It’s been a big week for Bat-fans. We started out the week with a first look poster for Batman: Caped Crusader, the brand new animated series from executive producer Bruce Timm. But that wasn’t all the Prime Video had up its sleeve. The poster was then follower by the series first full trailer!
Today we’re taking a closer look at the trailer, picking up on some of the key details and potential plot points which you might have missed on first watch. But before we dive in why not watch the trailer one more time in the player below:
Classical Inspirations
In 1989 Tim Burton reinvigorated the idea of the superhero on the big screen by creating a Batman movie which was so dark it was deemed too scary for kids. Here in the UK the film was rated for ages 15 and up due to its violence and dark themes. In that film Burton chose to first show Batman in silhouette, watching over the mean streets of Gotham from high up amongst its many gargoyles.
Here the Batman: Caped Crusader creative team choose to do something similar as the trailer opens with Batman distance in the frame and fully encased in shadow. In fact he doesn’t appear in his full glory until a full 30 seconds in to the near 2 minute trailer.
Bruce Timm returns to Batman to executive produce this series over three-decades after he masterminded Batman: The Animated Series, another project which took heavy inspiration from the world of Tim Burton’s movies. This trailer makes is abundantly clear that Caped Crusader will still be inspired by those darker interpretations of Batman as well as taking stylistic inspiration from the comics of the 1940s.
From the Shadows
When Batman does finally emerge from the shadows it’s for a scene which feels like classic Batman. The scene follows a tradition of Batman’s first appearances where he emerges from the shadows, striking fear in to the hearts of the criminals of Gotham. In Batman ’89 it was the rooftop scene, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins it’s the dockyard scene with Detective Glass and Carmine Falcone and in the Arkham games… well it’s every scene.
Timm and fellow executive producers Matt Reeves (The Batman) and J.J. Abrams (Star Trek) exhibit a collective understanding of what fans want from a Batman cartoon but also show a fundamental understanding of who he is as a character. Everything about this scene oozes Dark Knight whilst fitting in perfectly with the 1940’s aesthetic. The mist. The well dressed goons. Even the way Batman emerges from the haze, stalking his prey. It’s pitch perfect Batman. There are even echoes of the legendary Batman: The Animated Series opening credit sequence as our hero pounces on a goon whilst others fire their guns in vain.
Adult Themes
Whilst Batman: The Animated Series was dark in its style it was always a series aimed at a young audience. For many of my generation it’s the epitome of the Saturday morning cartoons of our childhood and marks another turning point in the quality of writing in animation. But judging by this trailer Caped Crusader is aiming itself squarely at a more grown up audience. Most likely those of us who grew up with BTAS!
A later scene in the trailer shows Batman in a small crawl space doing some detective work. A shining example of how Caped Crusader is set to approach Batman as the World’s Greatest Detective and not just a heavyweight beating up the bad guys. Whilst the eye is drawn to Batman in the middle of the frame it quickly becomes clear he’s looking at something much more disturbing than any run of the mill Riddler puzzle box.
The next shot in the trailer shows what appears to be the dead bodies of two unknown characters. The scene drives home their status when a spider crawls out of the mouth of one of them and over their cold dead eye. Whilst it could turn out they’re just paralysed with some kind of fear toxin this scene certainly drives home the point that Caped Crusader hasn’t been made with the intention of selling millions of toys to the under 10 market.
A Strong GCPD Supporting Cast
The trailer gives us plenty of appearances from the series’ supporting cast. We’ll get to the villains at the moment but first let’s talk GCPD. Alongside a first look at Commissioner Gordon we get to see a number of other key players in Gotham’s police force.
There’s a strong undertone in the trailer of Batman versus the GCPD. The narration indicates that Batman, whilst a fairly new force on the streets, hasn’t yet built relationships with Gordon or any of the other major players. We see a meeting of the force which potentially includes other familiar faces from the comics. Led by a character I suspect is going to be Renee Montoya, or a version of her. This character is leading a discussion on Batman, referred to on their evidence board as the classically styled Bat-Man.
A number of other characters have speaking parts or are highlighted. Ranging from senior official to beat cops, it seems like there will be speaking parts right across the GCPD. The trailer doesn’t show us Bruce Wayne or any of his interactions with everyday Gothamites. Instead our only insight in to the perception of Batman comes from this group of characters. One in particular has caught our attention. Could this be the Caped Crusader version of Barbara Gordon:
Exhibit A is the character’s red hair. A traditionally key aspect of Barbara’s character. She’s first seen in the trailer watching Batman running across rooftops with a certain fascination. Later in the trailer we see the same character alongside Jim Gordon with both looking rather battered and bruised. In the image above we see a certain fatherly concern in his eyes. Whoever this character is she is certainly a member of the GCPD and is seem hanging out of a car window in a shootout with goons. Could this be a Barbara who has joined the force but is lured in to a life of vigilantism in order to help make a difference on Gotham’s streets? Also, we can’t help but notice she’s wearing purple, another very traditionally Batgirl colour…
A Cacophony of Villains
Prior to the trailer we had been gifted with images from the series featuring the redesigned Harley Quinn (Jamie Chung) as well as Catwoman (Christina Ricci) and a monstrous new take on Clayface. But the trailer also shows off a number of other villains now confirmed to form part of Gotham’s looming gang war.
One of the names which will surprise fans is the inclusion of Onomatopoeia, traditionally a Green Arrow villain. The character, first created by Kevin Smith, Phil Hester, and Ande Parks is going to be hopping from Star City to Gotham as one of the more outlandish elements of the series.
We’re also treated to a first look at Penguin as well as his legendary Gotham venue the Iceberg Lounge. Traditionally a venue found near the docks in Gotham the Caped Crusader version is instead a cruise ship which comes complete with its own on-board cannon. Whilst we don’t see Oswald’s face he is seen wielding one of his own trademark umbrellas and has us excited to see more.
Another character spotlighted in the trailer is Harvey Dent. Continuing the legacy of previous Batman actors returning to voice new characters this version is set to be played by Batman: The Brave and the Bold star Diedrich Bader. Caped Crusader’s first season looks set to explore Harvey’s fall from grace, first seen in the trailer as a political voice in Gotham, later in the trailer we see he has transformed in to his Two-Face persona.
Back in Batman: The Animated Series Timm portrayed Harvey as a long-time friend of Bruce Wayne. In that series his origin was tied in with his relationship with Pamela Isley and an ongoing arc saw Bruce fighting to bring back Harvey even arranging for surgery to hide the scarring to half of his face.
Here’s a look at some of the other villains in the trailer including our first look at Firefly:
A Game of Cat and… Bat
We were hoping the trailer would give us a better look at the dynamic between Hamish Linklater’s Batman and Christina Ricci’s Catwoman. Whilst the latter does appear in the trailer, showing off her classic purple costume, we don’t get too much insight in to their relationship.
A key moment from the trailer does at least show a fun cat-and-mouse game as Batman chases Catwoman across the rooftops of Gotham. We see them leaping through a huge sign on the Clowder Industries building before taking off across the edge of the rooftop. It’s a playful moment which seems to emphasise that Catwoman is at least perceived as a criminal by Batman in the beginning. A later scene in the trailer sees Catwoman landing a punch on Batman using some kind of electric shock device… the spark between them is absolutely real.
What were your favourite moments in the trailer? Make sure and let us know in the comments below. Don’t forget, you can also catch Neil’s full reaction video for the trailer in the player below:
Joining Hamish Linklater as the new Batman in the series in currently undisclosed roles are Minnie Driver, Eric Morgan Stuart, Michelle C. Bonilla, Krystal Joy Brown, John DiMaggio, McKenna Grace, Jason Watkins, Paul Scheer, Reid Scott, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Donohue, David Krumholtz, Haley Joel Osment, and Toby Stephens.
Batman: Caped Crusader premieres Thursday, August 1, on Prime Video.
