When Batman: Caped Crusader was announced to the public in 2021, the involvement of Bruce Timm, who co-created Batman: The Animated Series, indicated the upcoming DC TV show would be a successor to the popular show that ran in the ‘90s, be it directly or spiritually. Since then, it’s been clarified it will more the latter and not tied to the DC Animated Universe, but it turns out that next small screen outing for Batman won’t just be a modern-day replica of BTAS. Ed Brubaker, who was the head writer of Caped Crusader’s first season, opened up about how this Amazon show will be “a lot different” than its predecessor, and now I’m way more intrigued to see what it has to offer.
While it remains to be seen when Batman: Caped Crusader will premiere to Amazon Prime Video subscribers, during his appearance on ComicBookClub, Brubaker (whose many superhero-related writing credits include penning Batman-centric books like the Dark Knight’s main title, Catwoman and Gotham Central) shared how this series will tow the line between being accessible to younger viewers, yet more intense than Batman: The Animated Series, saying:
I’ll warn you guys, it’s a lot different than BTAS. It’s very much a re-conception... it’s PG. When we first started, we were told we could do PG-13. I was like, ‘Oh my God, is someone gonna say “shit” in a Batman cartoon?’ But no, it’s not PG-13. It’s a lot different. It’s sort of like the show Bruce Timm always wanted to make, but that they wouldn’t let him make. There’s a lot more people getting punched on camera. I don’t want to spoil it for you guys… everyone will kill me if I say it, but it’s kind of noir. It’s definitely a different take that I hope people will love, but I think people will also be shocked by some things about it.
So although we’re still largely in the dark on Batman: Caped Crusader plot-wise, Brubaker’s statement confirms that the new show will be more violent than Batman: The Animated Series, though not to the degree that only adults will be able to enjoy it. And while BTAS was hardly lacking in noir elements, I do wonder how much further Caped Crusader will lean into that tone. Basically, as Brubaker indicated, it sounds like this new show is what BTAS would have been back in the day if Bruce Timm hadn’t had to worry Standards and Practices when it and The New Batman Adventures were airing on Fox Kids and Kids WB, respectively.
Don’t get me wrong, I was already excited for Batman: Caped Crusader, which was originally developed for Max until the streamer scrapped those plans in 2022. But as much as I loved Batman: The Animated Series and the larger DC Animated Universe while growing up, it would have been boring if Caped Crusader simply copied the exact vibe of that ‘90s show. It’s fine to honor the spirit of BTAS, but Ed Brubaker teasing how much different Caped Crusader entices me even more to check it out. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up enjoying it even more than BTAS.
Batman: Caped Crusader’s lineup of behind-the-scenes talent also includes J.J Abrams and The Batman director Matt Reeves as producers, as well as writers like Marc Bernardin and Greg Rucka (the latter of whom co-wrote Gotham Central with Ed Brubaker). No actors have been announced yet, but the show is already guaranteed two seasons. While we wait for more concrete details on what to expect from Caped Crusader, look through the 2024 TV schedule to learn what shows are premiering/returning soon.
