Mark Hamill shares heartbreaking reason he probably won't play The Joker again

Mark Hamill has shared the touching reason he will probably never return to voice The Joker.

He played the Caped Crusader's arch rival in Batman: The Animated Series.

Hamill, 71, has said he most likely won't voice the iconic character of the Joker ever again.

The 71-year-old's role as the Joker was prolific from start to finish - spanning an impressive 19 years with his final voice performance in 2011 for the Arkham City video game.

First voicing the character back in 1992, in Batman: The Animated Series - Hamill received mass critical claim for his portrayal which spanned a staggering fourteen episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, three episodes of Superman: The Animated Series, five episodes of The New Batman Adventures along many more spin-offs of the franchise.

Hamill became such a household name voicing the Joker that the role pushed him to quick success after becoming a highly demanded voice-over actor of many other cartoon villains.

While speaking with Empire Magazine, the Star Wars alumni admitted he would not revisit The Clown Prince of Crime following the death of his co-star Kevin Conroy, who passed away in November 2022.

He told the outlet: "They would call and say, 'They want you to do The Joker,' and my only question was, 'Is Kevin [Conroy] Batman?' If they said yes, I would say, 'I'm in.'

"We were like partners.

"We were like Laurel and Hardy. Without Kevin there, there doesn't seem to be a Batman for me."

Warner Bros announced last year that the Batman: The Animated Series voice actor had passed away after losing his battle with cancer.

"Warner Bros. Animation is saddened by the loss of our dear friend Kevin Conroy," the studio said in a statement.

"His iconic performance of Batman will forever stand among the greatest portrayals of the Dark Knight in any medium.

"We send our warmest thoughts to his loved ones and join fans around the world in honoring his legacy."

Conroy voiced Batman on the acclaimed animated series from 1992 until 1996, officially making him the person who has portrayed The Dark Knight for the longest.

Shortly after his passing, Hamill wrote on Twitter: “Stunned by the loss of this brilliant actor. Words can't express my admiration and respect for the man. I loved him like a brother.”

The series was beloved by DC fans, as it was well known for being the most faithful to the comic book series.

Hamill had voiced The Joker in several different Batman adaptations; however, Batman: The Killing Joke, released in 2016, would be the last time the actor lent his voice to the notorious villain.

NBC News reported that the 71-year-old said Conroy was the ultimate creative collaborator.

“For several generations, he has been the definitive Batman. It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it,” he said.

“His rhythms and subtleties, tones and delivery — that all also helped inform my performance. He was the ideal partner — it was such a complementary, creative experience.

"I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.”