Mark Hamill is largely known for two roles, Luke Skywalker and the Joker. Whenever the Joker makes a new animated (or video game) appearance, right away people state that Hamill is the only person that should do the job. Recently when Joker appeared on Batman: The Brave and the Bold, people were pretty clear on what they thought of someone else playing the Joker.

Mark Hamill played the Joker from 1992 to 2004. He's returned to the character for numerous products. He will once again give life to the Joker in the upcoming video game, Batman: Arkham Asylum 2. But will that be his last time?

In an interview with IGN, Hamill talks about how he was hesitant to return for the sequel, thinking they wouldn't be able to top the original. He wanted to go out "on a high note." One interesting comment he made leaves you to wonder if this will be his last time performing as the Joker.

"This will be my last, there's no question about that. But it's the last hurrah."

Does he mean this will be his last time voicing the Joker for a video game or the last time he will voice the Joker period?

As much as I love Hamill's Joker, I don't feel he's the only one that should voice him. I don't go into a rage like some do if it's announced that someone else will provide their interpretation. I do enjoy Jeff Bennett's version on Brave and the Bold and I cannot wait to hear John DiMaggio's take on Batman: Under The Red Hood. I don't understand when people refuse to give anyone else a chance. It would be like saying no comics should be drawn unless your favorite artist drew it.

When it comes to the business side of these projects, there are lots of factors to consider. With Brave and the Bold, maybe Hamill simply didn't want to or couldn't commit to the Joker's few appearances. Perhaps it was a matter of trying to keep the two franchises separate. Kevin Conroy has made several appearances on the show, but as characters other than Batman (as Phantom Stranger and the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh). Hamill has been on the show twice though as the voice of the Spectre.

I can understand if Hamill wants to stop doing the Joker. As he said, it would be nice to go out on a high note. It's good to know that he has such respect for the character and isn't simply willing to jump into the role as long as he gets paid for it. Fans may have no choice but to accept someone else as the Joker.

I completely and deeply respect Mark Hamill for his role as the Joker all these years. He's unique at getting the very essence of the character in each and every of his performances. His contribution to the Batman mythos has been HUGE. If he wants to "retire" now, I wouldn't complain. He has more than earned it :)

NO!!!!

A lot of fans were, shall we say, less than enthused over the casting of Heath Ledger as the Joker. Most were won over when they finally saw the performance. People will embrace a new voice for the Joker when they hear another one they like. It's success won't always depend on Mark Hamill's pipes.

What sucks is when message boards run rampant with people saying new actors suck and whine how it's not the definitive voice actors and refuse to accept any other actor they need to understand that these characters are open to interpretation and that's why they are successful.   
 
The point of Batman characters  in particular is they're open interpretation they are not meant to have one single vision.

I hope he doesn't  retire but I understand if he wants too move on with his life.

Oh good, first to comment.  Let's see, where to start:
 
As far as this line goes:  
 
 "As much as I love Hamill's Joker, I don't feel he's the only one that should voice him. I don't go into a rage like some do if it's announced that someone else will provide their interpretation. I do enjoy Jeff Bennett's version on Brave and the Bold and I cannot wait to hear John DiMaggio's take on Batman: Under The Red Hood. I don't understand when people refuse to give anyone else a chance. It would be like saying no comics should be drawn unless your favorite artist drew it. "
 
This is, in fact, a misconception.  I, for one, have listened to every voice incarnation of Joker, and frankly, all except Mark Hamill suck, so it's rather difficult to make that statement.  Not everyone goes into a rage, or anything of that nature.  The bar has been set to an extremely high level and for a long period of time by Mark Hamill.  He's simply the best Joker voice there is, hands down.  I enjoy Batman:  Brave and the Bold but find the Joker voice actor annoying.  There is a possibility I'll find the voice actor for the Red Hood DVD annoying, but that's hard to say at this point.  I'll give it a listen.
 
It's not a matter of refusing to give anyone a chance.  They are given their chance, and fall flat on their faces.  As far as comics go, the same applies.  If you come to expect a high level in the drawing and rendering of your favorite character, then why not expect that same high level in others?
 
Edit:  Meh, so I wasn't first.  Dodgy net connection

New people open new doors for these characters, simple as that. And his Joker is a classic, but that doesn't mean he can be the ONLY classic :)

Wow, people are very understanding

" I completely and deeply respect Mark Hamill for his role as the Joker all these years. He's unique at getting the very essence of the character in each and every of his performances. His contribution to the Batman mythos has been HUGE. If he wants to "retire" now, I wouldn't complain. He has more than earned it :) "

I think it's Hamill's talent.   His voice-work is so believable and he is just as interesting to watch in the sound booth (link of Hamill working on Darksiders game).   He actually acts out his characters in the sound booth as he's voicing them!
 
 
 
On a tangent, would anyone else like to see Mark Hamill act / voice a Sith Lord?   Age hasn't been too kind to him (he's 58) yet despite that, I can't help but think about how his Joker-voice and Palpatine-esque appearance could create a super-cool Star Wars villain.
 
I'm not trying to be a jerk by bringing up his appearance but rather thinking how to get the man a last hurrah in the franchise that launched him into stardom and to return as an antagonist seems like a rather fun way to do it.   
 
Watch that video link if you don't believe me!

wait isnt he working on directing his own movie???

Can't wait to hear DiMaggio. I loved Mark Hamill but I can understand that he is done with the Joker, he has been doing it for a long time. Thank you Mark.

Looks like it's time to get Arkham Asylum and the sequel to prepare for the grand and well deserved exit/retirement of Mark Hamill's Joker.

  I'd be a little disappointed if this was the last time we hear him as the Joker. He pretty much made that role and is well known in the voice acting community for it. I hate to bring a Star Wars reference into this, but it's almost like Anthony Daniels wasn't doing C-3PO.

 
 
Like you guy, it is more than disappointing, he nailed the role and gave us fans his best he could and if he's leaving the role, then don't you think they'll just get a good enough replacement for him?   

Cant lie, for the longest time I wasn't even aware that Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill was the voice of the Joker.  Its also understandable why fans react negatively when an established voice/character changes but its bound to happen. I admit I was disappointed when Starscream and Megatron weren't voiced by their classic counterparts from the cartoon but it didn't make or break the movie for me. And I'm always disappointed when someone other then Kevin Conroy voices Batman. Joker however seems like one of those characters that anyone with a crazy laugh can pull off, but thats just me.

I just looked up on www.imdb.com and Larry Storch, Agarn from F-Troop was The Joker in the late '60's animated Batman. I wonder if he was the voice of The Joker in the Scooby Doo meets Batman episodes... 
 
I think Mark Hamill's performance as The Joker is incredibly remarkable. It's such a change from Luke Skywalker. Except for Return of the Jedi, maybe... 
 
I wasn't a real big fan of the WB version, The Batman or The Joker on that one. 
 
This latest verion, Batman: Brave and the Bold, seems pretty good. 
 
I'll wait and see on Under The Red Hood...     

Let's hope John D'maggio does good! :D

I think that Hamill said the same thing for the first Arkham Asylum. I can't imagine anyone elsing voicing the Joker. It always seems weird when somebody does. Hamill just has the best version.

As I played through the first Arkham Asylum, I couldn't help but notice an interesting effect: Conroy and Hamill are so firmly imprinted in my mind as Batman and Joker that the use of their voices helps to suspend disbelief.  As I wandered through the game and listened to Hamill's voice taunting through the Asylum loudspeaker, I never once thought to myself "that's someone playing the Joker".  I only thought, "that's the Joker."  Their voices turned Arkham from a really good video game into a full interactive cinematic experience.
 
The same held true for Conroy.  I never once had any trouble recognizing when Batman was thinking or when he was speaking.  I had no trouble separating Thomas Wayne's voice from the others as well.
 
So a tip of the hat to Kevin, Mark, and Arleen too for keeping these characters alive and very much 'animated' for the past 20 years.

Well in this case all I can say is that the characters are timeless, but the people responsible for bringing these characters to life are not. Which is why if Hamill wants to give up the character it's totally his decision, there will be other people who can do just as good a job, or even better!

Maybe he is Retiring from acting. I don't mind someone else taking the role. But, the End? I bet Mark Hamill deserves a well needed vacation, from acting.

I don't Mind someone else as the Joker. Mark Hamill has gave inspiration to other actors to play the Joker. 

This also doesn't mean its his last Voice over work either.  Just the last time he will play the Joker.  And we will get other talented voice over artists for different Joker jobs.
He also was the Fire King guy from Avatar (Airbender), the buisnessman who turned Victor Freize into Mr. Freeze, the Specter, as well as many others all over different cartoon shows.

Thats a shame, he was great.

Hamill is Joker

I am completely open to someone else voiceing the Joker, but Mark Hamill made his mark almost 18 years ago & people just can't picture (or listen) anyone else play the part.

I know I get excited when I heard Mark play the Joker & espcially when Kevin Conroy plays Batman. I feel that Kevin is THE BATMAN, no one can replace him...nor Mark Hamill for the Joker.
People hate change & I hate it as much as anyone but I guess you just have to be open minded about that. I understand that he can't voice every Joker episode or game but I hope this will not be his last time.

I'm pretty bummed about it 
Mark's brought something really special to the character 
and I think a lot of kids in their 20's now hear his voice in their head any time they think about the Joker at all 
he was great on Avatar: The Last Airbender too, for a little as he had to say for the most part

still a shame 
he IS the voice of insanity........but in a good way?

I'm as old-fashioned as the next guy, which refusing to hear someone other than Mark Hamill as The Joker. But if Heath Ledger could top off Jack Nicholson's rendition, then it's time to give John DiMaggio a chance to see if he can top off Mark Hamill's legendary performance.

THANK YOU!!!!
 
I'm so sick of people typing a rage because Kevin Conroy of Mark Hamill wasn't hired to play Batman and the Joker. They don't even give the other actors a fair chance, once the role is announced and it's not one of the two, people freak out. 
 
How about a little more variety in our voice actors? Anyone who thinks Kevin Conroy or Mark Hamill should be the ONLY actors to voice Batman and Joker should think of it this way. Don't you think that if Batman was voiced by the same guy over and over and over again you'd eventually get sick of him? it's like eating your favorite food, if you eat nothing but your favorite food your eventually going to get sick of it and want something else.

Mark Hamill is a legend.

Hamill’s done his thing as the Joker but in the end, we’ll get over it. No one can play a role forever!!! 

I always preferred him as Cock-Knocker, if you ask me.lol

That's too bad. He does it so well.

Mark Hamills Joker is on the same scale as Nichlson and Ledger

oh god he cant go! he's freaking awesome!