For many Bat-fans, the '90s Batman: The Animated Series remains the quintessential depiction of the Dark Knight, and spin-off feature Mask of the Phantasm is widely considered the best Batman movie - live-action or otherwise.
This is at least partially due to Kevin Conroy's superb work as the voice of Batman.
Mask of the Phantasm was re-released on 4K Blu-ray for the first time ever on September 12 to mark its 30th anniversary, and the disc includes a touching tribute to the legendary actor, whose take on the iconic DC Comics hero will go down as one of, if not the best of all time.
I Am The Knight features interviews with Conroy, who sadly passed away last year after a private cancel battle, along with several people who worked with him during his tenure as the Caped Crusader, including Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm, producers Eric Radomski and Paul Dini, and voice director Andrea Romano, along with DC Comics creators such as Geoff Johns and Paul Levitz.
In the video, Timm admits that casting the other roles was relatively simple, but finding the right actor for Batman/Bruce Wayne was a very different story. Luckily, after auditioning thousands of potential candidates, Andrea Romano suggested a Juilliard-trained actor she felt would be perfect for this animated incarnation of the Batman.
Conroy, who had never done any animation voice-acting before and wasn't even very familiar with the character, says he tried a gruffer, darker voice that prompted an immediate reaction to those who were listening outside the recording booth.
Check out the featurette in the player below, and let us know if you plan on picking up Batman: Mask of the Phantasm on 4K Blu-ray in the comments section.
"In this animated feature set in the 1940s, the troubled yet heroic Batman (Kevin Conroy) is pitted against a mysterious figure who is rubbing out Gotham City's most dangerous criminals, and who many believe is the caped crusader himself. Batman's alter ego, millionaire Bruce Wayne, is about to get married to the lovely Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany), who helps him recover from his need to avenge his parents' murder -- meaning that his crime-fighting days may be numbered."
The voice cast also features Mark Hamill as The Joker, Dana Delany as Andrea Beaumont / Phantasm, Hart Bochner as City Councilman Arthur Reeves, Stacy Keach as Carl Beaumont and voice of Phantasm, Abe Vigoda as Salvatore "The Wheezer" Valestra, Dick Miller as Chuckie Sol, John P. Ryan as Buzz Bronski, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Alfred Pennyworth, Bob Hastings as Commissioner James Gordon, Robert Costanzo as Detective Harvey Bullock, and Arleen Sorkin as Mrs. Bambi.