The role of the Joker is popular with actors due to the character’s history, depth and the mere challenge of tackling the villain’s persona and psyche. Jack Nicholson, Cesar Romero and Heath Ledger (who posthumously won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance) all reveled in the Joker’s madness.

Now we can add Michael Emerson to the list, as he's signed on to provide the voice for Batman’s arch-nemesis in the animated film, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2.

The job will be a change of pace for Emerson, known for his Lost and Person of Interest roles, but it is one that the actor welcomes. Courtesy of TV Guide, Emerson said:

"He’s one of those great villains that an actor like me likes to play because he has layers - he has a face for the world and a face for himself.  He is, in a way, a villain who is a natural actor. All of that is delightful and confounding at the same time."

Emerson, an Emmy-winner in his own right, joins a talented voice cast that includes Peter Weller (RoboCop) as Batman, Ariel Winter (Modern Family) as Carrie Kelly, the first female Robin, and Mark Valley (Human Target) as Superman.

The animated Batman films have been a success as straight-to-DVD releases due, in part, to the popular comics from which they are based, but also to the success of Christopher Nolan’s megahit Dark Knight franchise. With the Nolan series now concluded, the animated versions give Batman fans something to look forward to.

Batman in The Dark Knight Returns

The story of The Dark Knight Returns animated movie, an adaptation of Frank Miller’s DC Comics series, chronicles Batman’s reemergence in Gotham City after a decade disappearance and of course, includes another epic showdown with his rival, the Joker.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 will be available on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download on September 25th. Look for Part 2 on DVD and Blu-ray sometime early next year.

-

Source:  TV Guide