Editing Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (section)

{{short description|1993 film by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name        = Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
| image       = Batman mask of the phantasm poster.jpg
| caption     = Theatrical release poster
| director    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Eric Radomski]]
* [[Bruce Timm]]}}
| producer    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Benjamin Melniker]]
* [[Michael Uslan]]}}
| screenplay  = {{Plainlist|
* [[Alan Burnett]]
* [[Paul Dini]]
* [[Martin Pasko]]
* [[Michael Reaves]]}}
| story       = Alan Burnett
| based_on    = {{Plainlist|
* {{based on|[[Batman]]|[[Bob Kane]]|{{quad}}[[Bill Finger]]{{efn|Uncredited}}}}
* {{based on|''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''|[[Eric Radomski]]|{{quad}}[[Bruce Timm]]}}}}
| starring    = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kevin Conroy]]
* [[Mark Hamill]]
* [[Dana Delany]]
* [[Hart Bochner]]
* [[Abe Vigoda]]}}
| music       = [[Shirley Walker]]
| editing     = Al Breitenbach
| studio      = {{Plainlist|
* [[Warner Bros. Animation]]
* [[Dong Yang Animation]]
* [[Spectrum Animation]]}}
| distributor = [[Warner Bros. Pictures|Warner Bros.]]<ref name="afi" />
| released    = {{Film date|1993|12|25}}
| runtime     = 78 minutes
| country     = United States<ref name="afi">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/59460|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|title=Batman: Mask of the Phantasm|access-date=June 4, 2018|archive-date=September 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928222331/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/59460|url-status=live}}</ref>
| language    = English
| budget      = $6 million
| gross       = $5.6 million<ref name=mojo>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0106364|title=Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=November 22, 2021|archive-date=May 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501221510/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0106364/|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
'''''Batman: Mask of the Phantasm''''' (also known as '''''Batman: The Animated Movie – Mask of the Phantasm''''') is a 1993 American [[Animation|animated]] [[superhero film]] featuring the [[DC Comics]] character [[Batman]]. It was directed by [[Eric Radomski]] and [[Bruce Timm]], and written by [[Alan Burnett]], [[Paul Dini]], [[Martin Pasko]], and [[Michael Reaves]]. The film is based on ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' (1992–1995), and is the first film of the [[DC Animated Universe]] and the only one to receive a theatrical release. [[Kevin Conroy]], [[Mark Hamill]], [[Efrem Zimbalist Jr.]], [[Bob Hastings]] and [[Robert Costanzo]] reprise their voice roles from ''Batman: The Animated Series'', joined by [[Dana Delany]], [[Hart Bochner]], [[Stacy Keach]], [[Abe Vigoda]], [[Dick Miller]] and [[John P. Ryan]].

Produced between the [[Batman: The Animated Series (season 1)|first]] and [[Batman: The Animated Series (season 2)|second seasons]] of the series, the film follows Batman as he reconciles with a former lover, [[Andrea Beaumont]], and faces a mysterious vigilante, the titular Phantasm, who is murdering [[Gotham City]]'s crime bosses. The plot partly mirrors [[Mike W. Barr]]'s "[[Batman: Year Two]]" comic book [[story arc]], with the [[Reaper (DC Comics)|Reaper]] from it loosely inspiring the Phantasm character made for the film, while also borrowing elements from the "[[Batman: Year One]]" arc, recounting how Bruce Wayne became Batman and his first attempts to fight crime.

Originally planned for a [[direct-to-video]] release, [[Warner Bros.]] ultimately gave ''Mask of the Phantasm'' a theatrical release, condensing its production into a strenuous eight-month schedule. The film was the first theatrical feature film produced by [[Warner Bros. Animation]], and was released through the studio's [[Warner Bros. Family Entertainment|Family Entertainment]]<ref name="afi" /> label on December 25, 1993, to generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the stylized animation, voice performances, story, and music.

Due to the decision to release it in theaters on short notice, ''Mask of the Phantasm'' [[Box-office bomb|failed at the box office]]. After its release on home media, it became financially successful. Until the limited release of ''[[Batman: The Killing Joke (film)|Batman: The Killing Joke]]'' in 2016, ''Mask of the Phantasm'' was the only animated ''Batman'' film to be given a theatrical release, as well as the only one to receive a full theatrical release until ''[[The Lego Batman Movie]]'' in 2017.