Holy Animation, Batman!

Batman: Year One coming soon, and The Dark Knight Returns might be next...


Hey everybody, first I want to apologize for the absence of posts lately, won't happen again. I'm still firmly committed to Action News and keeping it updated as often as possible. So let's get started.

DC Comics has been great at setting out their animation plans and following through with them, so many of us were wondering when we would be seeing Batman: Year One, the adaptation of the critically acclaimed Frank Miller/ David Mazzucchelli story that has been the standard Bat origin since it's creation. Well, pretty much, you know how DC can be sometimes.


The animated adaptation was announced last year, along with All-Star Superman and Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. We haven't heard too much about B:YO during the promo for the other two, but we finally hear some good news from Batman animated guru Bruce Timm. MTV Geek reports:

Often with animated (or non-animated) adaptations of classic comic book stories, there is a fear that what made the tale so great the first time will get mangled and distorted in the adaptation process. Not so for the upcoming DC animated movie Batman: Year One, Producer Bruce Timm recently told MTV Geek:

"It is the comic -- literally 95% of the dialogue is pulled straight out of the comic. The visual style is definitely based on the David Mazzucchelli style as close as we can make it. We didn't add any extra scenes to it that weren't in the comic...it is a straight-up adaptation of the comic."

He also promised that it would be "unlike any other Batman movie we've made before."

You can check a video of the interview at the link, but that sounds great. Batman: Year One is a must read, and if you haven't yet, then do it. Now. Don't even finish this article. Okay, finish the article. One of the highlights of both Miller and Mazzucchelli's Bat careers, and I can't wait to see this, especially if it's as true to the original as possible. Speaking of highlight's of Miller's Bat career, that takes us to the next piece of Bat-news.

Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns basically restarted the world's interest in Batman. He gave us the darkest version of Batman most had ever seen, especially during the camp filled era brought about by the 60's TV show. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard this over at Splashpage:

According to Bleeding Cool, anonymous sources have indicated that an animated "The Dark Knight Returns" is not only planned, but work is already underway on bringing the story of Batman in his twilight years to the screen. The site reports that "The Dark Knight Returns" movie will likely mimic the original artistic style of its source material, much like this year's "All-Star Superman" movie.

Before you get too excited, however, keep in mind that everything related to the project is entirely unofficial at this point — and there's no guarantee that we'll see such such a film.

Still, the site hints that "several veterans of Batman toons past will be on the crew list," which could mean some familiar voices for longtime fans if everything pans out. If such a film is in production, it will likely have to get in line behind "Batman: Year One," an adaptation of another of Miller's Batman tales rumored to be in production.

So no official word on this yet, but I can say that I'm sure everybody wants this. Getting faithful adaptations of both Batman:Year One and The Dark Knight Returns means only one thing. It's a great time to be a Batman fan.

UPDATE!!!

The voice cast and the first few images from the upcoming Batman: Year One adaptation were just released over at SuperHeroHype:

Heat Vision reports that Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff will provide their voices for Batman: Year One, the animated adaptation of the Frank Miller classic from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu are directing from a script by Tab Murphy. The trade describes the film as follows:

In Year One, a young Bruce Wayne is first starting out as a costumed vigilante. He creates an early bond with Lieutenant James Gordon, whose importance in the tale makes it as much as Gordon's story as Wayne's.

Cranston is playing Gordon, while McKenzie is Wayne/Batman. Dushku voices Catwoman, while Sackhoff is Detective Sarah Essen, a Gordon love interest.

Additionally, Alex Rocco lends his pipes as crime lord Carmine Falcone.

For more on the casting announcements you can check out Grizzly Bomb, they'll tell you all you need to know.

How excited are you for these animated adaptations? Think The Dark Knight Returns will turn out to be more than just a rumor?


Sound off in the comments section below!