We recently had the satisfying experience of seeing Kevin Conroy appear as a live-action Bruce Wayne for the first time, as part of the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event on The CW. The actor, who has been the voice of Batman in multiple animated features and video games, and surprised some fans with the particularly dark version of the character he played in the Arrowverse, has long been keen to do more with the role. Having already shown his enthusiasm for returning to the Arrowverse, Conroy has now expressed an interest in bringing back Batman Beyond.
The actor spoke to ComicBook.com recently about how the animated format solves the problem of his co-star Will Friedle reprising the part, saying:
“I don’t think people age as much vocally; I think he can still do Batman Beyond. He could do Terry McGinnis as a voice job. I don’t know how young he can make his voice sound, but you know Lauren Lester, who still does Robin sometimes, is a lot older than Will Friedle, so it’s just a question of how your voice ages. I would love to work with Will again, because we worked so well together. He’s a great guy.”
The original Batman Beyond animated series ran for 52 episodes between 1999 and 2001, and has since been fleshed out in various media, primarily in DC Comics. A new animated or live-action take on the material is something Conroy has been touting for some time. While promoting his role in “Crisis,” the actor put out the idea of a live-action adaptation of the material, as well as a television series set within the Arrowverse.
Of course, there’s plenty of source material for a sequel or reboot of the original animated series, including a currently running DC comic that has recently introduced its version of Batwoman. The idea of a Batman Beyond movie also appears to have been in some form of development at Warner Bros. since at least 2013, so it may be a question of when and not if it will happen. Based on what we’ve heard, one option for a live-action film could involve bringing back Michael Keaton as Batman. As for Conroy, his turn in “Crisis” showed how an older Bruce Wayne could look in a future-set Dark Knight story.
Tell us, though, what form would you like a new Batman Beyond to take? As ever, let us know in the comments section below.
