Batman: Bad Blood: The Importance of Shared Continuity

Batman: Bad Blood is one of two Batman-animated films coming out next year. Although this one isn’t truly about Batman, it’s more about Batman’s allies such as Batwoman & Batwing, who are appearing outside of the comics for the first time in Batman: Bad Blood. Batman” Bad Blood is also the latest DC animated film to continue a shared continuity.

While DC comic book films are starting a shared movie universe in earnest on the big screen next year starting with Batman v Superman & Suicide Squad, on the straight to video animated front, DC films have shared a universe since Son Of Batman & Justice League: War (loosely based on the New 52 comics universe that just got rebooted itself). Batman: Bad Blood producer James Tucker chatted with CBR on many things at this year’s New York Comic Con, one of them being what a shared continuity between films means:

"I think it’s a good idea because it keeps fans connected to a certain version of the character and allows us to build on story ideas. Things we set up in one movie we can then add to in the next movie. Whereas the one-offs, you’re starting from ground zero everything you do a new movie. You almost have to reestablish the characters all over again. Personally, I’m coming from a television background. I like the serialized nature of television. And also, we’re doing movies based on comics, which are serialized. So, to me, it made total sense to do it this way."

More from Bam Smack Pow

• The Expanse: Every character ranked from worst to best
• James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
• New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episodes 1 and 2 review: Aftermath
• 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe

While I’m generally in favor of shared continuity (i.e. I’m not a fan of there being a TV Flash & a movie Flash among many other seemingly arbitrary Warner Bros. decisions regarding TV & movies), as someone who is a big fan of DC animated films, I feel like they have been on at least a mild downward trend since the “shared continuity” was made a factor in the films (with this year’s Batman vs. Robin being a very mediocre offering). Though to be fair, it’s not because they are a slave to continuity, the general film quality just seems lower lately.

Next: Ranking The Animated Adaptations Of Mr. Freeze

Batman: Bad Blood is due out sometime next year (most likely coming out after the animated adaptation of the classic story The Killing Joke). I hope that it will be a marked improvement over recent offerings. We’ll just have to wait and see.