Although many talented actors have lent their voices to the Caped Crusader, it’s hard to beat the legendary Kevin Conroy in the leading role. For many fans who grew up watching the critically-acclaimedBatman: The Animated Series, Kevin Conroy represented the quintessential Dark Knight,at least in animated form.
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Although Kevin Conroy had plenty of non-Batman-related credits to his name, it was his work providing the voice of the World’s Greatest Detective for which he was most famous. Choosing Conroy’s best performances asBatmanis difficult, considering the actor brought a level of excellence to the role that’s hard to match. However, fans can’t go wrong with these selections.
Updated June 25, 2025 by Mark Hospodar:Fans of the Dark Knight were dealt a sad blow recently with the news of Kevin Conroy’s death at the age of 66. For many, Kevin Conroy represented the definitive voice for Batman ever since the beloved Animated Series debuted in 1992.
Conroy’s performance as Batman struck a chord with fans that will likely never be replicated again. As his most famous role, Kevin Conroy possessed dozens of excellent Batman voiceover work that will continue to live on. This list has been updated to include a few more worthwhile entries that fans of the incomparable late actor shouldn’t miss.
9Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm
Currently, the DC Animated Universe is filled with a plethora of films. Among them,Batman: Mask of the Phantasmwas the first and is arguably also one of the best. Spurred by the success ofThe Animated Series,Mask of the Phantasmis a feature-length Batman adventure with Kevin Conroy at the helm,along with Mark Hamill’s incomparable Joker.
The movie revolves around a mysterious figure who murders several of Gotham City’s most prominent criminals. Via flashbacks, fans also witness Bruce Wayne’s earliest attempts at crimefighting before settling on the “Batman” persona. Bruce’s relationship with his then-girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont, is also explored. It’s in these moments where Conroy’s performance is arguably the best.
8Batman Beyond
When discussing Kevin Conroy’s animated forays as the Dark Knight, it’s important not to forgetBatman Beyond, a TV series set in the same universe asThe Animated Series. The show revolves around Terry McGinnis, a young man who inherits the mantle of Batman from an aging Bruce Wayne.
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Although the focus of the show shifts to the new Batman, Bruce still plays a prominent role as Terry’s mentor. Fans ofThe Animated Serieswill enjoy the new take on Conroy’s familiar character, serving as a wiser, more world-weary presence than before. Even though Bruce has hung up the cowl personally, it’s hard not to enjoy the dynamic between the new Batman and the old.
7Injustice: Gods Among Us
Kevin Conroy’s outings as Batman weren’t limited to just television shows. He had a few video games under his belt too, the most prominent of which is understandably theArkhamtrilogy. However, fans would be remiss if they skippedInjustice: Gods Among Usand its sequel, both of which featured Conroy as the voice of Batman.
These games incorporate a diverse variety of characters from the DC Universe. Of course, Batman plays a prominent role as well. In an alternate universe, Superman is tricked by the Joker into killing Lois Lane. The traumatic event spurs the Man of Steel toestablish a dictatorshipin which all crime is ruthlessly eliminated. Batman, along with a team of other heroes, leads the resistance against Superman’s despotic rule.
6Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman comics possess a lot of memorable and famous storylines. A graphic novel that DC fans often cite as one of the greatest Batman stories ever is Alan Moore’sThe Killing Joke. It’s a violent tale in which the Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon and subjects her father, Commissioner Gordon, to several acts of psychological torture.
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In 2016, the story wasgiven an animated film adaptation. Best of all, the movie featuredAnimated Seriesstalwarts Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, who reprised their iconic roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively. It’s a treat hearing these two voice actors interact in a more adult-oriented setting outside of the more kid-friendly environs ofThe Animated Series. Although the film takes some creative license with the source material, it’s never a bad idea to bring Conroy and Hamill together for a Batman adventure.
5Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Mr. Freeze is one of Batman’s most famous villains and was featured regularly inThe Animated Series. Out of all those appearances, the episode “Heart of Ice” is still recognized as one of the best, which painted Mr. Freeze as a much more sympathetic and nuanced rogue, especially for a children’s TV show.
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZerocontinues the saga revolving around Freeze’s attempts to cure his wife Nora of a deadly disease. Even though it’s a movie aimed at children, the film is still mature enough to appeal to older audiences as well. Of course, the strengths of the movie are highlighted even further by the tremendous voiceover work, in which Kevin Conroy took a central role.
4Batman: Gotham Knight
With the abundance of DC animated movies available nowadays, it may be easy to overlookBatman: Gotham Knight, which was released in 2008. The movie is produced by four different Japanese studios and is composed of six interconnected tales featuring the Dark Knight. Interestingly, the stories told withinGotham Knighttake place within the Christopher NolanDark Knightuniverse.
Christian Bale, however, does not provide the voice of Batman. Instead, Kevin Conroy once again provided his iconic voice to the proceedings. Each of the six stories features Batman tangling with a new threat. AlthoughGotham Knightsmight not be Conroy’s most celebrated foray into animated Batman movies, he still delivered the same excellent quality to the role of Batman that fans will appreciate.
3The Arkham Trilogy
Fans who want to witness Kevin Conroy’s best work as Batman outside of movies or televisiondon’t have to look further than Rocksteady’sArkhamtrilogy. Although players inevitably differ in deciding which game is the best, one aspect that stays consistent across all three titles is the excellent voice work.
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To say that Conroy sounds natural in this role would be an understatement. His lines are delivered pitch-perfectly and with the same steely determination that characterized his earlier outings as Batman so well. It may be a long time before another video game supplants theArkhamtitles as the quintessential Batman experience. Conroy’s contribution as the voice of the Dark Knight plays a large role in that assessment.
2Batman: Rise Of Sin Tzu
Conroy’s work on theArkhamtrilogy of video games is rightfully regarded as some of his best work. Thus, older video games featuring Conroy as the Dark Knight have been overshadowed as a result. One great example isBatman: Rise of Sin Tzu, an action beat em' up from 2003 and set within the same universe asThe Animated Series.
At the time,Rise of Sin Tzureceived very middling reviews from critics and the game was seemingly forgotten. Since then, it hasgarnered cult classic statusfor its fun co-op gameplay and cast of familiar voice actors fromThe Animated Series, Kevin Conroy included. Any nostalgic gamer who enjoys revisiting old titles shouldn’t ignoreRise of Sin Tzu.
1Batman: The Animated Series
Readers probably aren’t too surprised by the inclusion of this entry on the list. Kevin Conroy’s first experience with the Dark Knight was also his best. The fact that Conroy sounded so natural as Batman without bordering on the ridiculous was a testament to the actor’s skill in the leading role.
The distinction between Bruce Wayne and Batman is simple. As Bruce, Conroy’s voice was light and almost playful. As Batman, he lowered his voice to a logical extent without sounding like he was trying to cough up several nails. It’s a delicate balance that other actors have struggled to get down properly.The Animated Seriesis rightfully regarded as a beloved classic, due in no small measure to the voice talents of Kevin Conroy.
