Batman: The Killing Joke has received an R-rating. Entertainment Weekly broke the news that Warner Bros. would be releasing the straight-to-DVD animated film this fall, featuring the voice talents of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong, and Ray Wise (among others) as they make the darkest tale of the Dark Knight’s battle with the Clown Prince of Crime a reality. The Batman and Joker fight has never been more brutal, more shocking, and more twisted than it was when first presented in an almost Elseworldsesque graphic novel, dropping the Comics Code and garnering a mature rating… something of a rarity even now in this dark and gritty world we call comic books.
Zack Snyder’s Blu-Ray release of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will also receive an R-rating for additional scenes of intense action-related violence. Needless to say, these aren’t your grandparents’ Batman and the Joker… or are they? Only time will tell how well these films do in terms of sales and reception, but it’s sure going to be interesting to see where they are set up in locations like Target and Best Buy across the nation. Superheroes aren’t always for kids. Especially ones who don’t always win.
