The first official trailer for the DC comics and Warner Bros.' feature film Batman: The Killing Joke has arrived.
The movie's source material, The Killing Joke, is considered one of the most iconic Batman stories ever written. Written by Alan Moore and drawn by artist Brian Bolland, it's right up there with The Dark Knight Returns because of how dark it is and how sinister its villain, The Joker, is. The comic pushes Batman to the brink and features one of the most haunting endings the character has ever been a part of.
But it's also one of the most controversial Batman stories ever written. Batgirl, a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, appears in the story, and is sexually assaulted, photographed, and then paralyzed by The Joker. Her father, police commissioner Jim Gordon, is forced to look at pictures of the assault. Moore later said he regretted the way he treated Barbara in his story.
Batman: The Killing Joke will be the first R-rated movie about Batman. And the trailer hints that it will contain dark, eerie elements from the comic book. The Joker's maniacal laugh is woven throughout; there's also a haunting moment where you see Barbara Gordon and The Joker come face to face. And, of course, there's a confrontation between Batman and The Joker that feels like a madman reasoning with himself.
"Perhaps you'll kill me," Batman says."Perhaps I'll kill you. You know that, don't you?"
Batman: The Killing Joke does not yet have an official release date.
