Star Wars legend Mark Hamill has become synonymous with The Joker since first playing the Clown Prince of Crime in Batman: The Animated Series. He reprised the role in a number of animated TV shows and movies, later lending his voice to the character in the Arkham trilogy of video games as well.
The actor was joined in all of those by Batman actor Kevin Conroy, with the duo viewed as the definitive Dark Knight and Harlequin of Hate in the eyes of most fans.
Sadly, Conroy passed away last year following a brief battle with cancer. His final performance as Batman will be heard in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but just as the late actor's time as the hero is over, Hamill has now confirmed his own days as The Joker are likely behind him.
The news comes our way courtesy of Screen Rant, with the site sharing an excerpt from the latest issue of Empire Magazine in which Hamill strongly suggested he can't face playing The Joker again without having Conroy by his side.
"They would call and say, 'They want you to do the Joker,' and my only question was, 'Is Kevin Batman?' If they said yes, I would say, 'I'm in.' We were like partners," he recalls. "We were like Laurel and Hardy. Without Kevin there, there doesn't seem to be a Batman for me."
Hamill's take on The Joker is downright iconic, and we can't help but be sad to think he won't lend his voice to the villain again. It's been a while, though, because aside from brief appearances in various projects, the last time the actor played The Joker in a starring role was in 2016's Batman: The Killing Joke.
There's always a chance he could be tempted back, but the news of Conroy's passing hit Hamill hard last year, so we're not surprised the character is one he can't face returning to at the moment.
Would you want to see Hamill play The Joker without Conroy's Dark Knight alongside him?