Person of Interest's Michael Emerson Cast as the Joker in New Batman Film

This should be exciting news for anyone who has ever seen Michael Emerson in anything. The actor, best known for playing the manipulative Benjamin Linus on ABC's cult drama LOST, will be lending his voice to one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. He'll be portraying the Joker in next year's animated Batman flick, The Dark Knight Returns Part 2. 

In The Dark Knight Returns, based on the Frank Miller graphic novel of the same name, an aging Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement as Batman to fight a new wave of crime. Of course, Batman's re-emergence will lead to the Joker's return as well, considering that the two have almost a symbiotic relationship. 

"[The Joker]'s one of those great villains that an actor like me likes to play because he has layers — he has a face for the world and a face for himself," Emerson told TV Guide. "He is, in a way, a villain who is a natural actor. All of that is that is delightful and confounding at the same time."

In addition to winning an Emmy award for his role on LOST, Emerson is also known for starring in CBS's returning drama series Person of Interest. Emerson plays Harold Finch, creator of the "machine" that is able to predict crimes before they happen. The cliffhanger of season 1 saw him kidnapped by rival hacker Root (Amy Acker), a storyline that will be continued in the season 2 premiere episode, "Contingency," which airs September 27 on CBS. 

The Dark Knight Returns will be released in two parts. The first part, which does not feature Emerson as the Joker, will hit shelves later this month (September 25, to be exact), while the second part will be released in early 2013. The films also star Robocop's Peter Weller (as Batman) and Fringe's Mark Valley (as Superman). 

What do you think? Are you excited to hear Emerson's take on one of the most iconic villains of all time?