Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond are among several new DC titles arriving on HBO Max next month, finally bringing the fan favorite cartoon shows to the WarnerMedia-owned streaming service. Additionally, titles like Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Justice League Dark: Apokalips War, and Batman: Bad Blood are also set to begin streaming exclusively on HBO Max starting on the first of the year.
Previously, DC has tried to ingratiate themselves into the streaming game with the launch of the DC Universe streaming service. This came along with the production of new content, such as Swamp Thing and Harley Quinn, which were originally meant to be exclusives. It has since been announced that DC Universe will also become a comics-exclusive platform, and the shows and movies hosted by the streamer will be moved to HBO Max as a result.
Fans have been calling for HBO Max to add Batman: The Animated Series ever since the streamer debuted earlier this year. For many longtime fans of the caped crusader, the ’90s cartoon show remains one of the very best Batman adaptations of them all. Originally premiering on Fox Kids in 1992, the series features the voices of fan favorite actors Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne and Mark Hamill as the Joker. During its run, the cartoon managed to win four Emmy Awards, including one for Outstanding Animated Program.
Batman: The Animated Series is also known for its great contributions to the Batman lore. Perhaps most notably, the show introduced the Harley Quinn character for the first time, as the Joker’s main squeeze hadn’t previously been featured in DC Comics. Due to the positive reception of the supervillain, who was only meant to be featured in one-off appearance, Harley would return in other episodes, such as the critically-acclaimed “Mad Love” episode that revealed her twisted backstory with the Joker. Now that other iterations of Harley have led their own movie and cartoon series, it’s clear that she’s come a long way.
Set decades after the events of The Animated Series, Batman Beyond brings back Conroy to voice a much older Bruce Wayne. With Bruce’s age leading to his retirement as Gotham City’s savior, teenage high school student Terry McGinnis suits up as the new Batman with Mr. Wayne serving as his mentor. While the show features a new guy in the suit, Batman Beyond was well-received by fans, developing a following of its own and running for three seasons. It would also spawn the animated movie spinoff Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, which is also coming to HBO Max.
Other Batman titles coming to HBO Max next month include Batman: Death in the Family, Batman: Hush, and Christopher Nolan’s Batman movie trilogy: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. Along with Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, all of these titles will begin streaming on HBO Max on Jan. 1. The Little Things, the new movie from John Lee Hancock that’s set to premiere in theaters on Jan. 29, will also begin streaming on HBO Max on the same day for 31 days at no extra cost. This news comes to us from WarnerMedia.
