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Posted on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 at 08:47pm by Paul (ral)
Dark Knight Returns animated adapation announced

You know how you always thought the idea of a Dark Knight Returns screen adaption would be the best thing ever? In a few months your wish will be granted...twice!

Warners and DC are splitting up the adaptation of the one of the most influential graphic novels of all time into two animated features titled Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 and Part 2. The first movie will be released this autumn with part 2 released in early 2013.

Warner Bros. have also announced the voice cast for The Dark Knight Returns' adaption..and their choice of actor for the title role is nothing short of inspired (for various reasons). Peter Weller (Robocop) will star as Batman/Bruce Wayne. Inspired I say, mainly due to Frank Miller's connections to Robocop.

Also in the cast are Modern Family’s Ariel Winter as Carrie Kelly (Robin), David Selby (Dark Shadows TV series, Falcon Crest), Wade Williams (Prison Break) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face and Michael McKean as Dr. Wolper.

“Dark Knight Returns is the granddaddy of beloved comics properties that we’ve ever attempted (to adapt),” said Bruce Timm, who has exec produced all of DC’s animated movies. “There is definitely the imperative to get it right.”

On the voice front, Timm described Weller a having “the proper weight to his voice. He definitely brings all of the world-weariness of the character and inner core of optimist covered in a cynical shell.”

Winter says she prepared for the role by seeing other Batman movies and asking, “How can I maker her different from the other Robins, other than just being female? She’s really tough and she needs to have an edge in her voice so I tried a lower register for her.”

Jay Oliva will direct. Jay previously directed sequences of Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and storyboarded Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman movie Man of Steel. Bob Goodman, a writer on many other DC cartoons, wrote the script.

    
    
 

The Dark Knight Returns is set in a near future where Batman is retired and Gotham City has slid into a dystopian state ruled by a gang of hooligans called The Mutants. The 55-year old Bruce Wayne is forced to don the cape once more, this time partnering with a female Robin to not only stop the Joker but keep the peace when the city falls into chaos after being hit by an electromagnetic pulse.

It set a violent and realistic tone in superhero comics and served as a big influence on Tim Burton's and Christopher Nolan's Batman movies.

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