Official Press Release
The Caped Crusader will return to television screens this summer when Beware the Batman premieres on Cartoon Network Saturday, July 13 at 10 a.m. (ET/PT) as part of DC Nation. Featuring cutting-edge CGI visuals to match the intricate twists and turns of the narrative, Batman steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight for an entirely new generation of fans.
A cool, new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogues gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. Along with backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordswoman Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation (WBA), this action-packed detective thriller deftly redefines what we have come to know as a “Batman show.”
WBA’s Sam Register serves as executive producer, with Glen Murakami (Batman Beyond) and Mitch Watson (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc.) producing.
Starring Anthony Ruivivar (Banshee) as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Beware The Batman boasts a stellar voice cast with JB Blanc (The Count of Monte Cristo) as Alfred and Sumalee Montano (ER) as Katana. Lending voices to the villains are Wallace Langham (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) as Anarky, Grey DeLisle (Green Lantern: The Animated Series) as Magpie, Udo Kier (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Inc.) as Mr. Toad, Lance Reddick (Fringe) as Ra’s al Ghul and Brian George (The Big Bang Theory) as Professor Pyg.
Beware the Batman is the latest series based on characters from DC Comics to be added to DC Nation, Cartoon Network’s programming block on Saturday mornings. It will be followed by Teen Titans Go! at 10:30 a.m. and joined by all-new animated shorts.
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is consistently the #1 U.S. television network among boys 6-11. Currently seen in 99 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families.
In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, with an innovative and talent-rich roster boasting some of the most accomplished writers, producers and artists working today. The studio is on the cutting edge of animation technology and has both CG and traditionally animated projects in current production and development. For TV, WBA produces series such as The Looney Tunes Show, MAD, Teen Titans Go! and the forthcoming Beware The Batman and The Tom and Jerry Show for Cartoon Network and Mike Tyson Mysteries for Adult Swim. WBA also produces series and additional original content — including animated shorts — for Cartoon Network’s multiplatform branded DC Nation programming block. WBA also creates the highly successful series of DC Universe Original Animated Movies for DVD. Producing for multiple platforms including TV, digital and home entertainment both domestically and internationally, WBA is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as for maintaining the Studio’s rich cartoon heritage. It is also the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.
With "Avengers: EMH", "Young Justice" and "Green Lantern: TAS" all either off the air or airing re-runs, it's nice to see that another superhero animated show is on the horizon that doesn't strictly play for laughs to the toddler crowd. Of course, cartoons and their merchandise will always be aimed at kids but I'm sure there are parents out there who appreciate a well-made show that has interesting storylines that they too can enjoy. And while I wasn't wild about the animation style upon the initial reveal, it's definitely growing on me with these new stills.