Sept. 20 was National Batman Day, celebrating the 85th anniversary of Batman’s first appearance in the comics all the way back in 1939. This past summer, Amazon Prime Studios paired up with legendary producer Bruce Timm, creator of “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992), to create an all-new iteration of the Dark Knight in “Batman: Caped Crusader” (2024).
This new animated series is a perfect spiritual follow-up to the beloved 90s series and further expands on its darker themes and dissection of Batman/Bruce Wayne.
Having been inspired by Tim Burton’s revolutionary 1988 film “Batman” and running from 1992 to 1995, “Batman: The Animated Series” was a hit with critics and fans, holding a respectful 9.0/10 on IMDb and a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. More importantly, “Batman: The Animated Series” and my childhood favorite “Superman: The Animated Series” (1996) sparked an entire DC Animated Universe helmed by Bruce Timm that went on to house some cherished animated shows, including “Batman Beyond” (1999), “Justice League” (2001) and its sequel series “Justice League Unlimited” (2004). The DC Animated Universe was a faithful and spectacular adaptation of DC’s most iconic heroes.
Now, in 2024, Bruce Timm, along with producers J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, brings Batman back into the animated world seamlessly and in new and exciting ways. “Batman: Caped Crusader” is similar to the 90s show in design and setting, using a 1940s New York City as its inspiration. The clothing, building designs and vehicles in every scene seem authentic to the time yet highly original. “Batman: Caped Crusader” also occasionally diversifies the ethnicities and genders of the characters we know from the comics. For example, Minnie Driver voices Oswalda Cobblepot, a female version of The Penguin.
Composer Frederik Wiedmann created brilliant music for the series, sometimes reusing and retooling known motifs.
The rest of the cast, including Hamish Linklater as Batman, Jason Watkins as Butler Alfred Pennyworth, Diedrich Bader as District Attorney Harvey Dent and Michelle C. Bonilla as hard-boiled police detective Renee Montoya, are all fantastic and bring enthusiasm and passion to their respective roles.
Linklater, known for roles in “The Big Short” (2015), “Fantastic Four” (2005) and the television series “Midnight Mass” (2021), joins a long and historic lineup of past Batman voice and physical actors. Probably the most iconic of these actors is the late great Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman through the entire DC Animated Universe and almost every animated and video game incarnation of the character. Linklater does a respectable job voicing the duel personalities of Bruce Wayne and Batman, but I’m eager to see more emotional depth from Linklater in the upcoming Season 2, expected to be released in 2025.
“Batman: Caped Crusader” is a smash hit for Amazon Prime Studios, recapturing the tone and vibe of the adored ’90s show while marvelously reinventing it for new audiences.
My Final Rating: ★★★★☆
