As reported by The Wrap, Kevin Conroy will be taking on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in the upcoming ArrowVerse crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths. Conroy is best known as the voice of Batman in the Batman: The Animated Series and he's been playing the role for more than three decades in various projects, but never in live-action. That's all set to change later this year.
The news was initially announced by The CW at the TCAs. Just to seal the deal, Conroy took to Twitter to confirm the news personally. Have a look.
Few details are available regarding this year's ArrowVerse crossover, but it's shaping up to be quite the event. Not only will all of the DC shows on the network be included, but several major guest stars have already been announced. Outside of Kevin Conroy, it was previously confirmed that Brandon Routh will be suiting back up as Superman. Routh previously played the part in Superman Returns.
For those who may not be familiar, Crisis on Infinite Earths is one the most famed storylines in the history of DC Comics. It spans across the multiverse. The legendary Marv Wolfman and George Perez were behind the book, which was published between 1985 and 1986. Most of DC's major characters from that era are included in the story.
Per Good Reads, here's a synopsis of the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline.
"Trapped in a timeless limbo, Barry Allen, the Flash, can only watch in silent and helpless horror as, one by one, countless universes fade from existance in order to feed the insatiable need for power of the Anti-Monitor, a being from the anti-matter universe of Qward. Under the guidance of the Monitor, his benevolent opposite, the super-heroes and villains of all realities are brought together for a last, desperate stand against the forces that promise the literal end of all existance."
It could be argued that the casting of Kevin Conroy as an older Bruce Wayne in the crossover is the ultimate bit of fan service. While more casual fans may not know his name, they surely know his voice. Batman: The Animated Series is still considered by many to be the definitive adaptation of the character, in any form. That is in no small part thanks to Conroy. The man has earned so much respect that he's often referred to as "the one true Batman."
Equally legendary for his work on BTAS is Mark Hamill as The Joker. Given the casting of Conroy, many have been calling for The CW to bring in Hamill to play the Clown Prince of Crime in live-action as well. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.
Crisis on Infinite Earths kicks off with Supergirl on Sunday, December 8, followed by Batwoman on Monday, December 9, then The Flash on Tuesday, December 10. The five-part event will then pause for a month before picking back up with Arrow on Tuesday, January 14 before reaching its conclusion that same night with Legends of Tomorrow.
So what do you think? Are you excited to finally see Kevin Conroy play Batman in the flesh? Sound off in the comments!
