This won't be a Batman animated movie to watch with your children as Entertainment Weekly is exclusively reporting BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE will be R-rated.
“From the start of production, we encouraged producer Bruce Timm and our team at Warner Bros. Animation to remain faithful to the original story — regardless of the eventual MPAA rating,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation & Warner Digital Series, in a statement. “The Killing Joke is revered by the fans, particularly for its blunt, often-shocking adult themes and situations. We felt it was our responsibility to present our core audience — the comics-loving community — with an animated film that authentically represented the tale they know all too well.”
Based on the classic 1988 one-shot graphic novel, by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland, of the same name, it is widely regarding as the definitive Joker story in the DC comic book universe. Kevin Conroy is the voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman, Mark Hamill is the Joker and Tara Strong wil be Batgirl / Barbara Gordon.
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE will have its world premiere at San Diego Comic-Con International this summer and will arrive in stores later this year.
