Batman Beyond Voice Actor Reveals Heartbreaking Reason He Won’t Return

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Actor Will Friedle, known for playing the title character in Batman Beyond, has discussed the potentiality of resurrecting the role of Terry McGinnis if the popular animated series were to continue. In the show, Terry McGinnis was a teenager who assumed the role of Batman following the retirement of an older Bruce Wayne from his crime-fighting activities.

As a die-hard fan of cinema, I’ve been captivated by the incredible portrayal of a character in the futuristic world of Batman Beyond, from its inception in 1999 to its conclusion in 2001 across all three seasons. Not only did this talented actor bring the hero to life on our screens, but he also lent his voice to the DC animated films like Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker in 2000 and Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2024.

Why Batman Beyond’s Will Friedle won’t reprise Terry McGinnis?

At Animate Columbus, Friedle recently stated that he has no desire to reprise his role as Terry McGinnis/Batman in a potential resurrection of Batman Beyond. This decision stems from the fact that the iconic voice actor for Bruce Wayne/Batman, Kevin Conroy, passed away in 2022, and Friedle feels it wouldn’t be appropriate to take on the character without him.

If someone had asked me that question three years ago, my response would have been an enthusiastic “Absolutely!” or “Yes, immediately!”. However, with Kevin no longer here, I’m unsure if I could step into the role again. It might be necessary to recast both roles since being Terry without Bruce’s responses feels unimaginable for me.

Previously, in an interview conducted in 2023, Star Wars alum Mark Hamill echoed Friedle’s feelings, disclosing his retirement from voicing The Joker. He emphasized that he would reprise the role only if Conroy was cast as Batman.

In simpler terms, Hamill stated that people would contact him saying he should play the Joker, but his first thought was always “Is Kevin playing Batman?” If the answer was yes, he’d gladly accept the role. He described their dynamic as akin to Laurel and Hardy, implying they were like partners. Without Kevin (presumably referring to Bale), it feels like there isn’t a suitable Batman counterpart for him.

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2025-07-09 23:52