Mark Hamill to Retire His Joker Role

The Joker is without a doubt Mark Hamill’s most well known role since Kenny Dantley in Corvette Summer. But according to an interview with IGN, he will hang it up for good after the upcoming Arkham Asylum 2. Having played the role of the Dark Knight’s arch nemesis for 12 years, he loved it so much that he became very protective of the character.

But Hamill was reluctant to sign up for the sequel, saying: “My answer to [developers Rocksteady] for the sequel was, ‘Guys, we’re never going to be able to top the original.’ It was so claustrophobic. There were so many abilities like the stealth mode, and all those things you can do with the new technology. I wanted to be able to say I’d gone out on a high note.”Interestingly enough he said something along these lines when approached to do the original Arkham Asylum. When he was informed that writer Paul Dini and [voice of Batman] Kevin Conroy were involved in the project he relented and found it to be an enjoyable experience.

Hamill agreed to reprise his role after developer Rocksteady reassured him and told him what they were going to do with the sequel. Regarding information about the game, he is “sworn to secrecy.” His remarks about the fate of the Joker in the second game are ominous: “This will be my last, there’s no question about that. But it’s the last hurrah.”

The interview also talks about his role as Christopher Blair in the Wing Commander series, his brief stint as Wolverine, and his plans to direct the movie version of his comic book, The Black Pearl. Hamill also commented on the late Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker in The Dark Knight: “I was flattered they came back to me, especially after being blown away by Heath Ledger’s incredible and novel take,” he says. “He was the most joyless Joker. Not a hint of theatricality; he was almost like a heroin addict. It never would have occurred to me, and that’s why it was so delightful and surprising. I was glad I got on and got off before that happened.”