When it comes to animated adaptations of comic heroes, nerds of a certain age would all agree that the 1990s FOX series, Batman: The Animated Series, changed the game. Now, decades later, the minds behind the iconic show are teaming with executive producer J. J. Abrams (Lost, Lovecraft Country) to bring a new Batman series to Cartoon Network and HBO Max.
Saturday’s DC FanDome presented a four-minute panel on the upcoming series, Batman: Caped Crusader, from the original series producer, Bruce Timm, The Batman director, Matt Reeves, and animator, James Tucker (Vixen, Justice League: War). Check out the full panel discussion below:
During the presentation, Timm described the new show as “more Batman: The Animated Series than Batman: The Animated Series.” He details how when the show aired in 1995 on Fox Kids, there were certain limitations to what they could display concerning violence and adult themes. However, in the day and age of streaming, Timm and the team will have full range to do much more onscreen.
“My idea is ‘It’s 1990 again, I get to do what I want this time, I’ve got JJ and Matt backing me up,'” Timm said.
The series is set to examine the Dark Knight in the beginning stages of his fight for justice in a crime-infested Gotham City. The show will follow Bruce Wayne’s descent into the throws of the masked vigilante, who ultimately “needs to be redeemed” as Abrams describes.
“It really is an incredibly complex psychological story,” Abrams stated in the presentation. The first season will explore the man’s transformation through trial and error, as he won’t be equipped with the latest WayneTech, or have established relationships with allies known within the Batman lore.
“He’s going to be very low-tech initially,” Tucker said in the video. “As he develops as a character, we’ll start introducing those gadgets. That’s part of the fun of the series. We’re finding him discovering those things that most other Batman series, they already have there,” Tucker continued. He also mentioned how some of the characters will be re-imagined as it pertains to their relationship with the Bat.
“We don’t know that Commissioner Gordon will be Batman’s ally. The journey of the show is to see, eventually, how they grow together and learn to trust, or not. Nothing is assumed in this series as far as what we’re used to seeing in the world of Batman,” Tucker said.
“In Bruce’s world – in this iteration – it’s just Batman right now,” Reeves said. “There’s not – the Justice League doesn’t exist. There aren’t any other superheroes. You’re watching this lone figure swimming through the cesspool of Gotham. It’s Batman alone.”
Stylistically, Timm says the show will lean more into the dark noir of the 1940s, incorporating everything from period-specific architecture to fashion. And the story will update characters for the modern age, being mindful of representation and inclusivity onscreen.
“It’s an honor and I’m thrilled to be able to work on this. But, to be honest with you, the most exciting part is I can’t wait to see how it turns out,” Reeves exclaimed. “I’m a fan and I just want to see what Bruce does.”
Batman: Caped Crusader is set for a 2023 release on Cartoon Network and HBO Max.