Kevin Conroy Calls Christian Bale's Batman "Over the Top"

Kevin Conroy Calls Christian Bale's Batman "Over the Top"

The man who has portrayed Batman longer than any other actor, often called the "true" Batman by fans, is back in Eidos' Batman: Arkham Asylum video game!

News
By bsprecher - Aug 30, 2009 08:08 AM EST
Filed Under: Video Games
Source: The Escapist

Voice actor Kevin Conroy has often been referred to as the "true voice of the Batman" after his many years breathing life into the animated Dark Knight. Conroy returns to the role that he is most famous for in Eidos' Batman: Arkham Asylum video game, which recently was awarded the Guinness World Record for "Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever."

Also returning to the Batman universe is Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill as the Joker. About Hamill, Conroy said:

"I think Mark created the definitive 'crazy' Joker. There's no question Heath Ledger gave an unbelievable performance in The Dark Knight as a scheming, anarchist Joker. But Mark perfected that fun, insane character."

Conroy wasn't as kind to Christian Bale, however. He said:

"I thought Christian was excellent as Bruce Wayne, but I didn't understand his choices (with his portrayal of Batman). I thought it was over the top and distracted from his scenes as Batman. I'm not sure what they were going for there. But, what do I know?"

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mounted88
mounted88 - 8/30/2009, 8:07 AM
interesting acticle. I pretty sure he was just following the script. But i dont know either
Shadowelfz
Shadowelfz - 8/30/2009, 8:12 AM
Maybe he was referring to his voice being over the top?
Bijous
Bijous - 8/30/2009, 8:13 AM
He must be talking about that gravelly voice that Bale puts on when he talks as Batman. I thought it was cool, but that dude who was trying to be Green Lantern said that it killed his audition...
bsprecher
bsprecher - 8/30/2009, 8:18 AM
Not that he's not entitled to his opinion, but it's pretty risky to criticize Bale when you work for the same company, considering how much money that guy has brought in.
answer
answer - 8/30/2009, 8:37 AM
Just got the game yesterday and I love it!!!

@Brent, I sent you an email earlier if you wouldn't mind reading it I would really appreciate it. Cheers.
comicb00kguy
comicb00kguy - 8/30/2009, 8:47 AM
I know that I'm in a very small minority here, but I find Bale's voice as Batman in TDK to be really distracting and annoying. He sounds like he swallowed a big pond full of bullfrogs mixed with a voice earned by smoking five packs of unfiltered Camels a day for thirty years. I was waiting for the Joker to reach in Batman's mouth and pull out a bag of marbles. I don't recall Bale doing this voice so much in Batman Begins. Why change it? One negative element in a fine film.

Conroy's Batman voice on the other hand, has a menacing "you're THIS close to getting your ass kicked" quality to it. There's a reason he's respected as the definitive voice of Batman by so many fans. He could do Batman reading the phone book and make it sound bad-ass.

All of which leads to a question: Is the Arkham Asylum game coming out for PC? I don't play many games anymore, but that one I'd like to check out.
Pym
Pym - 8/30/2009, 8:48 AM
Kevin Conroy is right about not knowing anything. Christian Bale's Batman actually exists in a world where if he's interacting with Bruce Wayne's voice (who is a bit of a celebrity mind you) he's going to be identified immediately. He masks his voice so that people have no idea who he is. Kevin Conroy's Batman sounds exactly like his Wayne. People are just attached to him because of repetition. They are so used to hearing him do the voice that they just automatically identify it as sounding the way Batman should anymore. Same with Hamil's joker, which is essentially the same as his Trickster impersonation and just as lousy as his voice for Wolverine.
answer
answer - 8/30/2009, 8:52 AM
@Marvel, Kevin Conroys Batman voice is differnt to his Wayne voice especially if you watch the first couple seasons of TAS!

@Comikb00kguy, It's out for the PC, Xbox and PS3! It's so good!!
Sektos
Sektos - 8/30/2009, 8:52 AM
I love Kevin's batman, but i do feel that some time his voice just doesnt have enough energy behind it, i would never be afraid of him (THOUGH when he gets really serious then i can see why crim's would wet themselves)


Bale does a great job at both, and he is a different take on the character for me. I actually like his gravely voice which, along with the all black suit and scowling cowl, really makes him seem like some one more than human. It also differentiates him from Bruce wayne very well. I will agree that its alittle too much, but its not Bale's fault. Bale's natural accent is closer to his Character in Prestige, which REALLY shows how well he can put on accents.
Gideon
Gideon - 8/30/2009, 8:54 AM
Conroy hit that nail right on the head. I can't stand the way Bale talks in both "Begins" and "TDK." You can tell he is just trying way too hard. I get that he would have to try and mask his voice when talking as Batman, but Bale just does a horrible job of it.
Bijous
Bijous - 8/30/2009, 8:55 AM
@MarvelStudios: I think you have a good point about him having to change his voice because of his celebrity status (and the fact that a lot of the cops he interacts with know him as Bruce Wayne). If Brad Pitt were running around in tights fighting crime in real life, he would need a full-face mask and a distinctly different voice to not be recognized. I think that's a major problem with the Superman movies. I mean, they even made light of it in Superman Returns.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 8/30/2009, 8:55 AM
I know what he means about the voice. It didn't bother me really or take away from my enjoyment of the movie but he really did go overboard with the gravel.

That being said, i think Conroy is being very unproffesional here:)...yeah, Im bringing it back!
Bijous
Bijous - 8/30/2009, 8:58 AM
@Ror: Yeah, kinda unprofessional if you ask me. I mean, the guy is a voice actor. I'm sure he wouldn't want Bale criticizing his voice.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 8/30/2009, 9:03 AM
Why cant all these BATS get along lol! ; D

HAMILL for TRICKSTER! ; ) (Okay a little X-MEN 3 going on, but HAMILL needs 2 be bk in the movies dammit).
thedon786
thedon786 - 8/30/2009, 9:07 AM
bale rebooted batman movies
SoulAllFlush
SoulAllFlush - 8/30/2009, 9:10 AM
hahaha hahaha @ the people being defensive over Bale

Sorry, but Batman Begins and Dark Knight are fantastic film, but it's despite of Bale not because of him.

Conroy is a great voice actor and it's just a shame the talented voice actors are always over looked in rubbish blockbusters like AstroBoy, I think when it comes to matters of voice acting you can probably trust Conroy in relation to Batman.
Runefyst
Runefyst - 8/30/2009, 9:11 AM
I also think that Bale's voice was a bit too gravely in TDK. I found that in Begins it was fine, he spoke more in a.....whisper? That's not really the best way to describe it, but his voice wasn't really gravely it was good.

On a different note, if you havn't played Arkum Asylum yet, do yourself a favor and play it! ESPECIALLY if you're a Batman fan. :)
longbowhunter
longbowhunter - 8/30/2009, 9:29 AM
I love Bale as Batman, but I cant disagree with Conroy on this. The voice really didnt bother me like it did some folks. Its interesting to hear what the fan favorite Bat-voice actor has to say about this though.
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 8/30/2009, 9:34 AM
If he mean't Christian Bale's voice, then I agree with him.
dbzfan
dbzfan - 8/30/2009, 9:46 AM
I personally don't like Bale as batman. I guess he's okay as Bruce Wayne but you can't really mess that role up. I've always preferred Kevin Conroy as Bats and Mark Hamil as Joker.
dancingmonkey08
dancingmonkey08 - 8/30/2009, 9:53 AM
Kevin is a legend as Batman and I do believe he is the only true Batman. I like that last part where he said "what do I know", well Kevin by now you probably know a LOT about playing Batman so your opinion on Christian Bale's Batman being "over the top" is very valid, mostly because of that damn "oh no, I have eaten a lot of sandpaper" voice. I like the whole idea of Bruce having a different voice as Batman, it makes sense and its an idea more superheroes should use but does Christian have to put on such a rediculous deep gravelly voice that we can't understand. It was great in Batman Begins especially in the bit where he says "Its what I do that defines me" but in The Dark Knight it sounded like he was barking like a dog. Apart from that, I love Christian as Batman

Nice article Brent
HAQ
HAQ - 8/30/2009, 10:04 AM
@MarvelStudios: co-sign fully
NataliaRomanov
NataliaRomanov - 8/30/2009, 10:23 AM
I think Bale was just trying to make a Batman that put the fear in his enemies. It was scary! (Of course, the scariest was when we saw him the way the drugged-out Scarecrow saw him in the first movie. Yikes!)
tazmaniak
tazmaniak - 8/30/2009, 10:55 AM
"I know that I'm in a very small minority here, but I find Bale's voice as Batman in TDK to be really distracting and annoying."


As much as I enjoy the new Batman movies, Bale's Batman "whisper growl" really is distracting.It's probably the one complaint I have with the series.It really boggles the mind that no one involved with the production of the film found a problem with it, because it's so jarring when he does the voice, that it takes me right out of the movie.I completely lost during the scene where Batman was questioning the Joker about Rachel and Harvey.When he was asking "Where are they?", while becoming increasingly angry.It just sounded ridiculous.I also find it odd that no one else has brought it up, yet.Maybe he should have mimicked Conroy.
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 8/30/2009, 10:57 AM
Jealous.
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 8/30/2009, 11:00 AM
Conroy sounds like a cartoon character from the 50's.
NataliaRomanov
NataliaRomanov - 8/30/2009, 11:14 AM
Ever dance with the devil by the pale moon light?
TheREALHumanTorch
TheREALHumanTorch - 8/30/2009, 11:20 AM
I think he's just jealous that Bale is getting all that money...both voices are perfect for batman...my only thing is that i can't get over the fact that (bale's performance) the caped crusader talks with a guttural lisp...lol...Batman...with a lisp?! lol...don't believe me...watch TDK or Batman Begins...you'll hate me for pointing that out if you haven't noticed it yet.
NataliaRomanov
NataliaRomanov - 8/30/2009, 11:21 AM
supermarioworldE
supermarioworldE - 8/30/2009, 11:24 AM
Maybe batman's voice was the reason why TDK didn't win the Oscar for best picture.
TheREALHumanTorch
TheREALHumanTorch - 8/30/2009, 11:24 AM
hahahaha...yea Natalia...i love this vid of the interrogation spoof...did you see the second one..the one with the joker crashing the party scene? that one is good too...this one is better though..lol
Bijous
Bijous - 8/30/2009, 11:25 AM
@Nat: Awesome find! I never saw that before!
jimthefan
jimthefan - 8/30/2009, 11:27 AM
the voice dident bother me in tdk but i also agree with many people that it was better in begins....perfect in begins
BizzaroMike
BizzaroMike - 8/30/2009, 11:51 AM
I always imagined Batman with a voice like Bale puts on. It's meant to be a scary, violent and angry side to his personality, much like Rorschach in Watchmen. At least i always thought that.
BryEL
BryEL - 8/30/2009, 11:52 AM
Yeah, yeah, Bale is a good Bruce Wayne, thanks to American Psycho, but I you gotta admit it, he's a terrible Batman, accept the facts.
Tobuttica
Tobuttica - 8/30/2009, 11:58 AM
I wonder what the interviewer asked him? That damn media is always skewing things to make them look negative, especially in type where you can't tell the inflection in a person's voice. Maybe he was being sarcastic, but we will never know.
KillerOfSaints
KillerOfSaints - 8/30/2009, 12:00 PM
The guy that played thre Tick should have been BATMAN
LukeStar
LukeStar - 8/30/2009, 12:06 PM
I think Bale's voice was what I really imagined Batman's voice to be. I do think his voice could've been a little less gravelly (if that's a word).
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