It had been many months since Batman Caped Crusader did not give any news. But the situation has now changed, with lots of images and information, including the broadcast date.
Batman Caped Crusader, from Max to Amazon
Originally announced in 2021, the animated series Batman Caped Crusader will have undergone a long development. Produced in particular by Abrams And Matt Reeves (The Batman), we also find Bruce Timm (Batman the Animated Series) for the artistic part or even names like Greg Rucka (Gotham Central) to the scenario.
It was in an exchange with EW that Bruce Timm and character designer James Tucker affirmed that their goal was not to remake BTAS (Batman the Animated Series). They decided to set the series in the 1940s, where the 1990s series seemed to juggle in an anachronistic era, between coin-operated telephone booths, old cars and super computers.
James and I are both big fans of the films from that era, so we relied on them a lot in terms of clothes, cars, architecture and the level of technology. At first we decided that there would be no computers or cell phones. It changed everything.
Bruce Timm for Entertainment Weekly
Furthermore, apart from the film noir aspect specific to the 1940s as the main inspiration, Timm and Tucker drew a lot from the comics of that era. Comics that marked the first appearances of characters like Catwoman or the first version of Clayface.
A new version of Harley Quinn
However, even if the animated series will be largely inspired by comics from the 1940s, we will also be able to find modern elements. We will have a new version of Harley Quinn where she is of Asian origin. Furthermore, she will have no relationship with the Joker. It was a desire to Bruce Timm (co-creator of Harley Quinn) to change this aspect of the character.
I co-created the character, so I have a huge amount of love and affection for her, but I thought there was something interesting about bringing her into our show, without being the girlfriend of the Joker. So how to do this? We did a basic exchange. The original Dr. Quinzel was more serious and became more fun and weird when she became Harley Quinn. So we said, why not reverse that? So when she’s Dr. Quinzel she’s more whimsical and fun and when she’s Harley she’s scary.
Bruce Timm for Entertainment Weekly
The two halves of Harley’s character are also more connected than ever in the series Batman Caped Crusader. In the series, she will not be a psychiatrist linked to Arkham Asylum. And she will also use psychiatry as a weapon. Additionally, she ends up with a certain patient named Bruce Wayne.
A different Batman than usual
Bruce Timm And James Tucker wanted to explore a stranger version of the character, not only through the costume (which, due to its design, furiously evokes the original costume of Batman with his long ears, high boots and short gloves) but also by his psychology.
He really is a weird human being. He’s not obsessed with killing his parents, but it has changed him in a way where he doesn’t really know how to behave as a normal human being anymore. He’s literally Batman inside. When he’s Bruce Wayne, it’s not him not wearing a mask, but Batman wearing a person’s costume. He’s trying to pretend to be someone he’s not.
Bruce Timm for Entertainment Weekly on the psychology of Batman
The idea was to make him so isolated that no one really knows who he is. We’re trying to erase the predictable conclusion that he’s a hero, whether it’s to the Gotham police, these residents, or the audience.
James Tucker for Entertainment Weekly on Batman
However, Batman will have a lot to do with numerous antagonists.
Batman versus Catwoman and Clayface
Characters like Catwoman And Clayface also undergo a return to their sources.
We didn’t want to remake the same version of Catwoman as in BTAS or as Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke did in the 2000s with this leather costume which became her default costume in the comics and films. I really like it but we wanted something different. So we said to ourselves that we were going back to the origins. I love the original design she has from the 40s when the costume was purple!
Bruce Timm for Entertainment Weekly on Catwoman
Among the sources of inspiration, James Tucker also quotes Barbara Stanwyck in the movie The Lady Eve. Selina Kyle is playful and charming, so that Batman (and viewers) underestimate her.
Concerning Clayface, you should not expect to find the most famous version which is that of the clay monster. In place, Batman Caped Crusader takes inspiration from the character’s original appearance, inspired by old horror films.
The 10 episodes of season 1 of Batman Caped Crusader will be available on Amazon Prime August 1st.
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