Hey folks... I'm getting and have been getting a ton of feedback about the delay of the BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER dvd... and tons of speculation that Warners is 'butchering' it or that there were production problems and on and on and on. The letter you see from Ghibli-San below is typical of the letters I have been receiving. I do know Paul Dini... and about 2 weeks ago I called him to find out what was happening... as that was when I very first heard about the delay. Paul was not at liberty to be able to discuss what was going on. It has been delayed till I believe December 12th (day after my birthday!). Paul wouldn't say a word to me about the film, the subsequent dvd or anything concerning the release of RETURN OF THE JOKER. His sole words concerning this were "NO COMMENT." Having read his script a few months back, I do know what elements made me concerned that there MIGHT be some studio entanglements concerning the film. BUT I DO NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHAT THOSE MAY BE. If Paul's script is what was filmed... I can say that in the day of the HAYS CODE, it would have passed with flying colors as... anyone that had committed evil or wrong... is punished. But we now live in a world of unspoken rules and regulations where writers, directors, actors... the creative types don't have a set of rules... until they have finished... and that is when the world from up above strikes down upon them. Let us hope that as little as possible is done to this dvd or... at the very least... that we may eventually see a complete untouched COLLECTOR'S EDITION that won't be marketed to children but to us adults (who technically buy most of this stuff anyway!)

Harry, please please please find more out about this, but I've heard that they are holding back the Batman Beyond DVD to CUT OUT SOME OF THE VIOLENCE!! (it was reported on DH)NOOOOOOOOO PLEASE DON'T LET THEM WATER DOWN THE GODDAMNED MOVIE!! NOOOOO!! I know you are friends with Paul Dini, I saw you guys hangin' out at the San Diego Comic-Con, please contact him and find out what the FUCK is going on!! Make sure those bastdards don't censor the goddamned movie!! We need this!! Besides, little kids won't be buying it as much as us the true fucking geeks!!

Ghibli-San on aicn