Hey folks, Harry here... For additional information about the cuts made to BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER click below. In the last 17 hours or so, there have been a great many additional sources contacting me about what has happened. It seems the entire blame for what has happened to BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER falls upon the lady in charge of the WB Kids network... This according to multiple sources. In addition, WB KIDS it seems is going to completely drop BATMAN BEYOND despite good ratings and critical praise. WB KIDS seems to be leaving the Warner Animation group out in the wind right now. This is why JLA is going to the Cartoon Network. While Dini hasn't been available for comment on all of this as of yet, it seems that the complications on BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER were symptoms of a larger problem. The butchered print of BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER might very well end up being the last work we see out of the Dini/Timm WB animation team. I know from previous conversations with Dini that he has a screenplay at New Line entitled MILLION DOLLAR HEROES and of course we all know he is working with Boaz and Alan Burnett on the BATMAN BEYOND live action feature film. Also, he is rumored to be developing his Jingle Belle character into a feature or television franchise, with multiple production houses vying for the property. As for Timm, development continues on his JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA animated series at the Cartoon Network. More details as they arrive. In addition it is beginning to look highly unlikely that Warner Brothers plans on releasing the uneditted BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER even in an exclusive style manner. It should be clarified though that the uncut version was never rated... and for those that have seen it... there is no way it would have received anything stronger than a PG. All of this trouble has been for NO GOOD REASON AT ALL! This is a major financial folly for Warner Brothers... seemingly shooting a goose that laid nothing but golden eggs. Here's the latest....
According to a reliable source, Batman beyond looks to be over at WB.
Here are the reasons stated:
More news as it develops.
As usual, please credit to www.Searth.net/wfnews
You should also be made aware that the existing cut is being released UNRATED... this is in fact the butchered copy and not the original uncut film. Currently there are ILLEGAL copies being sold on ebay and through Hong Kong VCD merchants and it seems that in the newsgroups and online film trading circles the pirates are making the film available in its complete form for download. These copies are sure to be of inferior sound and visual quality... but they are uncut. I can not endorse the pursuit of this, the only true artistic vision of RETURN OF THE JOKER, because that would be wrong. So I am warning you not to seek them out. Rumors have it that ebay types are selling their copies and because of demand they are fetching over $100 a piece... over 4 times the issue price. One thing is for sure... there is certainly a demand for the alternative copy of the film. If only Warner Brothers Corporate will realize it, and understand the CHRISTMAS PROFITS THEY ARE LOSING WITH THIS FIASCO. This is a tragedy.
