For years, Batman has been a mainstay in pop culture, and one of the mediums in which the Dark Knight made the most enduring impact is animation. Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series defined the character for a generation and, nearly 30 years after its debut, it remains a superhero staple. Rumors recently indicated that the show was being revived and, while that’s not exactly the case, co-creator and DC Animated Universe guru Bruce Timm is returning to produce a new show that’s bringing more Caped Crusader action to HBO Max!
Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed that Batman: Caped Crusader, a brand-new animated series, in the works for HBO Max and Cartoon Network. Bruce Timm will return to Gotham City to serve as executive producer on the show and will be joined by J.J. Abrams and The Batman writer/director Matt Reeves, who will also serve as executive producers.
While specifics are mostly being kept under wraps at the moment, the announcement did come with an official teaser poster, which is sure to get BTAS fans pumped! Check it out for yourself down below:
Bruce Timm, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves also released a joint statement on Batman: Caped Crusader. In it, there express their excitement about getting to work together to update the Dark Knight for a new generation of viewers:
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.
Created by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, Batman: The Animated Series debuted on Fox Kids in 1992. At the time, the show was a heavy departure from other animated iterations of the Dark Knight and opted for a darker animation and mature storytelling. The show received critical acclaim during its run, even earning two Daytime Emmys and a Primetime Emmy Award. The series also spawned a theatrical film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Though the show's run ended in 1995, it would ultimately kickstart the DC Animated Universe, which would include other shows like Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Justice League.
The first poster and the comments from the producers imply that the show is really going for a “back-to-basics” approach. Seeing as how Batman’s animated outings have varied over the years, fans will likely find it refreshing to see the World’s Greatest Detective back in Gotham City and doing battle with his extensive rogues’ gallery.
Most would agree that it’s going to be great to see an animated Batman on the small screen again, and Bruce Timm is certainly the man for the job. Fans will likely be waiting anxiously to see what he, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves manage to bring to the Caped Crusader’s rich mythos.
To prep for the show, you can stream Batman: The Animated Series and other DCAU shows on HBO Max now!
