In its bid to become one of the most popular DC Comics animated films of all time, Batman: The Killing Joke just got a second night of theatrical screenings.
The movie was already one of the largest screenings for Fathom Events, which organized theatrical showings of the film, bringing it to over 1,000 theaters across the U.S. However, demand for the movie continued to increase, so Fathom recently set up a second night of screenings for fans.
Batman: The Killing Joke will now play on both July 25 and July 26 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time. Fans wishing to see the film can check the Fathom Events website for the nearest theater.
Batman: The Killing Joke takes inspiration from a popular 1988 graphic novel of the same name, one that still tops sales charts 20 years after its release. The story offers one of the most in-depth looks at the psychology behind the Joker, one of Batman's most infamous villains. In The Killing Joke, the Joker does everything he can to torment Jim Gordon, even going so far as to cripple his daughter, Barbara.
The special theatrical showing will also include an introduction by Mark Hamill, who voices the Joker, as well as a documentary about the actor and his passion for the project. Fans attending theatrical screenings will also get some behind-the-scenes footage of Hamill as he records a song and dance number for the Joker that will appear in the movie.
"When he performs as the Joker, he is so inhabited by this other force — no pun there," Mike McCuistion from Dynamic Music Partners — the team behind the movie's music — said. "The three of us were working on the song, and I happened to be on the stage with him, and just every fiber of his being, every hair on his arms, his eyes, the whole thing, like his body is the Joker and he's building it in a performance voice. I don't know where it comes from, but it is chilling and it is fantastic."
Batman: The Killing Joke also brings back many of the voice actors from Batman: The Original Series, including Hamill as the Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman. The film's executive producer is Bruce Timm.
Parents should note, though, that Batman: The Killing Joke is a dark story, and the movie itself is rated "R."
