Actor Kevin Conroy recently offered his reaction to the Batman: The Animated Series callback in The Batman's trailer. The upcoming movie is on track to become an exciting addition to the DC Extended Universe. The Batman will offer a new take on The Dark Knight after Ben Affleck's portrayal in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Though the film had to pause production twice due to the coronavirus, it's been back shooting awhile. Set photos, as well as The Batman's trailer debuted during DC FanDome, have offered hints of what moviegoers can expect when the film releases March 4, 2022.
One of the trailer's most talked about moments shows Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne beating up an enemy before declaring "I'm vengeance." This is a phrase primarily associated with Batman: The Animated Series, uttered by Conroy's character. It's one of the show's most well-known sayings, though the full line is "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman." Viewers noticed the callback, with many appreciating the respect it paid Batman: The Animated Series and Conroy's performance.
Now, the man himself has weighed in on The Batman's use of the iconic phrase. Appearing on Geek House Show recently, Conroy offered his measured reaction:
I don't own those lines, you know what I mean? I have to put my ego aside and I have to accept the fact that there are a lot of actors who are just as good at playing Batman as I am. I think it was kind of brilliant of Warner Brothers to not give the role to one person. I thought it was crazy at first because usually they give a role to one actor and that actor becomes the face of the franchise. So when Michael Keaton started and I thought well he's going to be Batman. Then you got, George Clooney, Val Kilmer, all these different actors, Ben Affleck, who all did it slightly different. They all had a different strength in playing the role.
The actor also shared a comparison to Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger's versions of The Joker, both of which he enjoys. Conroy went on to say, "So it's different actors bring different things. So I love that Robin Patterson's doing that."
Conroy's response to The Batman trailer isn't too surprising, considering his past support of other DC projects. For example, he gamely appeared in The CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths event as Bruce Wayne/Batman of Earth-99. It's clear Conroy recognizes different actors offer slightly different takes on Batman and have to be given license to reinterpret lines that have been used before. It's also worth noting The Batman trailer's callback to the animated series likely only comes from a place of respect and paying homage to beloved other versions of the character. It shows the importance of Batman: The Animated Series in DC canon.
Conroy's mention of actors who have played Batman in the past highlights Pattinson's unique challenge. While other performers had a little time between the last iconic portrayal and their own, Affleck's version is still on moviegoers' minds and will continue to be, thanks to his role in The Flash movie. Hopefully, Pattinson offers his own unique take on the classic DC hero in The Batman, while also honoring actors like Conroy who came before.
Source: Geek House Show
