This week brought shocking news to Bat-fans around the world when it was revealed that the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader, a show from Batman: The Animated Series creator Bruce Timm and The Batman director Matt Reeves, was no longer happening at HBO Max. Unlike other projects at the streamer the series wasn’t fully cancelled though and would continue production while it sought out a new home. Reports came in this week that other streaming services are eager to potentially take on the series, one of the first Batman-centric shows in decades to not air on a Warner Bros. platform. Noted fanboy, and former Batman scribe, Kevin Smith had an idea, what if Marvel and Disney took it?
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Speaking on his latest FatMan Beyond podcast, Smith was discussing the news of Caped Crusader being orphaned by Warner Bros. Discovery with his co-host Marc Bernardin, who penned an episode of the show, and FatMan Beyond producer J.C. Reifenberg. The later posited the idea of Disney+ becoming the streaming home for Batman: Caped Crusader, which seemed like an amusing anecdote for the trio to consider, especially with how unlikely it all seems. To conclude the thought, Smith noted with a laugh: “You know how Marvel owns DC? By literally owning DC.”
The likelihood of Disney+ becoming the home of Batman: Caped Crusader, especially exclusively to make a point, seems minimal but news that there is interest from other streamers has revealed some surprising names. A report yesterday revealed that Apple TV+, Netflix, and Hulu (owned by Disney) are potentially interested in the series, along with other unnamed streaming services. Could one of them be Disney+? Maybe, but letting a Batman series get away is one thing, letting it go to your biggest competition exclusively so they can profit from it seems like behavior from an alternate Earth.
A previously revealed description of the project referred to it as “Utilizing state-of-the-art animation techniques and technologies available,ย Batman: Caped Crusaderย 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.”
