The new animated superhero series Batman: Caped Crusader premiered on Amazon Prime Video on August 1, featuring all ten episodes at once. The show has been met with widespread acclaim and boasts a perfect 100% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
One of the standout aspects of the series is its diverse and intriguing cast of characters. The show brings together a mix of familiar faces from Batman’s rogues’ gallery, including Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Catwoman, as well as lesser-known villains like Onomatopoeia, Nocturna, and Firebug.
A particularly notable addition is the Gentleman Ghost, the villainous alter ego of James “Jim” Craddock. In the DC Comics universe, Craddock first appeared in Flash Comics #88 in 1947, originally as a foe for Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Initially, he was depicted as a criminal using stage magic to create a ghostly illusion, complete with a floating monocle and no visible head. Over time, his character evolved into an actual ghost—an English highwayman from the 19th century cursed to haunt the Earth after being killed by the cowboy heroes Nighthawk and Cinnamon. Unfortunately for him, since these heroes are reincarnated endlessly, he remains trapped in his ghostly form, continuing his criminal activities.
Who voices the Gentleman Ghost in ‘Batman: Caped Crusader?’
In Batman: Caped Crusader, the Gentleman Ghost makes his debut in the sixth episode, “Night Ride,” voiced by British actor Toby Stephens. But who is Toby Stephens?
Toby Stephens, born in London on April 21, 1969, is a seasoned actor with a career spanning film, television, and stage. At 55, Stephens has appeared in notable films such as Space Cowboys (2000), Possession (2001), Die Another Day (2002), The Journey (2016), and Hunter Killer (2018). His television credits include Waking the Dead, Law & Order: UK, Black Sails, Lost in Space, Alex Rider, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Stephens’ role as the Gentleman Ghost is one of his rare voice acting gigs, with previous roles including voice work in English dubs like Terkel in Trouble (2004) and Midsummer Dream (2005), as well as documentary narrations and the video game 007 Legends (2012), where he reprised his role as Gustav Graves from Die Another Day.
The portrayal of the Gentleman Ghost in Batman: Caped Crusader is by far the most prominent and chilling depiction of the character to date. Stephens’ performance adds a new level of depth and menace to this spectral villain, making him a standout antagonist and a character who could potentially shine in a live-action Batman film.