On Monday, HBO Max went on another purge, this time canceling six more animated projects including Batman: Caped Crusader. The animated series, which had been given a series order by the streamer and Cartoon Network 15 months ago, was set to be a spiritual successor of sorts to Batman: The Animated Series and coming from J.J. Abrams and Bruce Timm and while the news of the series’ cancelation before it ever made air was shocking for fans, it turns out it was a surprise for those involved as well. On Twitter, Diedrich Bader commented on ComicBook.com‘s coverage of the story that not only was he in the series, but this was how he was finding out.
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“Well crap,” Bader wrote. “I was on this. Hell of a way to find out.”
Sadly, Bader’s experience in terms of finding out by way of social media doesn’t appear to be isolated when it comes to what some have started referring to as HBO Max’s animation purges. Infinity Train creator Owen Dennis recently opened up on social media as well about how they were also blindsided by the show’s removal from HBO Max, revealing that many other creators were also just as blindsided.
“I had no idea it was coming, neither did any other show creator I’ve talked with, nor any of their representatives,” Dennis shared. “People have been working behind the scenes for days now trying to figure out what’s going on.”
With Batman: Caped Crusader there may be a bit of hope, however. It was reported that the six projects that HBO Max canceled on Monday will continue production as they are going to be shopped out to other outlets. If Batman: Caped Crusader does get picked up by another outlet, the series will mark Timm’s long-awaited return to Batman animation on television after he spearheaded the Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series. In addition to Timm and Abrams, Matt Reeves and Ed Brubaker also serve as executive producers on the project which was previously described as “Utilizing state-of-the-art animation techniques and technologies available, Batman: Caped Crusader will once again reinvent Batman and his iconic rogue’s gallery with sophisticated storytelling, nuanced characters, and intense action sequences all set in a visually striking world.”
“We are beyond excited to be working together to bring this character back, to tell engrossing new stories in Gotham City,” Timm, Abrams, and Reeves said in a statement when the series was announced. “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.”
What do you think about the Batman: Caped Crusader situation? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!
