The caped crusader is returning in another animated TV series, THE BATMAN, produced by Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) for Kids' WB! and Cartoon Network.
This series picks up Batman's story in year three when the famed DC Comics hero is in his mid-twenties, just finding his way as protector, while balancing his public persona as billionaire bachelor Bruce Wayne. The new cartoon will feature a new range of experimental Bat-gadgets and amped-up Batmobiles and a theme song performed by The Edge from multi-Grammy Award-winning sensation rock group U2.
"Batman is one of animation's most recognizable and most popular characters," said Sander Schwartz, president of WBA. "For decades, legions of fans throughout the world have enjoyed Batman comics, feature films, television series and made-for-video releases. The new series will continue this timeless tradition, while adding an exciting new interpretation that will appeal to current fans, as well as attract a whole new generation to the celebrated Batman franchise."
"THE BATMAN is an important new addition to the BATMAN mythology, produced by our award-winning colleagues at Warner Bros. Animation," said Paul Levitz, president/publisher, DC Comics. "We look forward to working with them to make it the new creative benchmark for adventure animation, just as THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN set the tone for the field a decade ago."
This younger Batman will confront updated takes of familiar foes - meeting each member of his classic Rogue's Gallery for the first time, such as Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Riddler and Man-Bat. Batmans war on crime jumps to the next level with a new arsenal at the Dark Knight's disposal; all operated and linked by an advanced remote-controlled invention he dubs the "Bat-Wave."
WBA has produced several highly successful BATMAN interpretations, starting in the early 90s when the Emmy award-winning BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES premiered. In early 1999, WBA took the legend of the Dark Knight into the future with the hit television series, BATMAN BEYOND, and in fall 2001, Batman appeared with his superhero peers as part of the JUSTICE LEAGUE, which debuted to big ratings and acclaim on Cartoon Network. Warner Home Video recently released an all-new, feature-length made-for-video adventure, BATMAN: MYSTERY OF THE BATWOMAN, produced by WBA.
DC Comics (www.dccomics.com), Warner Bros. Animation and The WB Television Network (home of Kids' WB!) are all Warner Bros. entertainment companies.
Kids' WB!, a leader in kids' television, is the children's programming service of The WB Television Network (www.KidsWB.com). Cartoon Network (www.CartoonNetwork.com), seen in 85.7 million U.S. homes and 145 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering animated entertainment.
