The classic 1990s Batman TV show is headed to HBO Max soon – but are new episodes also in the pipeline? Kevin Smith excitedly says yes.
Usually, getting two sources sharing the same rumour is a pretty good indication of its reliability, but what if those two sources are in the same vlog, in conversation with one another? Well, you can at least watch the exchange go down and judge the credibility of what you’re hearing that way. To my eyes at least, this one is looking pretty darn solid.
During a recent Fatman Beyond cast, Marc Bernardin – a well-connected entertainment journalist and one of Smith’s regular Batbuddies – shares his enthusiasm for an ‘intoxicating’ rumour. As per Bernardin, “HBO Max is looking at making a Batman: The Animated Series sequel. They want to continue that forward.”
And as Bernardin spoke, Kevin Smith excitedly covered his mouth and flushed pink. Why? Smith added “I too have heard this. I have heard this from very reliable people… and when I heard it, I freaked out.”
Relatable.
Well, that sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? You can check out the full episode for yourself in the player below. Jump to 2:03:40 if it’s just this rumour you want to know about.
But what shape would a new Batman: The Animated Series take? The original was shepherded by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with a visual flavour heavily influenced by its chief designer, Eric Radomski. Would they all come back?
And if it really is a sequel, as the Fatman rumour states, would it be set immediately after the 90s run, or some time later? Jumping into the far future would put it on the turf of Batman Beyond, sticking too close would overlap with The New Batman Adventures – so how about it just being more episodes of ‘the same’, sticking to the basic Animated Series chronology?
The fans would surely want Kevin Conroy back as Batman, though there would sadly be some recasting necessary: Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who played Alfred, and Bob Hastings, who played Commissioner Gordon, both passed away in 2014.
Speaking more as animation fan than a Batman fan (though I’ve certainly enjoyed some of ol’ pointy ears’ outings a great deal) The Animated Series is a genuine TV classic, and the spin-off movie Mask Of The Phantasm genuinely ranks among the best-crafted and most interesting superhero stories in all of cinema.
This new run has a lot to live up to. Hopefully that’s exactly what will inspire its creators to greatness. Is this pressure what they want? Probably not, but maybe it’s exactly what they’ll need. Good luck, team. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
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