4K Remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Arrives September

4K Remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Arrives on Blu-ray, Digital in September

To the casual cinemagoer, the most recognizable Batman outings are still likely Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster series of superhero films, and Christian Bale–or Ben Affleck, but please don’t say Ben Affleck–is probably the first Batman/Bruce Wayne performer who comes to mind. But to seasoned superhero geeks or Batman superfans, there’s another answer you’re likely to hear more than any other: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. The 1993 extension of the beloved Batman: The Animated Series, a piece of TV so well-liked that we have a running series on it at Paste, is held up by many fans as the apex of the Batman character itself, a lush and richly appointed feature film that truly brought Gotham to life in all its grimy glory. Those fans will be overjoyed, then, to learn that Mask of the Phantasm is arriving for the first time in a new 4K Ultra HD remaster in September, on both digital platforms and Blu-ray. Yes, the most Batman-y Batman of them all now promises to look and sound better than ever, with a release scheduled for Sept. 12, 2023.

Also included is a new featurette on the iconic voice of The Bat, Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight. It memorializes the performer seen by many fans as the quintessential voice of Batman, who passed away at the age of 66 last year following a battle with cancer. According to the official synopsis:

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For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.

The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Mask of the Phantasm, meanwhile, was sourced from the 1993 original cut camera negative and scanned at 4K resolution. According to Warner Bros., “digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio.”

Mask of the Phantasm was directed by The Animated Series helmers Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm, with an all-star cast of vocal performers including Conroy, Mark Hamill, Stacy Keach, Abe Vigoda, Hart Bochner, Bob Hastings, Dick Miller and Dana Delany as Bruce Wayne’s love interest Andrea Beaumont. It will hit digital distributors on Sept. 12, 2023. In the meantime, check out the newly edited trailer for the re-release below.

4K Remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Arrives on Blu-ray, Digital in September