The Joker's Most Famous Voice Returns To Video Games
It's been a while since we've gotten to hear Mark Hamill as the Joker, but the beloved voice actor and pop culture icon is back. The latest character reveal trailer for "MultiVersus" just gave us a look at one of DC's greatest villains, who's joining the game's stacked roster when it officially releases on May 28. The trailer shows Batman making his way through a cloud of fog and a crowd of fallen "MultiVersus" characters before the Joker (complete with Hamill's unmistakable voice) steps forward for a fight.
Up until now, there was pretty good reason to think that we'd never hear Hamill's Joker again. He previously said he was done playing the Joker after longtime Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy died in 2022. The two played against each other for years, appearing together in projects ranging from "Batman: The Animated Series" to the "Batman: Arkham" video games. Hamill essentially built his version of the character around Conroy's Caped Crusader, and he's said in recent years that he only agreed to continue playing the Joker in projects that also featured Conroy's Batman.
With that in mind, we really should have expected Hamill to show up at some point. Conroy recorded lines for Batman in "MultiVersus" before his death, and the game just wouldn't feel right without Hamill sneaking in there. And so, the iconic duo are back for one last bittersweet outing.
Remember MultiVersus?
"MultiVersus" is a platform fighting game — in other words, it's like "Super Smash Bros." with Warner Bros. characters. Developed by Player First Games, "MultiVersus" spent a year in open beta from July 2022 to June 2023.
"MultiVersus" picked up some glowing reviews during that time, with the general consensus being that it was the rare platform fighter that could easily stand on its own two feet, rather than a simple "Smash" clone with big characters attached for the sake of a cash grab. Sure, there's a premium currency system and some of the usual annoyances you'd expect from a free-to-play game, but "MultiVersus" is a genuinely engaging brawler that makes excellent use of its characters. That fact alone just makes everyone even more excited to play as the Joker when the game officially launches.
Aside from the actual mechanics, the characters are the biggest selling point for any fighting game, and the "MultiVersus" roster is wild. Shaggy fighting Batman? Check. Bugs Bunny and the Scooby gang? Of course. Characters from "Adventure Time," "Justice League," and "Rick and Morty" in an all-out melee? Go for it. If it weren't for the Mark Hamill of it all, the Joker's appearance in the game might not even be noteworthy. However, fans are beyond excited to have him back, even for just a little while.
Batman (and Joker) Returns
Fans have actually suspected that Hamill would be in the game for quite some time. "MultiVersus" already had Kevin Conroy's Batman, and dataminers discovered some of Hamill's voice lines as far back as September 2022. The two actors recorded their lines years ago, and it was one of the last opportunities they had to play these characters together, along with rumored roles in this year's animated film "Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths – Part Three."
Even though the announcement seemed inevitable, it's still good to have confirmation that Hamill really is coming to the game, especially since he gets to share scenes with the dearly departed Kevin Conroy. Sure, there's a slim chance that he'll get talked into voicing a few lines for "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League" (also featuring Kevin Conroy), but we aren't holding our breaths. This year will probably mark the last time we'll ever get Hamill's Joker, and that's really the way it should be.