'Batman: The Killing Joke' Coming to Theaters for One Night Only

Kristen Santer
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Batman: The Killing Joke, the R-rated, animated (but not-for-kids) tale based on the gritty graphic novel by Brian Bollard and Alan Moore, will hit the big screen for one night only before its home video release. On July 25, select theaters nationwide will show the film at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. The locations will be revealed when tickets go on sale June 17 at Fathom Events.

Related: Batgirl Gets a Prologue in the Upcoming ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’

Actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and The Joker from Batman: The Animated Series; series veteran Bruce Timm returns as executive producer. Hamill has been waiting for this opportunity for a while. For instance, watch this interview from Comic-Con 2011, when the actor, who began in the role for Animated Series in 1992, cited Killing Joke as the one Joker story he’d been aching to do.

Watch Mark Hamill talk about his return to Joker role for ‘Killing Joke’:

Batman: The Killing Joke zeroes in on the life of The Joker from his start as a struggling comedian to his first encounter with Batman, including his escape from Arkham Asylum and his unhealthy pursuit of Commissioner Gordon. Fans can also expect several exclusive features, including a special introduction from Hamill, a documentary about his casting in the film, and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of The Joker’s song and dance number.

Related: Leto, Nicholson, Ledger, Hamill: What It’s Like to Play the Joker

Batman: The Killing Joke is the second DC feature to receive an R rating, after the extended Blu-ray/DVD version of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Of the rating, Warner Bros. Animation & Warner Digital Series President Sam Register said in a statement, “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. 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.”

Batman: The Killing Joke will be released digitally on July 23, followed by the deluxe edition and combo pack discs on Aug. 2.

‘Batman: The Killing Joke’: Watch the trailer: