New York Comic Con was filled with mixed emotions as the cast of DC’s Batman vs. Two-Face celebrated the film’s upcoming release, but also mourned the loss of its star Adam West.
West, who portrayed the caped crusader in the 1960s live-action show and lent his voice to the 2017 animated film, died last June. He was 88 years old.
Remembering Adam West
On hand to promote the movie was his longtime sidekick and friend, Burt Ward. Ward, who reprised the voice of Robin, spoke glowingly about his friend.
“We were incredibly close for over 50 years. I loved the man,” Ward told FANDOM. “I think the hardest part is every time that I’m sitting down and I’m signing autographs and if I happen to think for a minute and I look over to my right and I see that empty chair … that’s when it’s tough.”
For William Shatner, who voices the titular protagonist Two-Face, there was nothing but mutual admiration for West. The two actually voiced these roles separately, but Shatner got to know West over many years in showbiz.
“I got to know Adam over the years. He was a wonderful, wonderful guy. Very funny, very gentle, and very loving,” Shatner recalled.
Classic Look, Modern Adventure
Batman vs. Two-Faces pits West against Shatner in a brand new animated adventure, with the look of the classic Batman series.
Two-Face (and his alter ego Harvey Dent) never appeared in the live-action series. His history is explored in this new film, and presented a challenge to Shatner. “There’s no difference between the good guy and the villain. It’s just what their actions are.”
“The energy of the original show was to be very cutting edge and current for the time. So we wanted to keep that kind of energy,” explained supervising producer James Tucker. “It’s funny in the right places and serious where it needs to be.”
Check out a preview of Batman vs. Two-Face below. The DC Comics film comes out on digital on October 10 and Blu-ray a week later.