Surprise! Concept art from an unmade Batman Beyond movie has surfaced and it sure looks like Batman’s answer to the Spider-Verse movies. Better still: one of the lead creatives involved still thinks there’s a chance it could get made.
Production designer Yukhi Demers (who was part of the visual development team on the first two Spider-Verse movies) took to Twitter/X to unveil three images from his and director Patrick Harpin’s neon-soaked take on Batman Beyond. Take a look at them below.
5 months ago Patrick Harpin walked into @wbpictures @DCofficial and pitched a 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 Animated Feature.Before we pitched, they warned us "there is absolutely no way we can do a 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 movie", but they loved our enthusiasm. We pitched the outline for the… pic.twitter.com/1mhFyu6NUpFebruary 20, 2024
"5 months ago Patrick Harpin walked into @wbpictures @DCofficial and pitched a Batman Beyond Animated Feature," Demers wrote of the pitch, which – if it follows the original animated series – would have likely revolved around the Batman of the futuristic Neo-Gotham, Terry McGinnis, being mentored by Bruce Wayne.
"Before we pitched, they warned us ‘there is absolutely no way we can do a Beyond movie’, but they loved our enthusiasm. We pitched the outline for the entire film, and what started as a 'never' turned into a 'maybe'. In the time since, we've been pitching our way up the company hoping to get to @jamesgunn."
So, it’s not a definite no. All eyes now fall on DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn as to whether the animated Batman Beyond movie – which resembles a no-brainer blend of Blade Runner and Across the Spider-Verse – will get its wings.
Gunn, meanwhile, is busy getting ready to film Superman: Legacy, the first chapter in his new DC cinematic universe. The new Superman film, with David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, will kick off DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters in July 2025.
For more, check out the new superhero movies headed your way very soon.