| DC Animated Universe | |
|---|---|
 An image of several DCAU heroes from the Justice League Unlimited episode "Dark Heart". | |
| Created by | |
| Original work | Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) |
| Owner | Warner Bros. Discovery |
| Years | 1992–2019 |
| Print publications | |
| Comics | List of comics |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | List of films |
| Short film(s) | List of short films |
| Television series | List of television |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | List of video games |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Based on | Characters by DC Comics |
The DC Animated Universe[1] (DCAU; also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans referring to the creators and producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini respectively) is a shared universe consisting primarily of superhero-based animated television series, produced by Warner Bros. Animation and based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The shared universe, much like the original DC Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
The DCAU began with Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995); it ended as a continuing TV series with Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006). The associated media franchise also includes theatrical and direct-to-video feature films, as well as shorts, comic books, video games, and other multimedia adaptations set in the same continuity. However Bruce Timm has repeatedly stated that all material apart from the theatrical and direct-to-video films such as the comic books and video games are not canon.
List of DC Animated Universe media[]
While there have been several animated projects based upon DC Comics characters over the decades, what is commonly accepted as the DC Animated Universe consists of the stable of TV series and films that spin off from the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, the first TV show in this continuity. Two characters outside of the normal Batman canon, Zatanna and Jonah Hex, appeared on the series, but the first series to indicate a shared continuity with other well-known characters was the subsequent show, Superman: The Animated Series, in which the title character has encounters with heroes such as Batman himself, the Wally West version of Flash, the Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Aquaman and Doctor Fate.
Older TV series such as Super Friends and newer ones such as The Batman, Legion of Super Heroes, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice and Justice League Action are not part of this continuity. The direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movies, such as Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, and Batman: Gotham Knight are also not considered part of the DCAU, despite utilizing similar character designs and several of them featuring much of the same voice cast as previous DCAU series, with the exception of Batman and Harley Quinn and Justice League vs. the Fatal Five, which are considered by Bruce Timm to be set within the DCAU, the latter two's canonicity is open-ended however due to Timm being unsure if they were canon by letter of law.
Television series[]
The DC Animated Universe consists of these animated television series:
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Showrunner(s) | Connections | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||||||
| Batman: The Animated Series | 1 | 65 | September 6, 1992 | September 17, 1993 | FOX | Bruce Timm | |||
| 2 | 20 | May 2, 1994 | September 15, 1995 | ||||||
| Superman: The Animated Series | 1 | 13 | September 6, 1996 | February 15, 1997 | The WB | Bruce Timm |
| ||
| 2 | 28 | September 8, 1997 | May 2, 1998 | ||||||
| 3 | 13 | September 19, 1998 | February 12, 2000 | ||||||
| The New Batman Adventures | 1 | 24 | September 13, 1997 | January 16, 1999 | The WB | Bruce Timm |
| ||
| Batman Beyond | 1 | 13 | January 10, 1999 | May 22, 1999 | The WB | Bruce Timm |
| ||
| 2 | 26 | September 17, 1999 | May 27, 2000 | ||||||
| 3 | 13 | August 19, 2000 | December 18, 2001 | ||||||
| Static Shock | 1 | 13 | September 23, 2000 | May 12, 2001 | The WB | Dwayne McDuffie |
| ||
| 2 | 11 | January 26, 2002 | May 4, 2002 | ||||||
| 3 | 15 | January 25, 2003 | June 21, 2003 | ||||||
| 4 | 13 | January 17, 2004 | May 22, 2004 | ||||||
| The Zeta Project | 1 | 12 | January 27, 2001 | August 11, 2001 | The WB | Robert Goodman |
| ||
| 2 | 14 | March 23, 2002 | August 17, 2002 | ||||||
| Justice League | 1 | 26 | November 17, 2001 | November 9, 2002 | Cartoon Network | Bruce Timm |
| ||
| 2 | 26 | July 5, 2003 | May 29, 2004 | ||||||
| Justice League Unlimited | 1 | 13 | July 31, 2004 | January 29, 2005 | Cartoon Network | Bruce Timm |
| ||
| 2 | 13 | February 5, 2005 | July 23, 2005 | ||||||
| 3 | 13 | September 17, 2005 | May 13, 2006 | ||||||
Note: Teen Titans, The Batman, Legion of Superheroes, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Teen Titans Go! are not considered as part of the DC Animated Universe despite being TV animated series adaptations of DC properties.
Feature films[]
The following animated feature films are also part of the DCAU continuity:
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriters | Release | Notes | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | December 24, 1993 | Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm | Story by: Alan Burnett Screenplay by: Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves |
Theatrical[2][3] |
Continuation of Batman: TAS | 83%[4] |
| Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | March 17, 1998 | Boyd Kirkland | Boyd Kirkland and Randy Rogel | Direct-to-DVD | 92%[5] | |
| Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | December 12, 2000 (edited version) April 23, 2002 (uncut version) |
Curt Geda | Story by: Paul Dini, Glen Murakami and Bruce Timm Screenplay by: Paul Dini |
Continuation of Batman Beyond, Batman: TAS, and The New Batman Adventures | 90%[6] | |
| Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | October 21, 2003 | Story by: Alan Burnett Screenplay by: Michael Reaves |
Continuation of Batman: TAS and The New Batman Adventures | 63%[citation needed] | ||
| Batman and Harley Quinn | July 21, 2017 | Sam Liu | Story by: Bruce Timm Screenplay by: Bruce Timm and Jim Kreig |
50%[citation needed] | ||
| Justice League vs. the Fatal Five | March 30, 2019 | Story by: Eric Carrasco Screenplay by: Eric Carrasco, Jim Krieg and Alan Burnett |
Continuation of Justice League and Justice League Unlimited | 100%[citation needed] |
Note: Superman: Brainiac Attacks is not part of the DC Animated Universe continuity despite using the same animation style and voice actors as Superman: The Animated Series.
Episodes as films[]
Television series episodes released as direct-to-video films set in the DCAU continuity:
| Film | U.S. release date | Directors | Screenwriters | Release | Notes | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superman: The Last Son of Krypton | September 6, 1996 | Curt Geda, Dan Riba and Scott Jeralds | Alan Burnett and Paul Dini | Direct-to-DVD | Compiles Superman: TAS three-part episode "The Last Son of Krypton" | N/A |
| The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest | October 4, 1997 | Toshihiko Masuda | Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Jean MacCurdy and Haven Alexander | Compiles Superman: TAS three-part episode "World's Finest" | 80%[7] | |
| Batman Beyond: The Movie | December 21, 1999 | Curt Geda, Butch Lukic, Dan Riba and Yukio Suzuki | Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Stan Berkowitz, Hilary J. Bader and Rich Fogel | Compiles Batman Beyond episodes "Rebirth, Part I" and "Part II" | N/A | |
| Justice League: Secret Origins | November 17, 2001 | Dan Riba and Butch Lukic | Rich Fogel | Compiles Justice League episodes "Secret Origins, Part I", "Part II" and "Part III" | N/A | |
| Justice League: Starcrossed | July 13, 2004 | Rich Fogel and Dwayne McDuffie | Compiles Justice League episodes "Starcrossed, Part I", "Part II" and "Part III" | N/A |
Short films[]
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dark Knight's First Night | 1991 | Bruce Timm & Eric Radomski | Story by : Bruce Timm Teleplay by : Eric Radomski |
A short film which acted as the developmental pilot for Batman: TAS. |
| Justice League: The First Mission | 2000 | James Tucker | Story by: Bruce Timm | A short film which acted as the developmental pilot for Justice League. |
| Chase Me | October 21, 2003 | Curt Geda | Paul Dini and Alan Burnett | A short film with no dialogue based on The New Batman Adventures. |
| Batman Beyond | April 20, 2014[8] | Darwyn Cooke[9][10] | A short film based on Batman Beyond created by Darwyn Cooke for Batman's 75th anniversary. The short features the original voice cast of the show, as well as cameos of robotic batmen from The New Batman Adventures, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Beware the Batman, The Dark Knight Returns, Michael Keaton's Batman, Adam West's Batman, and the original comic book Batman from 1939. | |
Digital series[]
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||||
| Lobo | 1 | 14 | June 15, 2000[11] | September 14, 2000 | warnerbros.com | ||
| Gotham Girls | 1 | 11 | July 27, 2000 | December 14, 2000 | warnerbros.com | ||
| 2 | 10 | June 5, 2001 | October 9, 2001 | ||||
| 3 | 10 | July 16, 2002 | November 19, 2002 | ||||
Cancelled projects[]
An animated series based on the Teen Titans comic books was planned for the DC Animated Universe during the mid-1990s, but was ultimately scrapped, however the team was confirmed to exist in the universe in the Static Shock (which was also not initially intended to be part of the DCAU until the second season) episode "Hard as Nails" with Robin confirmed to be a member by Batman.[12] Instead a Teen Titans series not related to the DC animated universe was released. Also, after the success of Batman: The Animated Series in the early 1990s, Fox approached producer Bruce Timm to create a spin-off series focusing on Catwoman, but the project never materialized.[12]
In 1998, writer John P. McCann had been tasked with coming up with a Lobo animated series in the DC Animated Universe, with Brad Garrett set to reprise his role as the character, but the show had been cancelled right before production. A few elements of the show would find its way in the 2000 Lobo webseries, an online Flash animated series starring Lobo, the galactic bounty hunter, however whether the webseries is part of the official DCAU is unclear. A wax statue with the same character design as Lobo in this series appeared in an episode of Gotham Girls which somewhat support that the webseries is part of the official DCAU, although this is still disputed. Unlike the other shows set in the DCAU, it has graphic violence, sexual content, strong profanity, and a lack of tie-ins with the greater DCAU.
Before the release of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, a third animated feature based on Batman: The Animated Series was planned, entitled Batman: Arkham. The film was supposed to be a follow-up for Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, and Boyd Kirkland was attached to write and direct; but the project was soon scrapped. A second Batman Beyond movie was planned for release but was finally scrapped due to the dark tones and controversies of Return of the Joker in 2001.[13] Around 2003, during the production of Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, Warner Bros. approached Kirkland to write a Catwoman direct-to-video feature film as a tie-in with the 2004 live-action film. Although the script was written, the project was soon scrapped after the poor reception of the live-action film.[14]
Also, a direct-to-video feature-length animated film entitled Justice League: Worlds Collide was planned to connect Justice League with its follow-up Justice League Unlimited, but the production was finally cancelled in 2004, and the script was later rewritten for the animated film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, removing all connections to the DCAU.[15][16]
Comic books[]
Many of the DCAU productions have also had comic books created based on the characters of the various series, though their canonicity is disputable. The comics are:
| Year | Title | Issues |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Batman Adventures (vol. 1) | #1–36 Mad Love Holiday Special Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Annuals (#1–2) |
| 1993 | Superman & Batman Magazine | #1–8 |
| 1995 | Batman and Robin Adventures | #1–25 Annuals (#1–2) Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero Dark Claw Adventures |
| 1996 | Superman Adventures | #1–66 Annual World's Finest Superman vs. Lobo Exclusive Edition (Superman '64 prequel) |
| Two-Face: Two of a Kind[17] | #0 | |
| 1997 | Adventures in the DC Universe | #1–19 Annual |
| 1998 | The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years | #1–5 |
| Batman: Gotham Adventures | #1–60 | |
| Batgirl Adventures | One-Shot | |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond (vol. 1) | #1–6 |
| Batman Beyond (vol. 2) | #1–24 Return of the Joker | |
| Claritin Syrup Presents Batman[18] | One-Shot | |
| 2001 | Gotham Knights | #14 (backstory by Paul Dini)[19] |
| 2002 | Gotham Girls | #1–5 |
| Justice League Adventures | #1–34 #1-8 (Burger King miniseries)[20] | |
| 2003 | Batman Adventures (vol. 2) | #1–17 |
| Batman: Shadow of Sin Tzu | #1–260 | |
| 2004 | Batman: Harley and Ivy | #1–3 |
| Justice League Unlimited | #1–46 | |
| 2010 | Batman Beyond (vol. 3) | #1–6 |
| Superman/Batman Annual | #4 | |
| 2011 | Batman Beyond (vol. 4) | #1–8 |
| Superman Beyond | #0–20 | |
| 2012 | Justice League Beyond | #1–25 |
| Batman Beyond Unlimited | #1–18 | |
| 2013 | Batman Beyond 2.0 | #1–40 |
| Justice League Beyond 2.0 | #1–24 | |
| Batman Beyond Universe | #1–16 | |
| 2015 | Batman Beyond (vol. 5) | #1-16 |
| Scooby Doo Team Up[21] | #12, #17, #23, #24 (series uses DCAU character models but ignores the lore) | |
| 2016 | Batman/TMNT Adventures | #1-6 |
| Batman Beyond (vol. 6) | #1-50 Rebirth | |
| Love is Love[22] | Harley and Ivy story by Paul Dini | |
| Harley Quinn[23] | #17-26 (backstory by Paul Dini) (used the art style and character models but has been stated before its follow-up mini-series "Harley loves Joker" to be canon to the current main universe instead) | |
| 2017 | Harley Quinn and Batman | #1-5 (a prequel to the 2017 animated film Batman and Harley Quinn) |
| 2017 | Batman and Harley Quinn | #1-7 (a sequel to the 2017 animated film of the same name) |
| 2018 | Harley loves Joker | #1-2 (used the art style and character models, is also a follow-up to the Harley Quinn main series backstory but is then hinted to be canon to the main comic universe in Harley Quinn #42 with the "next issue" area and then is stated to be in the main universe by its official description) |
| 2020 | Batman: The Adventures Continue Season One | #1-8 (print); 17 (digital) |
| 2021 | Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two | #1-7 |
| 2021 | Justice League: Infinity | #1-7 |
Recurring cast and characters[]
List indicator(s)
This section shows characters who have appeared in multiple DCAU media.
- An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the media, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
- C indicates a cameo role.
| Character | Alter-Ego | TV series | Films | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman: The Animated Series |
Superman: The Animated Series |
The New Batman Adventures | Batman Beyond | Static Shock | The Zeta Project | Justice League | Justice League Unlimited | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman | Batman and Harley Quinn | Justice League vs. the Fatal Five | ||||
| Joker | -- | Mark Hamill | C | Mark Hamill | Mark Hamill | Mark Hamill | Mark Hamill Dean Stockwell (Tim Drake) |
||||||||||
| Harleen Quinzel | Harley Quinn | Arleen Sorkin | C | Arleen Sorkin | Arleen Sorkin | Arleen Sorkin | Melissa Rauch | C | |||||||||
| Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot | Penguin | Paul Williams | C | David Ogden Stiers | |||||||||||||
| Edward Nygma | Riddler | John Glover | C | C | |||||||||||||
| Jervis Tetch | Mad Hatter | Roddy McDowall | C | C | |||||||||||||
| Pamela Lillian Isley | Poison Ivy | Diane Pershing | Diane Pershing | Diane Pershing | Diane Pershing | Paget Brewster | C | ||||||||||
| Arnold Wesker | Ventriloquist and Scarface | George Dzundza | George Dzundza | C | C | ||||||||||||
| Jonathan Crane | Scarecrow | Henry Polic II | Jeffery Combs | ||||||||||||||
| Bane | -- | Henry Silva | C | Hector Elizondo | |||||||||||||
| Croc Morgan | Killer Croc | Aron Kincaid | Brooks Gardner | C | |||||||||||||
| Mary Louise Dahl | Baby Doll | Alison LaPlaca | Laraine Newman | ||||||||||||||
| Ra's al Ghul | -- | David Warner | David Warner | ||||||||||||||
| Talia al Ghul | -- | Helen Slater | Olivia Hussey | Olivia Hussey | |||||||||||||
| Victor Fries | Mr. Freeze | Michael Ansara | Michael Ansara | Michael Ansara | C | ||||||||||||
| Harvey Dent | Two-Face | Richard Moll | Richard Moll | C | C | C | Bruce Timm | ||||||||||
| Temple Fugate | Clock King | Alan Rachins | Alan Rachins | ||||||||||||||
| Hugo Strange | -- | Ray Buktenica | C | ||||||||||||||
| Matthew "Matt" Hagen | Clayface | Ron Perlman | Ron Perlman | Ron Perlman | |||||||||||||
| Rupert Thorne | -- | John Vernon | John Vernon | ||||||||||||||
| Leslie Willis | Livewire | Lori Petty | Maria Canals | C | |||||||||||||
| Brainiac | -- | Corey Burton | Corey Burton | Corey Burton | |||||||||||||
| Winslow P Schott Jr | Toyman | Bud Cort | Bud Cort | Corey Burton | Bud Cort | ||||||||||||
| Sinestro | -- | Ted Levine | Ted Levine | Ted Levine | |||||||||||||
| Lex Luthor | -- | Clancy Brown | Clancy Brown | ||||||||||||||
| Darkseid | -- | Michael Ironside | Michael Ironside | ||||||||||||||
| John Corben | Metallo | Malcolm McDowell | Corey Burton | Malcolm McDowell | |||||||||||||
| Kalibak | -- | Michael Dorn | Michael Dorn | ||||||||||||||
| Mark Mardon | Weather Wizard | Miguel Ferrer | Corey Burton | ||||||||||||||
| Edward Lytener | Luminus | Robert Hays | Nicolas Guest | ||||||||||||||
| Rudy Jones | Parasite | Brion James | Brian George | C | |||||||||||||
| Claire Selton | Volcana | Peri Gilpin | Peri Gilpin | C | |||||||||||||
| General Hardcastle | -- | Charles Napier | Charles Napier | ||||||||||||||
| Bizarro | -- | Tim Daly | George Newbern | ||||||||||||||
| Granny Goodness | -- | Ed Asner | Ed Asner | ||||||||||||||
| Garfield Lynns | Firefly | Mark Rolston | Mark Rolston | ||||||||||||||
| Roxanne Sutton | Roxy Rocket | Charity James | |||||||||||||||
| Doomsday | -- | Michael Jai White | |||||||||||||||
| Barbara Ann Minerva | Cheetah | Sheryl Lee Ralph | |||||||||||||||
| Felix Faust | -- | Robert Englund | |||||||||||||||
| Gorilla Grodd | -- | Powers Boothe | |||||||||||||||
| Mongul | -- | Eric Roberts | |||||||||||||||
| Copperhead | -- | Efrain Figueroa Jose Yenque |
Jose Yenque | ||||||||||||||
| Floyd Lawton | Deadshot | Michael Rosenbaum | |||||||||||||||
| Giganta | -- | Jennifer Hale | |||||||||||||||
| Killer Frost | -- | Jennifer Hale | |||||||||||||||
| Shade | -- | Stephen McHattie | C | ||||||||||||||
| Solomon Grundy | -- | Mark Hamill | Bruce Timm | ||||||||||||||
| Carol Ferris | Star Sapphire | Olivia d'Abo | C | ||||||||||||||
| Morgaine Le Fay | -- | Olivia d'Abo | |||||||||||||||
| Mordred | -- | Soren Fulton | |||||||||||||||
| Hades | -- | John Rhys-Davies | Bob Joles | ||||||||||||||
| George Harkness | Captain Boomerang | C | Donal Gibson | ||||||||||||||
| Mirror Master | -- | C | Alexis Denisof | ||||||||||||||
| John Dee | Doctor Destiny | William Atherton | C | ||||||||||||||
| Inque | -- | Shannon Kenny | C | ||||||||||||||
| Walter Shreeve | Shriek | Chris Mulkey | C | ||||||||||||||
| The Stalker | -- | Carl Lumbly | C | ||||||||||||||
| Delia and Deidre Dennis | Dee Dee Twins | Melissa Joan Hart | Melissa Joan Hart | ||||||||||||||
| Chucko | -- | Don Harvey | Don Harvey | ||||||||||||||
| Ghoul | -- | Michael Rosenbaum | Michael Rosenbaum | ||||||||||||||
| Bonk | -- | Adam Baldwin | Henry Rollins | ||||||||||||||
| Woof | -- | Dee Bradley Baker | Frank Welker | ||||||||||||||
| Darci Mason | -- | Nancy Travis | Nicolette Sheridan | ||||||||||||||
| Kragger | -- | Hector Elizondo | |||||||||||||||
| Emerald Empress | -- | Joanne Whalley | Sumalee Montano | ||||||||||||||
| Tharok | -- | Tomas Arana | Peter Jessop | ||||||||||||||
| Mano | -- | C | Philip Anthony-Rodriguez | ||||||||||||||
| Persuader | -- | C | Matthew Yang King | ||||||||||||||
| Validus | -- | C | C | ||||||||||||||
| Hro Talak | -- | Victor Rivers | C | ||||||||||||||
| Vandal Savage | -- | Phil Morris | C | ||||||||||||||
| Dr. Achilles Milo | -- | Treat Williams | Armin Shimerman | ||||||||||||||
| Preserver | -- | Sherman Howard | C | ||||||||||||||
| Starro | -- | C | Christopher McDonald (Superman) | ||||||||||||||
| Edgar Mandragora | -- | Brian Tochi | John Rhys-Davies | C | |||||||||||||
| Chuckie Sol | -- | C | Dick Miller | ||||||||||||||
| Salvatore Valestra | -- | C | Abe Vigoda | ||||||||||||||
| Arthur Reeves | -- | C | Hart Bochner | ||||||||||||||
| Bombshell | -- | Kate Jackson | Kate Jackson | ||||||||||||||
The future of the DCAU[]
With the conclusion of the Justice League Unlimited animated series, Warner Bros has moved on to producing standalone films based on the various DC comics properties rather than reviving the DCAU counterparts.
The last script written for DCAU continuity was titled Justice League: Worlds Collide. This screenplay was created to bridge the several month gap between Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. The draft was eventually adapted into the February 2010 film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, with the removal of any references specific to DCAU continuity, replacing Green Lantern John Stewart with Hal Jordan, and the casting of different voice actors than those of the DCAU.
In 2009, Bruce Timm was asked at a ToonZone forum if the DCAU will return in the future, and he stated this:[24]
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I very much appreciate that so many of you guys have so much love for the old series, from BTAS through JLU (I do too) -- but frankly, I doubt that we'll be formally, "officially" doing another movie or TV series set in that continuity (...) anything is possible, so conceivably that could change someday -- instead of saying "THE DCAU IS DEAD", maybe we can just say it's in a state of suspended animation until further notice...?
— Bruce Timm, 2009[25]
On June 8, 2015, during an interview with Nerdist about his new film Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Bruce Timm was asked if the DC Animated Universe will return someday. Although Timm stated that the DCAU continuity was unlikely to return, the possibility always exists.[26]
In 2018, Kevin Conroy said work on the DCAU had stalled because the writers ran out of ideas for stories and believed stopping was best, as they did not want to "compromise on the quality of what they had and start creating kind of silly stories".[27]
A revival of Batman: The Animated Series is rumored to be in development for HBO Max according to Kevin Smith.[28]
In Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021), multiple characters from DCAU appears in the film in non-vocal appearances. These characters include Aquaman, Batgirl, The Flash, James Gordon, Dick Grayson, Clark Kent / Superman, Selina Kyle, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Alfred Pennyworth, Harleen Quinzel, John Stewart, Arnold Wesker and Perry White.
The cast of Justice League has been vocal about wanting a revival of the series, while Bruce Timm has said he would return as well if they were asked.[29]
An audio revival of Batman: The Animated Series is in development with Conroy, Alan Burnett, and others returning.[30]
Comics[]
The Batman Beyond comic series is a loose adaptation of the Batman Beyond franchise, intended to fit the character and storylines from the series into the mainstream DC continuity. The miniseries began in June 2010, under the title Future Evil. In August 2010, the series was announced to continue following the completion of the first arc as an ongoing series.[31] That series concluded alongside the entire line of ongoing monthly DC Comics superhero books during the 2011 revamp and relaunch, titled The New 52.
Superman Beyond, a one-shot comic set in the same universe as Batman Beyond, was released in 2011.
Batman Beyond Unlimited, a title chronicling the adventures of the future Justice League introduced in the DCAU, was released in February 2012.[32] This series published monthly triple-sized issues, containing three stories of Terry McGinnis, Clark "Cal" Kent, and the future Justice League Unlimited, respectively.[33]
Batman Beyond Universe succeeded Unlimited in August 2013, condensing to double-monthly issues upon the elderly Superman's rejoining the future Justice League.[34]
Terry McGinnis was the central figure in The New 52: Futures End weekly series.[35]
In 2015–2016, DC Comics and IDW Publishing released a jointly produced, six-issue miniseries comic titled Batman/TMNT, where the New 52 Batman encounters the IDW incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The success of this miniseries inspired a similar crossover story, with Batman's DCAU incarnation meeting the Amazing Adventures comic version of the 2012 CGI series' Turtles. Titled Batman/TMNT Adventures, the concept was first announced in late July 2016[36] and scheduled for a six-issue release starting November 9, 2016.[37]
A comic book continuation of seven-issues of Justice League Unlimited, called Justice League Infinity, was released monthly between July 2021 and January 2022; the series is set after the show's finale and explores the consequences of Darkseid's disappearance and the League clashing with alternate versions of themselves within the Multiverse.
Outside media[]
Video games[]
There have also been a number of DCAU tie-in video games released to correspond with the various animated television series and films. Some of these games have original plots, while others follow previous stories; their status in DCAU canon is unknown. The games are:
| Year | Title | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Game Boy |
| 1994 | The Adventures of Batman & Robin | Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega CD/Mega-CD, Game Gear |
| 1997 | Superman[38] | Game Boy |
| 1999 | Superman | Nintendo 64 |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Game Boy Color, PlayStation, Nintendo 64 |
| 2001 | Batman: Chaos in Gotham | Game Boy Color |
| Batman: Gotham City Racer | PlayStation | |
| Batman: Vengeance | PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Xbox, Microsoft Windows | |
| 2002 | Justice League: Injustice for All | Game Boy Advance |
| Static Shock (canceled game)[39] | ||
| Superman: Shadow of Apokolips | PlayStation 2, GameCube | |
| 2003 | Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu | Xbox, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube |
| Justice League: Chronicles | Game Boy Advance | |
| Superman: Countdown to Apokolips | ||
| 2016 | View-Master Batman Animated VR | iOS, Android |
Six of these games feature voice acting from the casts of the original shows. These are: The Adventures of Batman and Robin (SEGA CD/Mega CD version), Superman, Batman Vengeance, Superman: Shadow of Apokolips, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, and View-Master Batman Animated VR. The SEGA CD/Mega CD game, The Adventures of Batman and Robin, also features animation from one of the studios that worked on Batman: The Animated Series.
The Heart of Batman[]
A 90-minute documentary film was released on October 16, 2018, as part of the Batman: The Complete Animated Series Deluxe Limited Edition[40] and Batman: The Complete Animated Series Blu-ray/Digital box set,[41][42] and was later made available on the official Warner Bros. Entertainment YouTube channel.[42][43][44]
Crossovers, adaptations, and references[]
TV series[]
| Year | Series | Episode | DCAU Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Freakazoid | Dance of Doom | Batman appears, but is unable to help due to being on a different network[45] |
| 1995 | Animaniacs | A Hard Day's Warners | Paul Dini and Bruce Timm can be seen at the Batman booth in episode #73 with a Mask of the Phantasm poster[46] |
| 2011 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Night of the Batmen | Batman's TNBA design shows up among the Batmen of other worlds along with Batman Beyond[47] |
| 2013 | Teen Titans Go! | multiple | Meta-gags referencing the DCAU have been made[48] |
Comics[]
| Year | Title | Issue | DCAU Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Man of Steel | #37 | Batman appears in his BTAS design on the front cover[49] |
| 1999 | Fan Boy | #5 | Bruce Timm was a featured artist, lending his Batman to the issue[50] |
| 1999 | Superman/Fantastic Four | One-Shot | Superman's DCAU counterpart makes a cameo |
| 2001 | Catwoman | #89 | Harleen Quinzel pitches a TV series in the same style of The New Batman Adventures[51] |
| 2005 | Krypto the Super Dog | #1-6 | Artist Min S Ku draws many characters in their DCAU style. |
| 2007 | Teen Titans Go! | #45 | The Justice League is presented in their DCAU style |
| 2008 | Legion of Superheroes in the 31st Century | #11 | The Justice League appears in their DCAU versions |
| 2013 | Green Lantern: The Animated Series | #13 | Lobo shows up in his DCAU design |
| 2014 | Adventures of Superman | #40 | The Joker shows up in multiple styles, including his TNBA look.[52] |
| 2017 | Action Comics | #975 | Mr. Mxyzptlk and Superman appear in their STAS style.[53] |
Characters adapted from the DCAU[]
Though the DCAU is an offshoot of the mainstream DC comics universe, it has also affected the DC universe in return. The following characters were originally created for their respective series in the DCAU, but were eventually adapted via retroactive continuity into the mainstream DC comic continuity:
- Nora Fries (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Harley Quinn (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Renee Montoya (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Lock-Up (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Sewer King (Batman: The Animated Series)
- The Condiment King (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Mercy Graves (Superman: The Animated Series)
- Livewire (Superman: The Animated Series)
- Roxy Rocket (The New Batman Adventures)
- Terry McGinnis/Batman (Batman Beyond)
- Gray Ghost (Batman: The Animated Series)
- Phantasm (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm)
- Blight (Batman Beyond)
In addition, the backstory of Mr. Freeze was adapted from his portrayal in Batman: The Animated Series, and the visuals and/or characterization of Green Lantern, Supergirl, Toyman, Two-Face, Parasite, Metallo, Clayface, and many others have been applied to their comic counterparts. On a different note, issue #22 of DC Comics' Superman/Batman series, which explores alternate realities, had Bizarro transported to an alternate version of Gotham City that was patrolled by a Batman using the Batman Beyond version of the costume. A version of the future of Batman Beyond made an appearance in Countdown to Final Crisis #21, as part of the new Multiverse in the wake of the Infinite Crisis and 52 series, and a Batman Beyond series had been planned. In January 2015, DC published The Multiversity Guidebook which revealed a universe inspired by the DCAU is Earth-12 in the DC Multiverse, and currently in the Batman Beyond era, while the Justice Lords Earth from those Batman Beyond comics has also been added to the canon as Earth-50.[54]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Crews, Devin (June 8, 2020). "DCAU: 10 Things You Never Knew About The Making Of This Animated Universe". Comic Book Resources.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Top 25 Animated Movies of All-Time". IGN. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on January 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "The Batman-Superman Movie". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Video". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'Batman Beyond' Returns in New Anniversary Short (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Watch New 'Batman Beyond' Short by Darwyn Cooke". /Film. April 21, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Warner Bros. Online Joins Forces With DC Comics And Warner Bros. Animation To Create Original Animation For Debut Of Redesigned Warner Bros. Online June 15". Warner Bros.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Backstage - Rejected/Unproduced Series & Movie Pitches". The World's Finest. Archived from the original on May 21, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Epilogue". Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Stu Hamilton. "Boyd Kirkland". Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved 2016-11-18.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Worlds Collide". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "More "DC Universe Animated Original Movie" Titles Planned For 2009". Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Two-Face #0". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Claritin Syrup Presents". Comic Book Database. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Gotham Knights". Comixology. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "JLA Burger King Mini". Comic Vine. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP #12". DC Comics. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Love is Love". Previews World. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Harley Quinn". DC Comics. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Jordan, Darran (2015). Green Lantern History: An Unauthorized Guide to the DC Comic Book Series. ISBN 9781326139872. https://books.google.com/books?id=3CrTCAAAQBAJ&q=I+very+much+appreciate+that+so+many+of+you+guys+have+so+much+love+for+the+old+series,+from+BTAS+through+JLU+(I+do+too)+--+but+frankly,+I+doubt+that+we%27ll+be+formally,+%22officially%22+doing+another+movie+or+TV+series+set+in+that+continuity+(...)+anything+is+possible,+so+conceivably+that+could+change+someday+--+instead+of+saying+%22THE+DCAU+IS+DEAD%22,+maybe+we+can+just+say+it%27s+in+a+state+of+suspended+animation+until+further+notice...&pg=PA517. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
- ↑ Timm, Bruce (September 18, 2009). "Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths News & Discussion". Toon Zone. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Interview: Bruce Timm Talks JUSTICE LEAGUE: GODS AND MONSTERS - Nerdist". June 8, 2015. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Bonomolo, Cameron (May 10, 2022). "Kevin Conroy Reveals The Real Reason They Stopped Making 'Batman: The Animated Series'". ComicBook. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman: The Animated Series Reboot is Happening According to Kevin Smith". Screen Rant. 19 January 2021.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Why JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED Deserves a Revival".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'Batman: The Animated Series' Audio Drama in the Works with Original Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 December 2021.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Batman Beyond To Receive An Ongoing Series". Inside Pulse. August 28, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "DC Comics Launches Batman Beyond Unlimited". DC Comics. November 14, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "DC Comics' FULL June 2013 Solicitations". Newsarama. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
...don't miss the epic conclusion of Superman Beyond!
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "DC Comics' FULL August 2013 Solicitations". Newsarama. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Arrant, Chris (May 16, 2014). "DC Reveals Creative Line-Ups For September's Futures End Titles". Newsarama. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
{{cite web}}: [dead link] - ↑ Press, Official (2016-07-22). "The Classic '90s Cartoon Batman Is Teaming Up With the Ninja Turtles for a New Comic". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2022-05-10.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Press, Official (2016-07-22). "Animated-style Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover announced". Batman-news.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Superman: Game Boy: Video Games". Amazon. September 21, 2013. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Rent Static Shock [Canceled] Video Game for Game Boy Advance". Archived from the original on 4 August 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'Batman: The Complete Animated Series' Swings Onto Blu-Ray This October". Movieweb. August 9, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'Batman: The Animated Series' Blu-Ray Clip Explores 'The Heart of Batman'". MovieWeb. November 28, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 42.0 42.1 Silliman, Brian (November 2, 2018). "How Paul Dini and Mike Mignola changed Mr. Freeze forever, plus other revelations from the Batman: The Animated Series documentary". SYFY WIRE.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Warner Bros. Entertainment. Batman The Animated Series | The Heart of Batman Documentary Livestream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLpDvQ6vFI.
- ↑ "Watch the feature-length Batman: The Animated Series documentary The Heart of Batman – Animated Views".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Video". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "You Crazy Fans!: Episode 73". Hello, Nice Warners!.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Archived copy". Wikia. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ↑ "Video". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Archived copy". vignette.wikia.nocookie.net. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ↑ "Archived copy". vignette.wikia.nocookie.net. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ↑ "Reading Comprehension Retry: Catwoman when in Rome | Capes and Whips: Where Justice is Blindfolded". Capes and Whips. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Bild: adventuresofsuperman6ogjni.jpg". abload.de.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Lainez, Kevin (March 10, 2017). "Action Comics #975 Review".
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Morrison, Grant (w), Wyatt, Jake (p). Maps and Legends 1: 35/1 (January 28, 2015), New York City: DC Comics
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