As we bid farewell to Batfleck, Warner Bros opens the door for old man Bruce and Terry McGinnis on the big screen with an animated Batman Beyond film.
Warner Bros dropped major bombs last night. Most of which included Batman in some shape or form. The most noteworthy news surrounded Ben Affleck and The Batman. But, Warner Bros surprised everyone with news regarding a theatrical release for Batman Beyond.
"“DC’s response to Sony’s incredibly successful animated movie ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’. They’re currently targeting a 2022 release but that is not set in stone.”"
Sony’s Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was a hit. It brought together an all-star cast with an alleged $100 million production budget. With a return of over $340 million, but it wasn’t all about the money. Both fans and critics alike praised the film for its unique style and storytelling.
While Into the Spider-Verse undoubtedly inspired DC, don’t expect Batman Beyond to simply copy Marvel’s formula. DC’s created some amazing animated films in their own right. Movies like Under the Red Hood, Flashpoint, and Crisis on Infinite Earths made DC Animated Universe one to follow.
Multiple films reaped praise from both fans and critics. They told great stories and depicted characters and arcs the way comic book fans envisioned. So, one can only imagine what a Batman Beyond film will look like.
What is Batman Beyond?
Batman Beyond has a futuristic cyberpunk feel to it that’s vastly separating itself from Into the Spider-Verse. Moreover, being a Batman film its tone is darker, more serious in nature with unique villains. The animated movie was released in 1999 and a 52 episode series soon followed, airing from 1999-2001.
After retiring in 2019, Gotham goes 20 years without the Batman. Bruce Wayne then trains a college student, Terry McGinnis to replace him as Batman.
It happens just in time as the Joker re-emerged from the dead. Terry tries but fails to stop Joker and his gang, Jokerz, from stealing communications gear. The truth about the Joker’s life and death slowly emerges through violent confrontations.
The voices behind the characters
Will Friedle voiced Terry in the original series. After the news broke about a Batman Beyond theatric release, he tweeted that he wants to reprise his role.
However, Warner Bros/ DC Films apparently hears the cries from those who feel misrepresented in films. According to @DanielRPK, DC Films is looking to cast an Asian-American actor to voice Terry.
They're looking to cast Asian-American actor to voice Terry in the Batman Beyond animated movie!
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) January 30, 2019
Lewis Tan and Steven Yuen are two actors that come to mind. Both Tan and Yuen’s named have floated around Batman for some time. Some thought Tan could play The Dark Knight while Yuen was rumored for Nightwing.
As for Bruce Wayne, well, there are two clear-cut options for Warner Bros. ton consider; Michael Keaton Or Kevin Conroy as eloquently stated by Forbes. The latter, Kevin Conroy is the most recognizable Bruce Wayne voice. While Michael Keaton is wildly considered as arguably the greatest Batman ever. With an expected 2022 release date, there’s plenty of time to get a cast together.