Liam Neeson’s recent comment on the internet about his return has raised eyebrows for the audience, as it seems like the actor is not in a rush to play a villain in Matt Reeves’ Batman franchise. The Irish-born actor who played Qui-Gon Jinn in the first episode of the prequel Star Wars trilogy, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, moved forward with his role as Ra’s Al Ghul, which appeared in the 2005 film Batman Begins.
During his interview about his return to the world of superheroes, he answered fan questions as well. As fans waited to find out if Liam Neeson would reprise his role in Batman 2, Peter Safran and James Gunn have revealed their ideas for movies and TV projects based on comic books. On October 3, 2025, The Batman 2 will debut. It will be set in DC Elseworlds, which has a different chronology from the one Safran and Gunn are creating.
To which his response to it really upset the audience as Neeson went on to briefly explain about him not being interested for this sequence. He quoted “No, I’ve already done that in Batman Begins with Christian Bale,” he said. “I was Ra’s Al Ghul. He wasn’t really a bad guy. He was trying to reorganize the world as it needs to be organized.”
Liam says it would be ‘odd to play another villain’
As per Neeson’s response, it seems like the actor had his share of screentime with the movie Batman and would rather look for other aspects to feature than a villain. As Liam Neeson noted, he has already played a significant role in the Batman film series, providing Christian Bale’s Dark Knight with his first foe in the shape of his former mentor Ra’s al Ghul. Naturally, the character had some ups and downs during his role as Ra’s al Ghul, and after portraying one Batman villain, it would be odd for him to play another one, even if it were in a new Batman franchise. It would still result in a monotonous appearance, which Neeson seems to avoid, which is what we can take from his response.
ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 29: Kevin Conroy talks onstage to promote Warner Bros. Animation’s ‘Justice … [+] League Vs. The Fatal Five’ at WonderCon 2019 on Day 1 held at Anaheim Convention Center on March 29, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
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Everyone reading comics imagines the voices of the characters in their own heads. But for the generations that came of age in the wake of Batman: The Animated Series, which began airing in 1992, which first aired aired for 85 episodes on Fox Kids from 1992-1995, the intimidating timbre of the Dark Knight was pegged to one man: voice actor Kevin Conroy. Warner Bros. confirmed that Conroy died Thursday after a battle with cancer at age 66.
Conroy graduated from Julliard and began his acting career in the late 1970s with various roles in front of the camera, but truly found his voice behind the microphone when he took the dual role of Bruce Wayne and Batman for the groundbreaking WB animation series produced by Bruce Timm, Tim Reuger and Eric Radmoski. The show took its immediate cues from the then-current Batman live action franchise films directed by Tim Burton, but the creators’ vision extended back to the early history of the character and, for many fans, captured the essence of Batman’s appeal.
Conroy’s voice was the glue that held it together as he modulated between easy-going Bruce Wayne and the clenched and intense growl of Batman. Apparently it took him a handful of episodes to hit his stride. Once he did, it was impossible to imagine anyone bringing as much gravitas to “I am vengeance… I am the night… I am Batman!” than Conroy.
“Kevin was perfection,” said Mark Hamill, who leant his voice to the iconic version of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and beyond. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”
Conroy voiced the character in dozens of animated series, feature films, video games and other media over three decades, while becoming a popular figure on the convention circuit. In 2019, he finally got to bring his definitive Dark Knight to a live action portrayal of the aged Bruce Wayne in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” episode of the CW series Batwoman.
Conroy, who was gay, wrote about his experience with the character in a story called “Finding Batman” in DC Comics’ Pride Anthology. He is survived by his husband, Vaughan Williams.
Gotham Knights came out a week ago and I’ve found it exceedingly difficult to find anything to love about the open-world loot brawler. Red Hood’s snickerdoodle recipe, maybe? The latest Batman game borrows from a ton of other, mostly better rivals, and struggles to craft a clear identity in the process. Kotaku’s Levi Winslow also spent the last week trying to save Gotham city from feuding gangs and supervillains, and the two of us sat down to try and hash out what the game does well, what it does poorly, and all the ways it left us confused.
Levi Winslow: Ok. So, like, I feel Gotham Knights is a bifurcated game, something that has two separate identities living within itself. First, there’s the narrative action-adventure stuff where you’re solving crimes, meeting the villains, beating up goons before getting a cutscene taking you back to The Belfry. That is a solid gameplay loop. Then you hit the open world. I don’t dislike it, There’s some enjoyment in grapple-hook-jumping from one rooftop to another, but the RNG RPG-ness of it, the Diablo-like nature to the unnecessary loot grind, makes for some of the most tedious parts of the whole game. What do you think? How do you feel about the linear narrative juxtaposed with the open-world grind?
Ethan Gach: I’m incredibly underwhelmed by both so far. Everything just fits together so awkwardly, and I mean everything. The individual scripted cutscenes? Great. Love ’em. Completely fine. But everything else, going room-to-room in a story mission, crime-to-crime in the open world, and even enemy-to-enemy during the big brawls, all just feels rough and uneven and not good. Like you could describe the back-of-the-box bullet points of this game, and I’d go, sure, that sounds fine. It’s not the new Arkham I want, but I love the Batman comics, I love the universe, lets go jump off some rooftops and solve some mysteries. And yet almost nothing in this game feels actually good to do in my opinion.
Screenshot: Warner Bros. Games / Kotaku
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Levi: Can’t argue with you there. The gameplay is especially clunky and imprecise. I don’t mind the combat. It isn’t as smooth as Marvel’s Spider-Man or as impactful as the Arkham games, but it definitely carries more weight and feels way better than Marvel’s Avengers, which is the closest comparison I could give. Like you said, something about it all just feels off and awkward. I really can’t stand the stealth and how sticky and slippery the characters are. You wanna open this chest after busting some skulls, but you gotta stand in this exact spot to trigger the contextual button input. Deviate from it just a little bit, like barely even a centimeter, and the prompt will disappear. Or you’re perched on this ledge to scope the area, looking for some stealth takedowns but, whoops, you accidentally flicked the left stick forward and now your vigilante has just jumped off and lands in front of the enemies you were trying to stealth. It’s frustrating.
Ethan: Yeah I basically haven’t even bothered with stealth for that reason, especially because the rest of the incentives feel like they are pushing me toward just complete chaos. Who have you been playing as? I’ve rotated every mission, but so far I think Red Hood is my favorite, mostly because he feels the most substantial and least slippery. Batgirl is a close second.
Levi: Lol, I’m just a perfectionist who wants to complete all the challenges. So when it’s like “Perfect whatever number stealth takedowns,” I’m like, “Bet.” But yeah I started with Nightwing, then switched to Batgirl, who’s been my main ever since. She’s just so OP, it’s insane. I’ve heard Red Hood is pretty good so I’m gonna have to give him a try. What do you think of Robin? Considering how frustrating stealth is, I couldn’t imagine playing him because of how stealth-focused he is. His bo staff’s looks cool.
Screenshot: Warner Bros. Games / Kotaku
Ethan: There are too many big enemies and dudes that will come at you from off-screen, to the point that I just didn’t want to bother with Robin after the first time I tried him. I also really don’t like Gotham Knights’ version of the character. I’m a huge fan of The Animated Series’ take on Tim Drake, and this feels more like a weird cross between Spider-Man’s Peter Parker and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s Cal Kestis, if that makes any sense.
I also don’t really feel any compulsion to grind, which is weird, but I think mostly stems from just how diffuse everything is. There are not nearly enough villains in this world to beat up to sustain an entire upgrade and crafting loop.
Levi: Very that, both on Robin’s timidity and the unsatisfying number of villains in the open world. Gotham here truly feels lifeless. Sure, there are citizens wandering the streets and GCPD patrolling their headquarters (or getting bullied by some dudes), but there’s no energy to the city. I know I compared Gotham Knights to Marvel’s Avengers—which I admittedly did like for a hot minute—but I can’t help but wanna play Marvel’s Spider-Man every time I’m protecting Gotham. There’s something about the bland color palette and the sameness of the districts that strips Gotham of its character.
Ethan: I think the city itself looks cool, and I like the way they tried to play off the four heroes’ iconic color palettes with the neon lights and how steam and fog hang on the skyline. But I also kept thinking of Spider-Man, mostly because I was always frustrated I couldn’t chain the grappling hook together like I was web slinging.
Screenshot: Warner Bros. Games / Kotaku
I think a large part of that is how much space you have to cover because of how scattered the actual things for you to do are. I would have preferred a much smaller but denser section of the city than having to hopscotch around all the dead space. Usually, open-world games thrive on constantly finding things on the way to your objective that distract, intrigue, and send you down an entirely separate rabbit hole. Here it really does feel like moonlighting as an Uber driver in the worst-paved metropolis in the world.
Levi: Yeah, like, there really isn’t a whole lot to do in this world. And what’s available to do is incredibly repetitive: Go here, beat up some guys, check out a clue, escape before GCPD shows up, rinse and repeat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m having fun dominating dudes as Batgirl. But the fun isn’t as satisfying as in other, better superhero action games that have come out recently.
Ethan: I also feel like the game is in a very weird place tonally. Batman’s family is left to figure out what their relationships are without him to orient them, but they are all pretty unfazed by the actual fact that he’s dead. And despite the dramatic premise, things get off to a very slow start. I will say I prefer aspects of Gotham Knights’ gameplay to Marvel’s Avengers’—whose combat felt indistinct and very much in the licensed game bucket—but the way the latter was shot felt like a much better approximation of the feel of the MCU than Gotham Knights is for the DCU.
Screenshot: Warner Bros. Games / Kotaku
As a Destiny guy who loves a mindless gameloop I can sink into at the end of the day, I thought I was primed to see the glass half full in Gotham Knights, but that’s just not what’s happened.
Levi: Same. I really wanted a mindless loop that offered solid gameplay with an intriguing story, and Gotham Knights misses the landing. There are good elements here, don’t get it twisted. The combat is fine, serviceable actually. And the sometimes tender, sometimes tense moments between characters during cutscenes is captivating. But the actual meat and potatoes of the game, the core gameplay loop, just isn’t as satisfying as I was hoping. I’ll finish it, though. I’ve completed Nightwing’s Knighthood challenges to get his Mechanical Glider, so I gotta do the same for Batgirl. And I wanna play some co-op to see just how untethered the experience is, but I can’t imagine thinking too much about Gotham once I finished the story. It isn’t sticking in the same way Marvel’s Spider-Man did.
Maybe that’s an unfair comparison, but truly, in my head canon, Gotham Knights is somewhere between Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Avengers. It’s fine, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily a good spot to be in.
Screenshot: Warner Bros. Games / Kotaku
Ethan: I’m still only about halfway through the game, but feeling much less generous. It’s an indecisive mix of a bunch of games without any one solid thing to hold onto. The co-op that I’ve tried so far is very decent overall, and I think certainly sets a kind of standard for games like Far Cry—which have traditionally struggled with multiplayer that feels consistent and rewarding—to aim for.
But man, every aspect of the Batman mythos recreated here feels like it’s done better elsewhere. Maybe when the four-player mode comes out it’ll be closer to the 3D brawler it should have been. At this point I almost wish it were a live-service game. At least then there might be a shot at a better 2.0 version a year from now.
Levi: Right? Gotham Knights certainly feels like it could’ve been a live-service game. I’m hoping that four-play co-op mode Hero Assault extends to the open-world stuff too. There are four heroes. This game should be chaotic as hell, kinda like that underground Harley Quinn mission with that punk rendition of “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” That, so far, has been the most memorable part of the whole game.
Image: Warner Bros. / Devolver Digital / Bandai Namco / Innersloth / Kotaku / Mia Stendal / Bibadash (Shutterstock)
On an average day, my friends might ask me how my job is going. I’ll smile, tell them “It’s going great,” and then launch into a story about one of the most fucked up things they’ve ever heard of. And now I get to give the recap to you.
Spooky season is upon us, but the chronically online gamers at Kotaku know that terrifying shit is happening in our space all the time. It’s not just the games that are occasionally horrifying—it’s also how the industry grinds humans into dust, how giant corporations are increasingly looking to put the screws to the average consumer, and how abuse of power comes as no surprise.
Some of the spookiest gaming news stories this year are sad. Some of them are funny. Others will make you want to pull your hair out over the general state of the world. But hey, me too! Let’s be scared and [some other unidentifiable emotion] together!
Pierce Brosnan officially joins the DC Films Extended Universe with his upcoming portrayal of Doctor Fate in “Black Adam.” During a “Tonight Show” chat with Jimmy Fallon, however, he revealed he was once nearly cast as Batman — until a “stupid comment” cost him the job.
“I went up for ‘Batman’ way back in the day when Tim Burton was doing it and obviously I didn’t get the job,” he told Fallon. “I remember saying something stupid to Tim Burton. I said, ‘You know, I can’t understand any man who would wear his underpants outside his trousers.’”
Fallon feigned pity to audible laughter from the crowd when quipping Brosnan “had to settle for James Bond” and cheekily told him he was “so sorry” for the hardship. Brosnan graciously said “the best man got the job” in reference to Michael Keaton’s casting in Batman (1989).
At the time, Brosnan was still eking his way into Hollywood and largely nabbing TV parts. His role in the crime series “Remington Steele” caught the attention of Bond producers, however, who were searching for the next actor to helm the franchise after Timothy Dalton’s run ended in 1989.
Despite Brosnan regretfully recounting his comments to Burton, he conquered the silver screen by storm a few years later. His “GoldenEye” (1995) debut as 007 was a critically-acclaimed box office smash that led Brosnan to portray the secret agent in three more installments until 2002.
“For me, it was trying to walk a line between Roger [Moore] and Sean Connery and not being shy about taking from their work,” he told GQ. “I allowed myself the grace to try and get the sense of humor that both men brought to the part.”
Three decades after ruining his chance to play Batman, Brosnan is donning a cape alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s character of Black Adam. Brosnan told ET Online that Doctor Fate was a man who “traversed the ages of time” — which the 69-year-old actor himself continues to do beautifully.
Prime 1 Studio is excited to present the 1:3 Scale UMMDC-02: Bane Versus Batman DC Comics Statue
Press Release –
updated: Aug 7, 2019
TOKYO, August 7, 2019 (Newswire.com)
– This is a new statue by Prime 1 Studio — a Japanese company designing and manufacturing collectible products.
Bane is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books, published by DC Comics; he made his debut in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1. Bane was forced to become a test subject for a mysterious drug known as Venom, which nearly kills him at first, but he survives and finds its effects enhance his physical strength. He needs to take it every 12 hours via a system of cables pumped directly into his brain.
The dynamic battle between Bane and Batman is considered one of the most popular ones from the past comics. Two strong men fighting in the rain. The dramatic scene features Bane’s Venom spreading all over Batman’s body.
This amazing piece is a must-have for all DC Universe fans.
Details:
Product Name: BANE VERSUS BATMAN (DC COMICS)
Product Retail Price: Regular version – $1699.00 US, Exclusive version – $1749.00 US
Approximate Release Date: August 2020 – December 2020
The DXS Bonus Version includes the A4 Size Art Print Hand-Signed by Lee Bermejo. Limited to 300 pieces.
Press Release –
updated: Jul 26, 2019
TOKYO, July 26, 2019 (Newswire.com)
– Founded in 2012, Prime 1 Studio is a Japanese company designing and manufacturing collectible products. Prime 1 Studio is excited to present the Batman Damned Statue designed by no one else but the incredibly talented Lee Bermejo, an American comics artist best known for his collaborations with writer Brian Azzarello, including the graphic novel.
Lee Bermejo’s Batman Damned design is very dark with stunningly realistic features. Even the base is specially designed by Mr. Bermejo, featuring Joker holding a gun.
The DX version of Batman Damned Statue includes a total of four alternate Portraits and one Head Stand. The DXS Bonus Version includes the A4 Size Art Print Hand-Signed by Lee Bermejo.
LOS ANGELES, June 12, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– With the summer travel months approaching, it’s imperative that children’s car seats are checked for proper installation. The CDC reports that car seats reduce infant injuries by 71 percent and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger vehicles. Another way to reduce the chances of serious injury in the event of a crash is by having the child sit properly in their car seat, and that is where KidsEmbrace comes in.
When it comes to keeping kids safe in the car, certain things are a must, and properly installing a reliable car booster seat should be at the top of the list. Additionally, no matter how hard they try, many parents have problems getting their kids excited about sitting in a car seat, let alone sitting still in it.
KidsEmbrace has made its mark on the car seat industry by offering safe products that kids want to use, and parents approve of, and offers something that other car seat companies can’t – excitement and the desire for a child to want to get buckled in. The Company has been offering unique character-themed car seats, while “Making Safety Fun”, since 2010.
Another way KidsEmbrace delivers value to parents is by providing information on how to properly install car seats. “Our entire staff at KidsEmbrace are Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians so that we can make sure we practice what we preach. We encourage all parents and caregivers to thoroughly read their manuals for each car seat the child transitions to, and to also visit safekids.org for the most up to date car seat safety information,” says Vincent Mastrangelo, COO for KidsEmbrace.
“Car seat safety is important and with 59 percent of car seats reportedly being improperly installed, our car seats are not only fun, they’re heroic, as they help draw attention and allow us to deliver the important message of just how vital proper installation is. A woman’s post went viral on Facebook after a KidsEmbrace car seat, which was properly installed by the caregiver who happened to be her sister, helped prevent her 4-year-old nephew from having any serious injuries as he walked away with only a bruise on his cheek (see picture). The accident was so serious that the boy’s mother was in a wheelchair for 3 months but luckily she was able to find comfort knowing her son was completely unharmed and likely because she had properly installed her KidsEmbrace Batman Car seat,” says Mastrangelo.
This car seat was the Winner of the 2017 and 2018 Family Choice Award. Nominated for a 2018 LIMA Award, it was also given the prestigious Amazon Choice label, indicating it is a best-selling product in its category and warranted by its countless 5-star reviews.
The KidsEmbrace Combination Car Seats are available in many different styles, including DC Comics and Marvel superheroes as well as Disney Princesses and a few of your favorite pups from Paw Patrol. They’re the seats kids love to be in, and parents approve of. The full selection can be seen at the KidsEmbrace online store or all your popular online retailers.
For proper car seat installation guidelines, always refer to the manufacturer’s full manual and visit SafeKids.org for the most up-to-date information.
Updates Include Chrome Browser Extension, “Nerdlebrity” Influencers, CollectorCast Podcast, and YouTube Channel Launch
Press Release –
updated: Sep 22, 2017
NASHUA, N.H., September 22, 2017 (Newswire.com)
– Collector culture is growing at an exponential rate, and online collector hub Gemr (pronounced with a soft “g” because they’re a real gem) is quickly emerging as the preferred community for people to collect, connect, discover, expand, and immerse themselves in the things they love. Since their relaunch in March of 2017, Gemr’s user base has expanded to over 100,000 collectors with a diverse range of interests, due in large part to an aggressive marketing campaign combined with a bi-monthly site and app updates based primarily off of user feedback. Most recently, Gemr has begun an expansion into officially branded club experiences with the launch of the Loot Anime Club, a partnership between the collecting hub and subscription box service Loot Crate.
In anticipation of the upcoming Batman Day on Sept 23, (with the help of Gemr’s Chief Marketing Officer Chris Gore’s alter-ego @BatChrisGore) Gemr is hosting a giveaway that even Bruce Wayne would love to get his hands on: A Blu-ray Batman ’66 TV series boxed set signed by the original Batman and Robin, Adam West and Burt Ward. All Bat-fans of Batman are eligible to win, provided they click the contest link (below), join Gemr, and join the Batman Club. The lucky winner of what’s guaranteed to be the crown jewel of any Batman collection will be announced Monday evening on Gemr, via email, and via Gemr’s social media accounts.
The goal really is to create the ultimate community platform for collectors, brands and influencers. Traditional social channels are full of noise, lacking in collector specific features and are taking an ‘all things to all people’ approach, which ends up diluting the experience. We’re built from the ground up to solve problems for collectors, influencers and the brands that they know and love. Gemr Clubs provide a platform for very focused communities around a collecting interest and are packed with features.
Tom Bennett, CEO
Gemr is thrilled to pair the giveaway with the official launch of a new user-created club feature, with the most active being the aforementioned Batman Club. Thanks in part to our favorite caped crusader, platform engagement is growing yet again, as users have the ability to create specific clubs based on their personal collecting niche and curate their own communities within Gemr. CEO Tom Bennett chose to prioritize user-created clubs to fill a void left by the generalized approach to collecting from competitor’s sites, as well as the frustration many brands and artists have found in trying to overcome the Facebook algorithm that often necessitates spending a significant amount of money in order to communicate effectively with fans via “boosted” posts. Gemr’s user-created and officially branded clubs are a completely free and uncomplicated way for brands, artists, and creators to stay connected with (and sell to) their followers in a meaningful way — a move that has been very well-received by the Gemr community.
“The goal really is to create the ultimate community platform for collectors, brands and influencers,” said Bennett. “Traditional social channels are full of noise, lacking in collector specific features and are taking an ‘all things to all people’ approach, which ends up diluting the experience. We’re built from the ground up to solve problems for collectors, influencers and the brands that they know and love. Gemr Clubs provide a platform for very focused communities around a collecting interest and are packed with features. Collectors, influencers and brands are telling us they need and want. With clubs, you create the experience, you control the experience, and you’re not paying for access to the audience you work so hard to build.”
In addition to the user-created club experience, Gemr has debuted several new features and updates in the past month that have vastly improved and supported the platform experience. They include:
“Gemr: Collect It!” extension available in the Chrome web store that allows users to save webpage images to their Gemr collections in a simple Pinterest-reminiscent click.
“Nerdlebrity” influencers, including custom lightsaber artist Rob Petkau, doll collector Bu Pias, and Star Wars enthusiasts and YouTube celebrities The Cancrizans, who display their collections and interface with fans and fellow collectors on the site and via YouTube.
Gemr CollectorCast podcast on SoundCloud, with host Jeff Tucker tackling a different collector culture each week along with expert guests.
In addition to these new initiatives, Gemr has also recently launched an official YouTube channel featuring original content for collectors, including weekly shows and special documentary-style spotlights on items and collections of note. Additionally, Gemr is also producing a wealth of independent coverage for collector-focused events such as the recent San Diego Comic-Con International, for which they have over 40 videos on the channel.
Gemr is a social community and online marketplace (think Facebook meets eBay) for people who love collecting. Launched in 2015, Gemr provides collectors with all the tools they need to easily pursue their collecting passions online. From antiques to vintage and pop-culture collectibles, Gemr is the premier platform for collectors to share what they love. Visit Gemr at Gemr.com.
