Batman has always been one of the edgier heroes of the DC Universe. His stories usually take a dark turn as he battles through the crime-infested alleys of Gotham. The same was also seen in the Batman Beyond storyline, where his successor, too, faces similar challenges, albeit in a futuristic setting and the old Batman himself as the mentor.
However, it is quite a difficult task to adapt complex and dark storylines as these for young children; the targeted demographic of Warner Bros’ animated content back in the day. Animator Bruce Timm, who grew up idolizing Batman, was the perfect person to create a series on The Dark Knight, which extended into the future as Batman Beyond with Bruce Wayne’s protege Terry McGinnis. Timm would also go on to make several animated films for DC, one of them being the controversial Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker.
However, not everything was hunky-dory for the animator, as his taste for authenticity and edgier stuff didn’t always sit well with the studios.
Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker Debuted With a G-rating After Cuts
Bruce Timm‘s animated films and shows were very popular with the young population back in the day; Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series are prime examples of that. The original story of Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker film was way different and darker than what was presented in the first published content, which irked Timm a lot. In an interview with World’s Finest and Toon Zone, he accepted that his OG script wasn’t really “kid-friendly,” and added:
“Well, I’d probably be a little less adamant about pushing for such edgy material … the bottom line is that the home video dept. markets their cartoons directly at children.”
While he does accept that the film had to be toned down for the little impressionable minds, the edits did leave a bad taste in his mouth.
Despite getting an R-rated Cut, Bruce Timm Wasn’t Happy
Eventually, Warner Bros. would also go on to release Bruce Timm’s original cut with an R-rating for older audiences. Fans themselves were shocked at how different it was from the G-rated version, and while it was still a win for DC fans, Timm was still reeling with the after-effects of having his art being chopped down in the first place. He said in the same interview:
“I mean, ultimately, it all worked out; they got the “age-appropriate” version they wanted (kind of!), and we fans eventually got the nastier version WE wanted, but that whole editing and re-editing process that we went through was torture. Like cutting the fingers off your own baby.”
Bruce Timm’s utmost dedication is evident in all of his projects, which can also be seen in the R-rated version of Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker. Despite the massive cuts that left the film without its soul, Timm would go on to collaborate with DC on more than one occasion, such as Superman Doomsday and Justice League: Gods and Monsters, which were also adult-oriented. Timm’s works are still among the favorites of DC fans worldwide, which have cemented his legacy as an animation legend.
Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker is available for streaming on Max.
