'Batman: Caped Crusader’: Animated Series From Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves

[NinjaPug]

Batman: Caped Crusader, an animated series from executive producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, received a straight to series order from HBO Max and Cartoon Network.

The reimagining of the Batman mythology is produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Bad Robot Productions and 6th & Idaho and marks Batman: The Animated series producer Timm’s return to Batman in animated episodic series. The Animated SEries. Tom Ascheim, President, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics (GKYAC) and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios (CNS), unveiled the series on Wednesday.

“It is always fun to feed the insatiable appetite fans have for all things Batman. Batman: Caped Crusader will entertain first time and die-hard fans alike and, with such an impressive creative team in place, we know we have another future Batman classic in the making,” Ascheim said.

Register added: “Batman: The Animated Series was a masterpiece that shaped the perception of the character for an entire generation of fans. It is in that spirit that we are bringing together three master storytellers in J.J., Matt and Bruce – each with their own intuitive understanding and affection for the character – to create a new series that will continue in the same groundbreaking legacy.”

Executive Producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves said: “We are beyond excited to be working together to bring this character back, to tell engrossing new stories in Gotham City. The series will be thrilling, cinematic and evocative of Batman’s noir roots, while diving deeper into the psychology of these iconic characters. We cannot wait to share this new world.”

https://deadline.com/2021/05/batman-caped-crusader-animated-series-from-bruce-timm-j-j-abrams-matt-reeves-greenlit-at-hbo-max-cartoon-network-1234759890/

[AquaParade]

I don't want to get my hopes up but that promotional art is everything.

This must be the Batman:TAS revival that was rumored recently. I'm glad they are making a new show in the same vein, instead of revisiting the well, which had already sort of run dry, despite how great that show is.

[CyberCubed]

Looks like the rumors of B:TAS getting a revival were fake then if we're getting this new series instead. A bit of a pity, to be honest, but this show could be good. Bruce Timm working on this basically kills any chance of a B:TAS revival.

[AquaParade]

That Batman design by Timm is just brilliant. Even the simple curve of the shoulder has me drooling.

[CyberCubed]

I never really like it when they make Batman's "ears" so big or long, it always looks weird to me.

[AquaParade]

I never really like it when they make Batman's "ears" so big or long, it always looks weird to me.

That's understandable.

I can go both ways with the ears. The short ones work for Miller's brutish, stocky Batman, but the long ears bring a sense of fantasy along with them, which I really like.
It sort of elevates the character into looking a bit more mythical and a bit less military. For a stylized show like this seems to be, I love the choice.

The promo art sort of reminds me of that Fantasia sequence with the giant demon coming out of the mountain, which begs the question: who will be composer for this? No mention of Danny Elfman, which is okay, if they get someone else great.

[MikeandRaph87]

I don't want to get my hopes up but that promotional art is everything.

This must be the Batman:TAS revival that was rumored recently. I'm glad they are making a new show in the same vein, instead of revisiting the well, which had already sort of run dry, despite how great that show is.

The problem is the idea of a revival is based on the last season, 'the new Adventures' instead of my preferred and beloved first 3 seasons. If it is revived it needs to be based on the first three seasons. I love the designs and characters. I don't have interest in throwing in characters who don't fit the mold of the series.

That being said, this artwork definitely evokes the 1939 look. I am curious what the rest of the cast will look like. I am hoping that Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon make an appearance on a reoccurring basis, but limited to just them as far as costumed Bat Family. If its just Bruce as Batman fighting classic Bat Rogues then its fine too.

[CyberCubed]

The problem is the idea of a revival is based on the last season, 'the new Adventures' instead of my preferred and beloved first 3 seasons. If it is revived it needs to be based on the first three seasons. I love the designs and characters. I don't have interest in throwing in characters who don't fit the mold of the series.

Well either way, it's obvious B:TAS isn't being revived now with Bruce Timm working on this new reboot.

I think people are going to want Kevin Smith's head on a platter for getting peoples hopes up.

[sdp]

I like big ears on batman, it's been 8 years since Batman got his own cartoon, so it's overdue. Then again Batman has been so overplayed despite not having his own show the last decade that I've lost a lot of interest in the character, there's literally nothing new they ever do with Batman, always the same stories.

Unsure how I feel about Bruce Timm, I love the guy but if it's a new take on Batman why have him? If it was a revival of BTAS I'd totally be on board but I'm not a huge fan of Bruce Timm's Batman DCU animated movies because they feel like BTAS but also don't and it makes for a weird mix that doesn't benefit the universe. I'm guessing this would feel similar..

no doubt the last few semi revivals of BTAS were disappointing, but there is definitely enough in BTAS to be able to do a revival either set during BTAS time or even after.
I'm all for a more noir batman show but if timm is attached it'll feel like btas without it being btas and it'll just never be its own thing. I'd want a new show runner or timm doing btas

[ZariusTwo]

I think people are going to want Kevin Smith's head on a platter for getting peoples hopes up.

He could have simply heard that this show was in the pipeline and that Timm was involved, and assumed it was Batman TAS.

[CyberCubed]

That's what likely happened, but the fact that he made it sound like a B:TAS revival rather than just Bruce Timm working on a new Batman cartoon got peoples hopes up and the news spread all around the internet for about a year.

I guess the DCAU is officially dead. We're in 2021 now and with Kevin Conroy getting up there in the years this did feel like the one last chance for B:TAS to have another show but I guess that's dead and buried now.

[AquaParade]

I think most people will be excited, as opposed to angry at Kevin Smith.

There are enough ingredients here to tie it to the 90's animated series. It was never going to be exactly the same thing anyway, especially given that the show itself essentially morphed away from what people remember it most for.

Here we have Bruce Timm designs, a focus on noir storytelling, and just look at that artwork - it maintains the same, classy Fletcher-Superman style that originally inspired B:TAS.

B:TAS is my favorite animated superhero show, easily, but I'm more excited about this then I would be having B:TAS "return".

[LeotheLateBloomer]

“It is always fun to feed the insatiable appetite fans have for all things Batman.

You don't say?!:lol:

It's a good thing I just saw the news on Superman finally getting another animated series, otherwise I would have groaned at "more Batman."

I'm a bit uneasy with Bruce Timm involved given his recent work including the DC animated movies. Matt Reeves being involved though makes me wonder if this will have a similar style or tone as his upcoming film. Pointy earred Batman is fine with me, it gives a more devilish look to him.

[AquaParade]

I feel like this is going to be the first comic book cartoon to actually look beautiful in forever. That's what has me most excited. The idea that maybe we can get back to cartoons doing some quality cartooning.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

This is the type of care I wish TMNT could get.:tcry:

[FrederikWolferson]

Is that the thing we thought would be a Batman TAS continuation? I hope not.

And you know,a reboot by Jar Jar Abrams; that always ends well.

[drgon78]

I have the original animated series, I am good.

[AquaParade]

but we don't know what it's going to look like or how well it's going to be animated.

But we can assume it will have a budget due to the names involved, and the pedigree of the talent involved + the way they are talking about the show as a successor to the spirit of B:TAS and it's stylized noir storytelling implies the animation will be better than the typical DC direct-to-dvd. Just looking at the promo art gives an impression of prestige, Fletcher-esque animation.

I think so at least.

I have the original animated series, I am good.

Hey, if everyone were this easy to please, we'd never need anything new.

[CyberCubed]

Is that the thing we thought would be a Batman TAS continuation? I hope not..

There is no B:TAS continuation, this was the Batman cartoon Bruce Timm was working on.

[AquaParade]

I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment. I'll wait and see but I don't expect much on how it'll look. Of course I hope to be pleasently surprised and that yo're right but a press release with no pictures and just concept logo isn't going to get my hyped.

Oh, I'll definitely be disappointed if it doesn't look any more visually interesting than their average direct-to-dvd or Saturday morning cartoon, but no, I don't see that happening. They have big names producing and are calling it a successor to Batman: The Animated Series. They are using this as a push for HBO MAX, which is desperate right now. I think signs point to this being a premium product.

[Leo656]

Looks interesting. We'll see. The '39-inspired visual is intriguing, even though it's not my preference.

[ZariusTwo]

OvvNnmgeI5Y

"I get to do what I want this time"-Bruce Timm.

"Modern sensibility, Inclusive, Diverse"

Red flags already

[sdp]

I'm cautiously optimistic, BT has never stopped working on Batman so his ideas are a bit tired, all the DC Animated movies he's worked on have never been as good as BTAS despite being aimed at adults. Paul Dini and Dwayne McDuffie (RIP) are also big reasons the DCAU was as good as it was, not Timm alone. The setting of the show and what they describe is a complete rehash of the BTAS and the "new" elements of Batman slowly growing was exactly what The Batman cartoon from 2004 did already as well so all the "new" things he is describing were already done on BTAS or The Batman.

However It's still bruce timm though and even when he does a bad job he still does a decent job and the 1940s setting for "early" batman even if we've seen it done before is still the best setting for Batman. So yeah I think it'll likely be a good show, it just won't feel groundbreaking.

]

"I get to do what I want this time"-Bruce Timm.

"Modern sensibility, Inclusive, Diverse"

Red flags already

I do think B.T. works better with restriction, the DCU Animated movies are a test to that. The modern sensibility likely means no sexy stuff which Timm loves to sneak in, hopefully he will be able to. I don't mind a diverse cast but if they make Gordon and catwoman black like in the Reeve's movies (which is very likely given it's meant to coast off the marketing of that movie like BTAS did with Batman Returns), it might be the nail that seals the deal in barbara/selina ever being white again. I'm guessing all of that will be forced by the studio and not necessarily BT, but we'll see. BTAS had a mutant Penguin and a blonde selina kyle and we still got an amazing show.

[CyberCubed]

All the DC animated films Timm has worked on have been a mixed bag, the adult content is awful, and he has some weird takes.

It does seem they want this Batman cartoon to be THE definitive Batman cartoon for the 2020 generation, much like B:TAS was for the 90's and early 2000's. Given both The Batman and Beware the Batman barely made an impact, it'll be interesting to see a new mainstream Batman cartoon again. Brave and the Bold was more of a superhero teamup show, so it stood out besides based on the 50's incarnations of most characters.

You know, it's kinda hard to believe we haven't even had a Batman solo cartoon in over 10 years. Feels longer than that because most people aren't even aware Beware the Batman even existed given it got canceled in 1 season and was done in CG.

[AquaParade]

People don't tend to care because there is no shortage of Batman cartoons. They're just not the Saturday morning type.

[sdp]

Saturday morning cartoons have been dead for 20 years, I think we just haven't gotten a batman cartoon because the last decade action shows died so there was no need for another batman cartoon. I think Marvel had like 10 different failed attempts and 3 of those being spider-man cartoons that all died without making much of an impact while adventure time, regular show and all those new shows for a new generation became hits.

Beware the Batman failed but so did Young Justice which featured Batman and also Justice League Action which also heavily featured Batman. There was also no new batman movie to promote a new cartoon, last solo batman movie was The Dark Knight Rises.

I also don't think The Batman was a failure, it had 5 seasons (65 episodes) which was an extra season than most KidsWB shows would get, this was at a time when Saturday morning cartoons were dead and only anime Pokemon clones were popular. But it is underrated and "forgotten" in a similar way that TMNT 2k3 was. I personally loved The Batman, it was a fresh take.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/1280c9691308570bb6058ed7d59eb65f/tumblr_ngwn88N5451qmdxsco1_r1_400.gif

[CyberCubed]

The Batman got 5 seasons but it feels like nobody cares for most of it or remembers it, and Season 4 was actually really good. What's also strange is all the kids who grew up with it in the early 2000's should be nostalgic for it, but I don't see any young 20 year olds nostalgic for The Batman at all.

The show came out around 2003 meaning any kid who grew up with it would now be in their early/mid 20's but I see no nostalgia for it at all. It's very strange, obviously some kids were watching to keep it on the air for 5 years.

[ZariusTwo]

The Batman got 5 seasons but it feels like nobody cares for most of it or remembers it, and Season 4 was actually really good. What's also strange is all the kids who grew up with it in the early 2000's should be nostalgic for it, but I don't see any young 20 year olds nostalgic for The Batman at all.

The show came out around 2003 meaning any kid who grew up with it would now be in their early/mid 20's but I see no nostalgia for it at all. It's very strange, obviously some kids were watching to keep it on the air for 5 years.

The Batman is largely forgotten because the western animation superfans who ran big websites at the time like Toonzone and other such places absolutely hated it and were entirely loyal to Bruce Timm and the DCAU, so there would be loads of websites, essays, etc devoted to singing their praises and demonising 'Batty Chan Adventures', chasing away any fans of it and making sure new ones couldn't be created. Around the same time, the DCAU was also being released on DVD for the first time.

It also didn't help that the final few seasons of Justice League Unlimited were still airing while The Batman was striving to find it's audience, it's writing wasn't always the best compared to the consistency of JLU. It also could use all of the Bat villains where as JLU could not after a while, so that also soured fanboy opinion on it.

I agree, it got better, with Greg Wiesman chipping in a bit, and season four being the one with the best writing, but the damage was done.

[AquaParade]

I kind of liked the Batman vs Dracula movie at the time. Idk if I still would.

[CyberCubed]

From the sounds of the interview this show won't be in CG like people were fearing. Sounds like a regular cartoon.

[sdp]

Yeah, The Batman got a lot of hate from ToonZone because it cancelled any hope they had for a new DCAU batman revival. It was a great show if you ignore most of the penguin and Joker episodes which were like a third of each season. It's similar to TMNT 2k3 that doesn't get nostalgia either except from the hardcore fans.

Why does Bruce Timm look like max shreck of Batman Returns now? :lol:

I'm sure BT will be able to push the limits of the current liberal censorship, in the 90s he was able to sneak in violence and sexyness in the conservative censorship era of cartoons.

[Leo656]

I gave "The Batman" a shot when it was new but I genuinely didn't care too much about it. I do plan to revisit it some day to see what I think now, but the urgency is low. Some stuff I REALLY did not like. That Joker, man... ugh.

It did have a surprisingly long run, though. Considering that anecdotally I've almost never spoken to anyone outside of the internet who claims to have even seen it. If it comes up in conversation at all, it's "that Batman cartoon that was on for like, a few episodes, and they did that Dracula movie." It seems like that movie is what most people remember about it, which is probably because I remember it being aired in heavy rotation back in the day. I saw the movie a couple of times simply because it aired often on weekend afternoons during times when nothing else was on, so it was pretty hard to avoid it. And I still barely remember it at all.

People are generally pretty shocked when you mention it ran for five whole seasons. Definitely seems like the most "forgotten" Batman show by a mile, moreso even than "Beware The Batman" since that show didn't have much of a run to begin with. For a show to be forgotten after one short season is no big deal. For a show to run for FIVE seasons and have nobody remember it... well, that raises all kinds of questions.

Of course, the 4Kids TMNT cartoon had a similar problem. :lol: That whole era must've just been really weird for cartoons, I guess.

[sdp]

Well since we aren't getting any new news on the new show and I feel like geeking out on The Batman 2004 I'll talk a little bit more about it. It's definitely a flawed show but it still has so much great Batman content. It is a very different show from BTAS so comparing it to it is not fair, it's more a show about Batman growing as a character and relationships than its villains (at least in the beginning). It's more action oriented and surprisingly very dark.

Each season has like 3 episodes dedicated to the Joker and 3 for the Penguin so half of each season is just those characters. Penguin episode are mostly bad but there are a few good ones. Joker episodes can go either way between goofy "joke" episodes or outright demented. I loved the "blanka" joker look they went with, this joker is just insane, he is the only media version of the character where he feels like he can do anything as long as he is having fun, he doesn't care about anything really, just creating chaos.

The other villain episodes fall into the range of forgettable or better than BTAS tier. No in between there, the forgettable episodes have more to do that the episodes are focused on Bruce/Batman and the villain is only there to move the plot so they're not necessarily bad episodes just not about the villains really. When they do focus on the villains they're great.

The show especially shines in the story arcs and they always nailed it. the original characters of the show were all excellent, Ellen Yin, Ethan, Everywhere man. And they successfully reinterpreted some villains better than BTAS like Catwoman, Clayface. Some other villains get radical interpretations so while not better they stand on their own like Riddler and Scarface. They first animated certain villains like Black Mask and did a good job. Even the most criticized villain Mr. Freeze who they made into a common thug (his original comic origin), they redeemed him in a future episode where we se what he becomes.

The movie gets a lot of love but I don't like it, I find it silly that Dracula exists in the DC universe. Season 5 is also boring, every episode is a team up episode with a DC superhero, so it's no longer a batman show and the final episode is just a rehash of the season 4 finale. At least in this version Superman and Batman start out as friends instead of enemies like most modern interpretations.

Season 1 is a mixed bag but it's my favorite because of the season finale. Season 2 continues the same idea of a young Batman it's a more solid but it doesn't have a great twist at the end. Season 3 gets rid of some of the characters that made the first two seasons great which sucks but the batgirl story arc is pretty good and she's one of my favorite takes on Barbara. Season 4 is the favorite for most but it's also because it's the only season that feels more like a clone of BTAS, which is good because BTAS is good but bad because it lost some of its uniqueness.

[AquaParade]

This show is said to evoke a style similar to this short:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFwOS2R9o_8

With color, of course.

[Turo602]

I grew up with The Batman and even though I ultimately preferred Batman: The Animated Series, I still enjoy what The Batman brought to the table. It was definitely more of a superhero show with an emphasis on action, which was apparent in the way both Joker and Penguin were handled, but that's also what made it fun.

The action in The Batman still looks amazing til this day. I really didn't like what they did to Joker with his jester-like hair, monkeyish physique, and bare feet, but oddly, I was able to get over it. It's not something I'd ever like to see be done again with the character, but within the show's context, sure, it was fine.

There were lots of standout episodes and arcs as well, especially in season 4 which was just an all around solid season of Batman. It even had interesting takes on villains like Clayface, Solomon Grundy, and Riddler and gave the spotlight to lesser known villains like the Ventriloquist and Black Mask.

I also really enjoyed this show's version of Batgirl and Robin, who just had excellent chemistry and vastly improved the show with their presence, which is a big part of why I think season 4 was so good. Even Alfred was great in this show and was given a lot more to do than in The Animated Series and is probably even my favorite interpretation of the character.

It was a shame they couldn't use characters like Two-Face, Scarecrow, and Ra's Al Ghul due to the Nolan films as it would have been interesting to see what the show would have done with them. I almost feel like Ethan Bennett ended up taking the place of Harvey Dent with the way things went with him.

I definitely have nostalgia for this show and I've seen it pop up here and there recently, so I'm definitely not alone there. It's just never gonna be as mainstream as Batman: The Animated Series or as relevant as anything that has and will come after as it came out before a time when nerdy stuff was trendy with all the 30-40 year olds who grew up in the early 80s to mid 90s when commercialism was becoming a huge part of pop culture.

I'm still waiting for that The Batman Complete Series blu-ray though. I have all the seasons on DVD from way back when, and while I can understand how Teen Titans got a complete blu-ray release first, Legion of Superheroes had less of a reason to get one before The Batman. But WB seems pretty good about releasing their animated content on blu-ray, so hopefully we don't have to wait too much longer.

[Leo656]

We're all guilty of it to some degree, but objectively it is a shame that people get so wedded to one version of a thing that it damns all future iterations from ever reaching true success.

Like, will ANY Batman cartoon ever achieve the success and popularity of Batman: TAS? Nah, probably not. Is that fair? Nah, probably not. It's kinda weird that 50 years from now, when there will undoubtedly have been multiple Batman cartoons that were either better-made on a technical level, more comics-accurate, whatever... you just know that people will STILL be saying "Batman: TAS was the greatest of all time, dawg!"

I mean, it's undoubtedly a great show. It's my personal favorite Batman cartoon by a mile. But removing one's personal preferences from the conversation... yeah, it's very, very weird that people don't even want to "play fair" whenever a new cartoon comes along, and they'd rather sing the praises of something three decades old.

Again, we all do it. I do it, I'm aware I do it, so nobody "@" me about it. I'm just thinking out loud and trying to make a point.

[ZariusTwo]

Ed Brubaker has been revealed as head writer, and will be Timm's 'right hand man'

The first season will also consist of ten episodes

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/batman-caped-crusader-ed-brubaker-1235071480/

[CyberCubed]

Only 10 ep seasons? Odd since Young Justice still has 26 episode seasons and that debuts on HBO.

Ah well, maybe all 10 eps will be high quality and lack any filler.

[AquaParade]

Exactly. I’m happy to hear of the low episode count. Don’t pump these out like a factory. Again, I’m expecting a premium quality cartoon out of this, not some Saturday morning fare.

[ZariusTwo]

Exactly. I’m happy to hear of the low episode count. Don’t pump these out like a factory. Again, I’m expecting a premium quality cartoon out of this, not some Saturday morning fare.

Define 'premium quality", because a lot of Saturday morning shows of the last few decades are considered that.

[AquaParade]

Define 'premium quality", because a lot of Saturday morning shows of the last few decades are considered that.

Bigger budget and less turn-around time than typical Saturday morning cartoon. No incentive or direction from studio to include certain vehicles, accessories, or characters, in order to promote a toy-line.

I don’t watch many Saturday morning cartoons anymore, but the ones I have seen are mostly operating under the above circumstances.

[sdp]

I wouldn't call Young Justice low budget even though it has 26 episodes. This show likely has a similar budget but the people making the show are asking for more money than Weisman's Crew hence less episodes per season. I'm sure animation might be better but not mind blowing better based on DCs animated movies.

I still don't feel too excited to Bruce Timm to retread ground he has already covered, at only 10 episodes. I don't know, I'm sure it'll be fine but I can't see myself getting too hyped up to start a new Batman universe with him again, without Paul Dini/Dwayne Mcduffie. At this point I'd want to see Bruce Timm do something that isn't DC related, A princess of Mars, Vampirella, even if it's us Marvel. I don't care anything that isn't DC. I also think we've been bombarded with animated Batman over the years through those DC movies so it's difficult to get excited. And yes I'm sure the show will be fun.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e4/45/a3/e445a38e1ce7d77199ea3b27c3702bf0.jpg
http://comicartcommunity.com/gallery/data/media/525/BT068.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4lKMOUl.jpg

[AquaParade]

I just watched a clip of Young Justice. Looks and sounds pretty cheap to me. Standard Saturday morning cartoon fare in terms of budget.

I’m hoping this show looks a bit more fluid, with better voice acting as well. They just brought on Ed Brubaker to be a head-writer, which is fantastic.

[CyberCubed]

I don't see how Young Justice's animation looks cheap at all. In terms of animation it looks one of the best cartoons in recent memory.

[AquaParade]

I don't see how Young Justice's animation looks cheap at all. In terms of animation it looks one of the best cartoons in recent memory.

I don’t think that’s much competition. Most cartoons on television look relatively cheap.

Here’s a clip: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oN3EuIj1cuo


You guys have to understand that it’s not an insult to say that’s not luscious animation. It’s pretty much standard for typical 25-minute cartoons. I can’t think of a well-animated DC product since probably 2008’s Gotham Knights. Everything else looks pretty cheap, aside from maybe Year One or Dark Knight Returns….but even those still look pretty cheap.

This is much better: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m9h1mIzaYig

Strong sense of style, detailed character design, fluid movements, dynamic storyboard with interesting perspectives, and the voice acting sounds more professional and restrained, which also helps it feel like a stronger production.

I love this one too: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=00EAI4nzrFA

Surely the difference in quality is clear.

[Autbot_Benz]

Axed by the Zaslav Regime but will be shopped around to other streaming services

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/batman-caped-crusader-jj-abrams-hbo-max-cancel-1235347652/

[CyberCubed]

I'm sure it'll still come out, it just won't be on HBO. It was supposed to come out on Cartoon Network as well so it'll probably air there.

[Anarchistguy]

Exactly. I’m happy to hear of the low episode count. Don’t pump these out like a factory. Again, I’m expecting a premium quality cartoon out of this, not some Saturday morning fare.

The perfect recipe for setting yourself up for crushing disappointment.

[AquaParade]

The perfect recipe for setting yourself up for crushing disappointment.

You'd disagree that this will have more thought put into it than an average Saturday morning cartoon?

I need to watch your shows.

[Anarchistguy]

No no no. I'm saying your expectations are too high. It won't be bad but it sure as hell won't be a masterpiece

[AquaParade]

No no no. I'm saying your expectations are too high. It won't be bad but it sure as hell won't be a masterpiece

My expectations are simply that it be a cut above typical Saturday morning cartoon quality. I don't think that's expecting too much, when it's a show made directly for streaming, with such big names attached.

You could be right. I'll be disappointed if this is on the level of something like a direct-to-dvd DC film, but I don't think you bring on names like JJ Abrams and Matt Reeves to do something that basic. It should at least have a nice budget that is reflected in the production quality.

[Autbot_Benz]

Batman: Caped Crusader has found a new home at Amazon.

The streamer and retail giant has handed out a two-season order for the animated series that was scrapped at HBO Max last August. Caped Crusader landed at the Jennifer Salke-led streamer after producer Warner Bros. Animation shopped the project following the cost-cutting move that saw parent company Warner Bros. Discovery scrap the show more than a year and a half after ordering it straight to series. Other streamers, including Netflix, Apple and Hulu, also kicked the tires on the project that marks a reunion for executive producers J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, who previously collaborated on The WB Network’s beloved Felicity.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/batman-caped-crusader-animated-show-amazon-two-seasons-1235343120/

[AquaParade]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/batman-caped-crusader-animated-show-amazon-two-seasons-1235343120/

Great news. I'm looking forward to this.

I've been watching Batman Beyond lately and falling in love with it all over again. I always heard Season 2 was a weak link, so I'd mostly skipped over it, but watching it for the first time now, there are some great episodes.

[CyberCubed]

Great news. I'm looking forward to this.

I've been watching Batman Beyond lately and falling in love with it all over again. I always heard Season 2 was a weak link, so I'd mostly skipped over it, but watching it for the first time now, there are some great episodes.

Nobody ever said that, and why people skip over eps they never watched is odd to me.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Was there a problem with putting it on HBO Max?

[Autbot_Benz]

Was there a problem with putting it on HBO Max?

Zasalv is outsourcing stuff to other streaming services. DC Animation is going to Amazon

https://www.ign.com/articles/warner-bros-close-to-bringing-dc-animated-shows-to-amazon-prime-video

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Zasalv is outsourcing stuff to other streaming services. DC Animation is going to Amazon

https://www.ign.com/articles/warner-bros-close-to-bringing-dc-animated-shows-to-amazon-prime-video

I mean why are they outsourcing their content to other services as opposed to HBO Max? Is it too expensive?

[Autbot_Benz]

I mean why are they outsourcing their content to other services as opposed to HBO Max? Is it too expensive?

I don't know

[ZariusTwo]

Animation leaks

https://twitter.com/busium336/status/1759306830965309770?s=20

Character models

https://twitter.com/busium336/status/1759307538942886193

[CyberCubed]

That Harley costume design is...something. Completely unlike how Harley has ever looked. Weird they would make her like that when they're the ones who created her.

[neatoman]

Animation leaks

https://twitter.com/busium336/status/1759306830965309770?s=20

Character models

https://twitter.com/busium336/status/1759307538942886193

Alright:

I like the realistic depiction of Two-Face (let's face it, the closest to realism before was Dark Knight and that one looked like he'd die right away)
Gentleman Ghost? Isn't he more associated with other characters?
Interesting that they're not going with leather fetish Catwoman.
I needed to look up who Natalia Knight was, why is she a kid here? From what I can tell, the character is typically depicted as an adult.
Likewise with Onomatopoeia, a fairly recent character. Also seems like he is more associated with the Titans, wonder why he's included.
Interesting that they are going with the very earliest depiction of Clayface instead of the more familiar shapeshifter. Between this and Two-Face, are they concerned with realistic plausibility here?
Harley is weird but I greatly prefer this over... whatever the hell DC has been determined to turn her into for the last 13 years.
Is the fat guy Alfred? I know he was fat early on.

[BornAgain]

I like that Two-Face. Less is more disturbing.

[CyberCubed]

At least they look to be doing something different and not just B:TAS all over again.

[ZariusTwo]

Premieres August 1st.

First looks at Bats, Gordon Scarecrow, Catwoman, Harley Quinn.

Harley will be Asian-American and is Bruce's psychiatrist. She will have little connection with The Joker.

Gordon is black

Batman will apparently also be so unadjusted and 'removed' that no one, not even the audience, know what he's really about.

https://ew.com/batman-caped-crusader-exclusive-first-look-asian-american-harley-quinn-8645683?taid=663ce5aaa10b2b0001353fdd&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweek ly&utm_content=new&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com

[ZariusTwo]

Character Descriptions

BATMAN “A cold, remorseless avenger of evil, seemingly more machine than man. Forged in the fire of tragedy, every fiber of his being is dedicated to the eradication of crime.”


BRUCE WAYNE “To the public at large, Bruce Wayne is a shallow dilettante, apparently wasting his parents’ vast fortune on frivolous pursuits and hedonistic pleasures. In fact, he’s an elaborate facade, carefully constructed to divert attention from his activities as Batman.”



SELINA KYLE / “CATWOMAN” “Selena Kyle is a blithe and pampered heiress whose family lost their fortune after her father was imprisoned for embezzlement. Despite having the silver spoon yanked from her mouth, Selina refuses to quit living in the lap of luxury and becomes Catwoman as a “fun” way to maintain her lavish lifestyle.”


DR. HARLEEN QUINZEL / “HARLEY QUINN” “Despite a personable and bubbly demeanor, Dr. Harleen Quinzel is a brilliant psychiatrist who treats some of Gotham’s elite. However, as Harley Quinn, she is a different person, entirely. A creepy, quiet, calculating menace who secretly dispenses her twisted justice to the truly despicable among her elite clientele.”

COMMISSIONER JIM GORDON “Former beat cop close to retirement, Gordon was hired to play along with the corrupt system and run out the clock till he can draw a pension. But they’ve sorely underestimated Jim Gordon. His unassailable character brings him into conflict with dirty cops and crooked politicians, alike. Not to mention, he has to reckon with a deranged vigilante beating up Gotham’s criminals.”


CLAYFACE “Thanks to his “unique” facial features, screen actor Basil Karlo has been forever typecast as a B-movie heavy. Frustrated by the limitations his appearance put on both his career and personal life (he fell hopelessly in love with his co-star), Karlo turned to an experimental serum that promised to change his face. However, not only does this serum ultimately disfigure his face, but it ruptures the last of his sanity — creating the tragic, vengeance seeking villain, Clayface.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/matt-reeves-batman-tv-series-first-look-1235894658/

[CyberCubed]

I'll give it a chance because it's Bruce Timm, but there's already some red flags here. We haven't had a good Batman cartoon in ages though, so I'd watch it anyway just for some solo Batman animation that isn't a Justice League team-up for once

[Drose18]

Batman will apparently also be so unadjusted and 'removed' that no one, not even the audience, know what he's really about.


Definitely interesting. I wonder what this means for the show - is Batman even going to be the "star" of it?

Pretty cool what they've done with Harley, giving her a golden-age look when the character didn't exist until after that. And hey Bruce Timm co-created her anyways so if anyone should, he should be the one to do this sort of new rendition.

[sdp]

Since this is a Bruce Timm Batman cartoon and Commissioner Gordon is black. Does this mean it'll be the frist time Batman/Bruce canonically has sex with a black woman?

https://i.imgur.com/8Jx3t9b.png

[ZariusTwo]

Since this is a Bruce Timm Batman cartoon and Commissioner Gordon is black. Does this mean it'll be the frist time Batman/Bruce canonically has sex with a black woman?

What about Jezebel Jet from Morrison's era?

[CyberCubed]

If you don't count team-up shows like Young Justice (where Batman only had a minor role especially after Season 1), Justice League Adventures or the adult comedy Harley Quinn show....this is the first Batman cartoon we've gotten since Beware the Batman from 2013, that weird CG Batman show that used Prof. Pyg and Magpie instead of mainline Batman villains.

It's hard to believe there hasn't been a solo Batman cartoon in over a decade. Like how did that happen. And the last show was canceled after just 1 season too.

[M.O.D.O.K.]

Man, I'll always be bitter over how Cartoon Network treated Beware the Batman. Ended on a strong note and their plans for season 2 sounded even riskier than the first.

Anyway, I like that this show seems to be committing to the time period. It should make it more challenging for Batman to do stuff without a computer, cellphone, or other advantages. I'm always up for a more human Batman. The villains also look fine, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but Harley Quinn is intriguing me the most. Clayface is also cool. I've seen the other leaked villains, but I'll wait until I see more before making a good judgement on them.

[Autbot_Benz]

Our new Batman ladies and gentlemen is Hamish Linklater

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/batman-caped-crusader-hamish-linklater-new-actor-prime-video/

0lFNocdJCO8?si=MXQzN7vdrMy068GD

https://i.imgur.com/SsDDxtf.png

Cast of Batman:Caped Crusader
-Hamish Linklater as Batman
--Christina Ricci - Catwoman
-Jamie Chung - Harley Quinn
-Diedrich Bader - Two-Face
-Mckenna Grace
-Toby Stephens
-Reid Scott
-Dan Donohue
-Gary Anthony Williams

[Andrew NDB]

Does this mean it'll be the frist time Batman/Bruce canonically has sex with a black woman?

He dated Shondra Kinsolving in the 90s. So no.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

So Brave and the Bold Batman will be Two Face and Cynder from Spyro the Dragon will be Catwoman.

[member_removed]

Batman: Caped Crusader, an animated series from executive producers Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams It was at this point I lost complete faith in this idea. It'll suck penguin ballz.

[CyberCubed]

Producers don't do the writing. This is a Bruce Timm project.

[BornAgain]

That voice acting trailer was a flop for me and probably many others. They prattled on and on with names I had never heard of, other then the guy who played Bender in Futurama, who admittedly does a good Joker as well.

Then to top it off the actor for Batman did not sell me on his ability at all. They should release a clip showing what he can do, because I don’t think that’s selling me.

I’ve been looking forward to this show otherwise.

[Autbot_Benz]

That voice acting trailer was a flop for me and probably many others. They prattled on and on with names I had never heard of, other then the guy who played Bender in Futurama, who admittedly does a good Joker as well.

out of all the actors named you should know at least these ones :

you never heard of Christina Ricci she was in Casper and was Wesnday Addams in the Addams Family movies.

You have to have heard of Diedrich Bader dude was Batman in Batman brave and the bold cartoon and he was Booster Gold in Justice League Action. But he is most known for playing Oswald in The Drew Carey Show.

Surely you know Tom Kenny aka Spongebob Squarepants

Gary Anthony Williams was Bebop in Out of the Shadows and he is uncle ruckus on Boondocks

Haley Joel Osment was the I see dead people kid in the sixth sense

[Autbot_Benz]

https://i.imgur.com/UqLDgYn.jpeg

[Autbot_Benz]

KfpMcukj29k?si=XgaQMkjBF4F5jmXn

[Barkworm]

Jesus Christ. This looks horrible.

[TigerClaw]

Jesus Christ. This looks horrible.
Why is that? Because it looks really good.

[Barkworm]

Compare the awful animation in this trailer to some of the best episodes of Batman: TAS from 30 years ago and honestly tell me how this doesn’t look completely embarrassing.

[CyberCubed]

Looks mostly the same to me.

[IMJ]

All I know is that they aren't batting 1,000 with it so far. Not a fan of the Batman design with the cowl ears or the 1930's gloves and the "voice trailer" actually made me cringe. Obviously I love Kevin Conroy like everyone else does, and yet I don't object to new voice actors for the character - but I just wasn't a fan of what I heard in that trailer. Also, the concept of a "Voice Actor Credits trailer" was weird.

There's more, but the good news for me is that I'm not so vested in this. Maybe I'll check it out, but if it doesn't grab me I can always watch B:TAS I guess.

[Barkworm]

Looks mostly the same to me.

It does not? The art style is almost the same of course but as far as the actual animation is concerned, TAS was a benchmark for western animation at the time while this looks like cheap crap.

[ZariusTwo]

I'd rather we get a long ass break from Batman cartoons. Losing Kevin and Arleen is still too raw.

[IMJ]

I'd rather we get a long ass break from Batman cartoons. Losing Kevin and Arleen is still too raw.

The funny thing is that guys like Kevin doing Batman or Peter doing Optimus are in the minority as far as how often someone has a "Tenured Voice Acting Career"....

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I'd rather we get a long ass break from Batman cartoons. Losing Kevin and Arleen is still too raw.

Between Beware the Batman and this, it's been a decade. Though I guess you could count Batwheels and the upcoming Bat-Family toon on Amazon Prime kinda stretching it.

[ZariusTwo]

Between Beware the Batman and this, it's been a decade. Though I guess you could count Batwheels and the upcoming Bat-Family toon on Amazon Prime kinda stretching it.

I also count all the post-DCAU animated movies he's appeared in

[Autbot_Benz]

Joining the cast as Batman’s closest allies are Jason Watkins as Alfred Pennyworth, Eric Morgan Stuart as Commissioner Jim Gordon, Krystal Joy Brown as Barbara Gordon, Michelle C. Bonilla as Renee Montoya, and Bumper Robinson as Lucius Fox.

https://www.ign.com/articles/batman-caped-crusader-voice-cast-allies-gordon-alfred-lucius-montoya?utm_source=threads,twitter

[Andrew NDB]

Unpopular opinion: I don't care about voice actors. As long as it moderately sounds like Batman, whatever.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I don't know, this may be well-received but it could be one of the shows that will just come and go. How many people take the time to watch Amazon Prime?

[Autbot_Benz]

Penguin is female in this :roll: Oswalda Cobblepot voiced by Minnie Driver

https://i.imgur.com/Gling2D.jpeg

https://comicbookmovie.com/batman/batman-animated/batman-caped-crusader-will-introduce-a-female-version-of-the-penguin-voiced-by-minnie-driver-a212352#gs.c895r3

[CyberCubed]

So first Harley is now Asian and now Penguin is a female? The writing of this show better be good.

[sdp]

The animation is alright, it looks like pretty much recent cartoons, the whole 4k, always on model and digital paint gives shows this distinctive look. It's the imperfections that made fluidity look good. The simpsons are a great example since they come from a pre-digital era and continue to this day. The characters are now always on model and while that might've sound like a great idea, we've come to realize it makes characters look stiff. Digital paint used to feel "new" but now just looks fake. I still remember when Pokemon first changed to digital paint it looked so much newer and because of that "better" but now I can appreciate the older colors more.

I'm sure the writing of the show will be fine, but I doubt it'll bring something new to the table, it'll be just another BTAS-lite that we've gotten many times over the last two decades. Even if it does something better than BTAS since it's just building upon what BTAS started it won't feel like much.

Penguin is female in this :roll: Oswalda Cobblepot voiced by Minnie Driver

https://i.imgur.com/Gling2D.jpeg

https://comicbookmovie.com/batman/batman-animated/batman-caped-crusader-will-introduce-a-female-version-of-the-penguin-voiced-by-minnie-driver-a212352#gs.c895r3

Penguin looks so much cooler as a woman, still I wish it were Penguin's mother as the villain but whatever. The whole genderbend rage is done on purpose to get people discussing the show online otherwise people would not care.

[Drose18]

I had a blast watching this. I'm a sucker for the typical early batman stories that we've seen plenty of in animation but this was something special for sure.

Very interesting approach with the show almost more centered around the corruption in Gotham over focusing on Batman himself. Batman felt like a looming presence in the show. This version of Batman is pretty demented in his obsession with his mission.

[CyberCubed]

Twitter is losing their minds over the show being "woke" due to female Penguin, and Harley and Montoya share an on-screen lesbian kiss, despite the latter two being bisexual or lesbian for decades.

The show is pretty good for the most part, it's set in the 1930's and is much more grounded than expected. There is one ghost/supernatural episode which surprised me since I thought they were going to keep things realistic. Clayface is a man with a disfigured face instead of a full shapeshifter, Two-Face and Catwoman are more down to earth.

[ZariusTwo]

Hints about the interpretation of The Joker in season two

https://collider.com/matt-reeves-batman-caped-crusader-tv-series-joker-role-explained/

Speculation is it'll be based on the golden age version, the no-nonsense calculating killer who wasn't all that funny

[Andrew NDB]

Twitter is losing their minds over the show being "woke" due to female Penguin, and Harley and Montoya share an on-screen lesbian kiss, despite the latter two being bisexual or lesbian for decades.

Well that's kind of the thing, isn't it? In 10, 15 years people can say "Oh, Tim Drake has been bisexual for decades now in the comics, that's intrinsic to him, clearly." When the creator of Tim Drake will still be sitting there, probably still alive telling us that was absolutely never the case. The same with gender and race swaps of characters that happen in one media or another that are almost never undone in subsequent media.

[sdp]

You realize Harley was basically shown to be a lesbian with Ivy since Season 1 of Batman TAS which was her debut? It was only basically confirmed in the animated comics based on BTAS and interviews later on but that's where it started. Harley has been bi since the very beginning.
And Montoya is also a BTAS character and let's just say no one batted an eye when she was revealed to be a lesbian, she just has the look. If it took a bit longer for her to confirm this was only because no one really cares about Montoya enough. In fact I think more people would've been shocked had they ever shown her with a man.

[ZariusTwo]

All of season two dropping in July

https://www.ign.com/articles/batman-caped-crusader-season-2-release-date-photos

[CyberCubed]

Man I get the feeling this show tanked in terms of viewership. Everyone was so excited about a new Bruce Timm Batman cartoon after so many years, and it felt like Season 1 just came and went and nobody cared and quickly stopped talking about it. People probably forgot a Season 2 was even coming and there's not much hype for it anywhere online.

I assume this will be the end of it.

[Daytona]

It just made me go back to Batman: TAS again even though I was really looking forward to this show.

[ZariusTwo]

You realize Harley was basically shown to be a lesbian with Ivy since Season 1 of Batman TAS which was her debut? It was only basically confirmed in the animated comics based on BTAS and interviews later on but that's where it started. Harley has been bi since the very beginning.

There's a comic, "White Knight" which sees Harley fall in love with Bruce and wants to start a family with him. I feel that'd be a nice alternative future for the DCAU Harley and move her away from Ivy.

[CyberCubed]

Second season is out, all 10 episodes.

Watched the first two so far. First ep was about Riddler but strangely he didn't make any riddles the whole episode, so like what was the point, lol. Second ep was about Roxy Rocket, the second ep was a bit boring.

I'll see how the rest go tomorrow.