Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker

Welcome back to Wheel of Film, where we spin through cinema’s most iconic, overlooked, or downright wild titles—and today, we’re diving deep into the animated darkness of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Released in 2000, this direct-to-video DC film bridges the brooding legacy of Bruce Wayne with the cyberpunk future of Terry McGinnis. When the Joker mysteriously resurfaces decades after his supposed death, Terry must unravel a decades-old conspiracy and confront the deepest trauma of Gotham’s original Dark Knight.

Directed by Curt Geda and written by Paul Dini, Glenn Murakami, and Bruce Timm—three titans behind DC's animated renaissance—the film features standout voice work by Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis, and a chilling return from Mark Hamill as the Joker. With a budget of around $3 million, Return of the Joker garnered critical acclaim for its mature themes, sleek animation, and surprisingly dark turns for a “kids” movie.

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