Batman: The Long Halloween Part One Gets PG-13 Rating

DC Fan Dome last year confirmed the news that the fan-favorite Jeph Loeb and Time Sale comic book, Batman: The Long Halloween, was making the leap from the page into an animated movie. The news was revealed during one of the many explosive panels where it was confirmed that the thirteen-issue epic will be split into two movies. It was reported at the time that the first part of the iconic Batman tale is scheduled to hit in the summer of this year while the finale will drop late 2021. Since then it’s been radio silence, but now a new report has arrived online revealing that the first part officially has a rating from the MPA!

Bloody Disgusting brings word of the official rating for the animated movie, who have given it a PG-13 rating for: “Violence, bloody images, language and some smoking.” That all tracks if you recall the original comic book storyline. The Long Halloween was originally released by DC in 1996 and told its tale over the course of the year with ties to various holidays throughout. The story is set in Bruce Wayne’s earliest years as Batman, as the vigilante works alongside Harvey Dent long before he’s transformed into the iconic Batvillain Two-Face, it also functioned as a direct sequel to Frank Miller’s legendary Batman: Year One story.

It was previously reported that the voice cast for the animated movie would include Troy Baker, Jensen Ackles, Naya Rivera, Titus Welliver, David Dastmalchian, Jim Pirri, Amy Landecker, Matthew Gray Gubler, Katee Sackhoff, and Fred Tatasciore. It’s unclear if that’s still the case, and if so, who they’ll voice in the movie. With an official rating under its belt though it’s only a matter of time before more concrete details are confirmed.

Fans have previously speculated that Matt Reeves’ upcoming movie The Batman is partially inspired by The Long Halloween, which would make the second live-action Batman movie to take some of its DNA from the book. Christopher Nolan’s 2008 sequel The Dark Knight was also partially adapting the same story, including many notable moments from the comic brought to life in live-action.

“It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale,” Reeves previously said of his take on the Caped Crusader. “It’s told very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One will debut later this year.