into a smoking crater.

Compared to shows like Batman: The Animated Series, Return of the Joker is shockingly brutal. There are vicious fight scenes and some vivid violence, like the sight of an unconscious Bruce Wayne with blood all around his body. However, the most notorious scene is a prolonged flashback that features (spoilers, sweetie) a young Robin getting tortured by the Joker. Afterward, the brainwashed young man shoots and kills his captor, meaning that we see Batman’s most famous foe die onscreen.

A Real Massacre Made Studio Executives Nervous

The movie was set for a fall 2000 release, but Warner Bros. got nervous about the violence in the film because of the Columbine High School massacre of 1999. Accordingly, they heavily edited the film and sold this neutered version of Return of the Joker to fans. But after an uncensored version of the film leaked online, the fandom became very well aware of what the studio tried to take from them. After two years of petitions and angry internet posts, WB caved in and began selling (and later streaming) the uncensored version of the movie.

It was a mistake for Warner Bros. to censor Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker; the dark tone is arguably the best thing about this film. It was designed for the fans who had grown up watching Batman: The Animated Series and wanted something a little more serious, and it delivers on that idea in spades. The Joker is deadlier than ever, engaging in the kind of vicious hijinks that could never be broadcast on network television. This includes everything from torturing the Boy Wonder to killing his own henchmen whenever they displease him.

A Darker Villain For A Darker Era

Unlike in DCEU films such as Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, this never comes across as tryhard, edgier storytelling. Instead, the dark tone effectively serves the basic premise of the movie as a whole. Gotham City is darker and meaner than ever before, and even its greatest hero is tainted by sins that are only now coming to light. Is it any wonder the city’s greatest villain is more brutal than ever before? Thanks to its jet-black tone, Return of the Joker is the perfect bridge between the relatively lighthearted Batman: The Animated Series and the serious, live-action perfection of films like The Dark Knight.

The voice work in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is simply outstanding. Will Friedle dazzles as Terry McGinnis, reprising his role from Batman Beyond. The same can be said for Angie Harmon, who is all gruff business as the older Barbara Gordon. Together, they try to fight a Joker gang voiced by some surprisingly big names, including Henry Rollins, Michael Rosenbaum, Melissa Joan Hart, and Frank Welker (TV’s Megatron!).

Of course, the big draw of Return of the Joker is witnessing Kevin Conroy voice the elderly Batman and Mark Hamill voice the back-from-the-dead Joker. For superhero fans of a certain age, these two are the most definitive actors for their respective characters. While each would go on to voice these characters again (including in the excellent Arkham games), this is arguably their most definitive onscreen pairing. It also provides a canonical finale to their endless struggle, making this vintage film a must-see bit of superhero cinema.

Do You Have The Stomach For This Movie?

Long story not very short, this movie has a little something for every kind of fan. If you’re already a fan of Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, this movie serves as a perfect coda to those two series. If you’re somehow not a fan of those classic DCAU shows, don’t worry. This film is almost shockingly accessible to newcomers, and it functions just as well as a standalone tights-and-flights adventure as it is a foundational cornerstone of Batman mythology. Plus, like the new Batman’s cloaking ability, this awesome film is just a click away!

Currently, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is streaming for free on YouTube. It’s a perfect animated adventure for older fans looking for a more serious take on the most famous hero and villain of the comic book world. If you have young kids, though, you should go ahead and tuck them in before you fire up this unrated Batman adventure. Otherwise, your children might grow up to be a bit like the Caped Crusader: absolutely haunted by a killer clown for the rest of their lives!

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker SCORE