Reports that the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader has been cancelled by HBO Max are yet another blow to fans of the character. Batman: Caped Crusader joins the ranks of shows like Infinity Train (which was taken off the platform) and Batgirl (which was cancelled) on the growing list of shows and movies shelved or otherwise cancelled by HBO Max/Warner Bros. Discovery, which is very concerning given the line-up we thought we were getting (which was shelved earlier this month). It’s a sad day for fans of the Dark Knight, as TV Line reports that the series is currently being shopped around and has been cancelled at HBO Max.
According to reports, this is one of six projects from HBO Max and Cartoon Network to be cancelled, but the creators will continue working on them while shopping them around to other platforms. The series was meant to take a reimagined look back into the world of the character from Batman: The Animated Series artist Bruce Timm. We had high hopes for the animated series since it was being produced by J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Ed Brubaker, and because Reeves helmed The Batman. That’s a bummer for Batman fans in general, and a bummer for the HBO Max shakeup as a whole. Fans are understandably worried and angry by the recent Warner Bros. Discovery merger and the apparent removal of series from HBO Max.
There was a great deal of potential, but today there is ongoing uncertainty about what is being developed and what is instead being accomplished on the network. Although it’s encouraging to see that development on the project is continuing (unlike several other titles said to have been scrapped at HBO Max), it’s still a scary glimpse into the future of some of these franchises. As a fan of Batman: The Animated Series who was eager to see where Gotham and Batman were going, I hope that Batman: Caped Crusader finds a new home.
In the meanwhile, it will be interesting to see which series continue to survive the cancellations and whether or not they find new life elsewhere. However, until we get more information, we can only speculate about the potential of this new Batman universe.