http://www.superherohype.com/news/335035-animated-batman-66-film-coming-next-year-with-adam-west-and-burt-ward (http://www.superherohype.com/news/335035-animated-batman-66-film-coming-next-year-with-adam-west-and-burt-ward)
Awesome!
I love what "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" did in terms of bringing back some of the 1960s villains for cameos. I hope the upcoming animated film will see a return for many of them (even if many of the actors who played them are now sadly deceased).
I wouldn't surprised if they bring back most of the supporting cast from The Brave and The Bold for this. They should definitely bring back whoever voiced Joker.
The good thing about Adam West is he still sounds like his younger self back in the sixties, despite how he plays an over-exaggerated version of himself on Family Guy. ;)
But I don't think Burt Ward still sounds like Robin... :-\
Anyway, I am excited for this. I like the Batman TV show and an animated movie can be much fun.
BvS and Suicide Squad aside, this is my most anticipated Batman product.
The 66 universe still has much to offer. The comic series which recently ended was one of my favourite runs in recent memory. Simply, it was fun and had me hooked. The lighter interpretations of Batman manage to convey the adventurous element of the character more successfully than the grim/dark interpretations. And the more innocent time of the 60s is a large element of that.
I think it's important the brand holds onto that light/dark balance going forward.
Hopefully we hear more about this 66 animated movie soon.
West and Ward have dropped fresh hints about a new Batman project they're working on:
QuoteWell, I have a gag order...However... No no, me and Burt have been working on a new project that's just gonna knock your socks off, and believe me, it's our Batman and Robin!"
http://comicbook.com/dc/2016/05/31/batman-tv-stars-adam-west-and-burt-ward-are-working-on-a-new-pro/
Could this be the animated movie they announced a while back, but which we've heard nothing else about since?
The film is called Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and will be available in the fall:
http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-cast-of-batman-66-returns-for-a-new-animated-movie-1785400516?utm_campaign=socialflow_io9_facebook&utm_source=io9_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
Looks really fun! I've wanted something like this for a long time.
Too bad it wasn't made back when Gorshin was still around, but better late than never.
The animation looks really good. I cant wait to watch this. Day one buy for me. :)
Finally we get something to chew on.
I like the animation style too. It's going to be fun.
Agreed. The teaser-trailer makes it look fun.
Does anyone know who is doing the voices for the other villains apart from Catwoman?
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Sun, 10 Jan 2016, 18:12I think it's important the brand holds onto that light/dark balance going forward.
This. I really dig the direction WB is taking Batman at the moment. You've got this really gritty, vaguely TDKR'ish Batman in the movies right now, they're following that up with undiluted Adam West camp and there'll probably be some DTV animated films based on more recent comics. There's something for everybody (or a lot of stuff for a few people) and I'm enjoying the ride so far.
Well, I have no intention of watching the Killing Joke. But whatever, you get the idea.
They no longer seem self conscious about B66, or any other lighter version of the character. Brave and the Bold, etc. I think that's largely because like you say, all their bases are covered. The cinematic brand is no longer considered a joke. They rehabilitated his reputation with adult themes and darkness. Giving the masses Adam West isn't going to damage that progress. I'm happy where the Batman brand is at the moment.
I sincerely hope that Lee Meriwether has a part in this upcoming animated film. It's natural they would go with Julie Newmar for Catwoman, that's to be expected, but it also would be nice if Lee is somewhere in there as well. Even if it's in a cameo-like capacity, akin to her appearance in the 2003 tv movie, Back to the Batcave.
I like how the animation looks.
https://youtu.be/3jBbWoAtaWc
I predict it will be the best animated Batman film since The Dark Knight Returns.
Quote from: thecolorsblend on Sat, 20 Aug 2016, 00:00
Well, I have no intention of watching the Killing Joke. But whatever, you get the idea.
Wise move. You're not missing out on much. Although I'm a little surprised to hear that it's selling well on home video at the moment.
Quote from: The Laughing Fish on Sun, 21 Aug 2016, 05:23
I predict it will be the best animated Batman film since The Dark Knight Returns.
I can see that happening.
Gordon looks more like Alfred, and the other voices sound a bit off(from what we can hear of them), but the animation looks so goddamn good. Man, I can't wait to watch this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJkmue50gd8
Attention citizens: This terrific trailer brings back the glory days.
I have a decent B66 collection these days. The complete series Blu-Ray, all the hardcover comics and a B66 Batmobile.
Now we just need the same animated movie treatment for the Burtonverse.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Wed, 24 Aug 2016, 00:12
Now we just need the same animated movie treatment for the Burtonverse.
This movie comes out 50 years after the original show aired.
So, using my Bat-Analyzer, I have concluded we will get an original Burtonverse animated film in the year 2039.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Wed, 24 Aug 2016, 00:12
Now we just need the same animated movie treatment for the Burtonverse.
This was from a WB press release yesterday:
Quote"Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is an excellent addition to the ever-growing canon of Batman entertainment, offering a fun, playful animated version of the character's adventures," said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. "Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is proud to initiate a series of animated movies - under the new 'DC Classics Collection' brand - and honored to have Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar give life to these iconic characters."
Not saying a Burton-verse is going to happen, but I think it's much more possible now with their new "DC Classic Collection". ;)
The dream scenario:
Michael Keaton voices Bruce Wayne/Batman for one last time.
Michelle Pfeiffer has input.
Danny Elfman returns, or at the very least, the score is inspired by those soundtracks.
The film is set after BR, introducing elements Burton would've gone with next.
The animation evokes Burton's aesthetic of Gotham.
The movie is a decent length and released in cinemas, ala The Killing Joke.
I can't think of anything better than this for a Burton Batman fan. The age of the cast doesn't matter when it comes to animation, and the perpetual agony of Burton's Batman 3 could finally be closed in some capacity. Get Burton's creative input to guide the production. Don't just guess what he would've done. Make this feel genuine.
This is a pleasing development, so let's see what happens. I can't see my dream scenario coming to pass, but in any case, I'm strongly hoping DC give the Burtonverse some attention. Those two films have a strong following and ignoring that fan base is to their detriment. If they want big money, create this movie.
I'm glad that DC decided to revive the 60s Batman brand. The series stagnated in the decades following, but the renewed popularity in light of the home video release has been astounding. The comic continued the stories, and now this series is the closest we can get to continuing where Adam West and Burt Ward left off. Very happy to see this.
I like the animation style chosen. It's stylized, but you can still make out the distinguishable characteristics of West and Ward. It's almost weird to see them in action without limitations. I was half expecting the Dick Sprang-style that we saw in the show's opening.
(https://www.batman-online.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-pUa-8oycqK4%2FVgYt6fC49AI%2FAAAAAAACz2M%2Fp0NYysKYmmg%2Fs1600%2Fbatmantitles.jpg&hash=44b9ddccf3f1365ac31f7e7c7c7f51382b34fa54)
Which while authentic in its own right, does not resemble the actors. West and Ward more closely resembled the art of Carmine Infantino, which may or may not have been intentional. Which could have been another route for the art direction. Either way, I think they found a good solution.
I saw this yesterday. Here's a brief review:
Pros:
-- There is one line that I never thought I'd hear Adam West say. It's great! You'll know it when you hear it.
-- The plot was much better than I expected. Kind of made me wish it was done in the original show, although there's no way they had the budget to properly do many of the action scenes.
-- Animation looked amazing. And the voicework was stellar. The Romero/Gorshin impersonators in particular did a great job.
-- It captures the general look and feel of the TV show. Everything from the original show is here, albeit with a few modifications (Dinosaur in the Batcave, etc.).
(Minor) Cons:
-- I don't think they had a narrator, which was surprising since Dozier's voice was such a large part of the show.
-- I would've liked to hear more of the music from the original show. Before BTAS, this was the show that gave every Batman villain their own leitmotif. I'm not sure if there were legal problems, but for the most part I heard music similar to the '66 show, but not the actual musical themes.
-- No Batgirl.
Ultimately, I loved it and can't wait for the sequel (with William Shatner as Two-Face).
I saw a headline that described it as the 'default best Batman film of the year'.
Anyway, I can't wait to see it, or the sequel with William Shatner as Two-Face.
Quote from: phantom stranger on Tue, 11 Oct 2016, 20:02
I saw this yesterday. Here's a brief review:
It's been a while, but here's my thoughts.
I liked it. It's not amazing, but it's worthwhile.
The voice acting is fine. Adam West is 88 years old, and he sounds like an 88 year old. That's not a complaint, but a fact. I don't understand how some fans constantly whine about it though. It's called ageing. Nobody can stop it and that's how the man sounds now. It was good to have him back in the role.
The animation was pretty good. Not the best, but not terrible either.
The story is good. I think the 'Batman gone bad' angle is the real strength of the film. The TV show presents a man with a heart of gold. Batman deviates from that after being posioned by Catwoman. It opens up some rather interesting things to think about.
Is West's Batman restraining his inner desires a lot of the time?
After his poisoning, he beats up Joker, Riddler and Penguin with added force. He berates O'Hara and Gordon for being ineffective. He puts a nosy Aunt Harriet in her place, and even fires Alfred because of it.
The poisoned Batman states he likes grabbing attention and has an ego - which could be an in-universe explanation for the blue and grey costume he wears, which isn't really threatening to criminals as a symbol.
So I think all that is legitimate. But the antidote AMPLIFIES those inner desires to the point he loses himself. Case in point using a replication ray to create clones of himself to do all the jobs in Gotham, because he thinks everyone else is incompetent. He puts Robin and Catwoman into a death trap. He starts laughing like the Joker.
The serum pushed seemingly hidden urges into another category. He became a villain. Without drugs, West's Batman wouldn't ever become this. I can imagine West's Batman has an ego, but he also truly believes in cooperation, rehabilitation and doing good. That part isn't an act.
So I appreciated this plotline. It shows Adam West's Batman is a very disciplined man. He's different from Keaton and Affleck given his bright knight reputation, and because of this, any hint of brutality is even more apparent. But it's still under the surface. He's not without these urges.
It's also a great plotline because at the heart, this is somewhat of a love story. Catwoman knows Batman and her are not going to be an item as long as she's a criminal. So she makes Batman a criminal. But he goes too far. Thus she agrees to help Robin turn him back to his old self. So I liked that side of things as well.
All in all, they did a good job.
As someone who hasn't cared much for the most recent DC animated movies, I found I enjoyed this one more than I was expecting. West and Newmar's advanced years are detectable in their voices, as was the case with James Earl Jones in Rogue One. But in all three instances, I'd rather have the original actors play the roles while they're still able than have imitators impersonate them. Burt Ward, on the other hand, sounds almost exactly like he did when he was younger. I'd say Robin was the highlight of the film for me and delivered most of its funniest moments. I thought the animation was pleasantly vibrant, and the quality was an improvement over last year's The Killing Joke.
We're used to seeing references to the sixties Batman in later films, but here it was amusing to see the sixties Batman reference his successors: West saying "You wanna get nuts? Let's get nut"; Robin saying that they could "lose Batman forever"; a little dig at The Dark Knight Rises where Catwoman suggests she and Batman could retire to France, and Robin remarking "Holy unsatisfying ending!" These were all nice touches. There were also some fun nods to the comics, such as the penguin-shaped blimp.
On the downside, I do wish Gordon had more closely resembled the Neil Hamilton version. And some of the humour was a bit out of place with the established tone of the series. Most notably the Joker breaking wind at Batman and Robin, and the subplot about Aunt Harriet suspecting a gay relationship between Bruce and Dick. A big part of Aunt Harriet's character in the original show was her innocence and naiveté regarding Batman and Robin's double life, so that aspect felt a little off to me. Some other hallmarks of the series were regrettably absent, such as the iconic music, the spinning bat-logo transitions between scenes and Joker's moustache. But these are minor quibbles when measured against the film's strengths.
Overall I thought it was a satisfying tribute to the sixties Batman and the best animated DC movie since The Dark Knight Returns. Now I'm looking forward to seeing West's Batman take on Shatner in the sequel.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Tue, 31 Jan 2017, 16:36
On the downside, I do wish Gordon had more closely resembled the Neil Hamilton version.
Agree.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Tue, 31 Jan 2017, 16:36
And some of the humour was a bit out of place with the established tone of the series. Most notably the Joker breaking wind at Batman and Robin, and the subplot about Aunt Harriet suspecting a gay relationship between Bruce and Dick. A big part of Aunt Harriet's character in the original show was her innocence and naiveté regarding Batman and Robin's double life, so that aspect felt a little off to me.
Again, I agree. The Joker's flatulence didn't work for me at all. It's just something that didn't fit in, and I couldn't see Romero's Joker doing it. If he used a whoopee cushion gadget to make the sound, then sure. But he didn't.
The aunt Harriet content was one of the film's major downsides for me too. They were just a little too clever for their own good in the execution. As you say, Harriet did not suspect anything other than perhaps the two of them should relax more and chill out. Harriet was not suspicious or 'going along with their secret'. The animated movie introduced an element which simply would not have featured on the TV show. Period.
I also hope to see more daytime action in the sequel. B66 wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they had a little too much night time content in the animated movie for my liking. The humor of the show remained in full force, but I suspect they introduced a darker palette to even things out. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.
But yes, the film does more right than wrong.
Quote from: The Dark Knight on Wed, 1 Feb 2017, 03:01
I also hope to see more daytime action in the sequel. B66 wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they had a little too much night time content in the animated movie for my liking. The humor of the show remained in full force, but I suspect they introduced a darker palette to even things out. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.
I hadn't given this much thought until you mentioned it, but it does seem as if they were trying to mix the aesthetics of the sixties TV show with the darker look of a more conventional Batman film. Perhaps they thought this would expand its appeal amongst viewers who aren't keen on the sixties TV show. If that's the case, it's a bit pointless. People who hate the sixties Batman aren't going to buy the DVD in the first place, so there's no use pandering to them. Hopefully Gotham will look a little sunnier in the next film.
Agreed. They also frequently used the raised cape pose too.
The TV show did as well, but not that often.
I was okay the Bat Rocket. Would it have appeared in the show? Probably not. But I think it fits the spirit of 'Batman has a vehicle and gadget for every occasion'. However it gives away their base of operations upon liftoff, which I don't like.
The security measures inside the batmobile tunnel were okay too, I guess. Again, it wouldn't have happened on the show for obvious budgetary reasons. And I honestly don't think the tunnel is that long. But...here's the thing. If you are doing a comic or animated movie, I think you take advantage of those mediums. So I'll let it slide.
I did not like this one, as a huge fan of the 60s show, this was more like Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It works in live action, but as a cartoon it's just a cartoon. Part of the fun is watching the actors, and this is taken away in animation. And it's just not the same without Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, etc, and the surviving actors sound way too old. It also doesn't have the spirit of the 1960s like the tv show did.
Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Tue, 31 Jan 2017, 16:36
As someone who hasn't cared much for the most recent DC animated movies, I found I enjoyed this one more than I was expecting. West and Newmar's advanced years are detectable in their voices, as was the case with James Earl Jones in Rogue One. But in all three instances, I'd rather have the original actors play the roles while they're still able than have imitators impersonate them. Burt Ward, on the other hand, sounds almost exactly like he did when he was younger. I'd say Robin was the highlight of the film for me and delivered most of its funniest moments. I thought the animation was pleasantly vibrant, and the quality was an improvement over last year's The Killing Joke.
We're used to seeing references to the sixties Batman in later films, but here it was amusing to see the sixties Batman reference his successors: West saying "You wanna get nuts? Let's get nut"; Robin saying that they could "lose Batman forever"; a little dig at The Dark Knight Rises where Catwoman suggests she and Batman could retire to France, and Robin remarking "Holy unsatisfying ending!" These were all nice touches. There were also some fun nods to the comics, such as the penguin-shaped blimp.
On the downside, I do wish Gordon had more closely resembled the Neil Hamilton version. And some of the humour was a bit out of place with the established tone of the series. Most notably the Joker breaking wind at Batman and Robin, and the subplot about Aunt Harriet suspecting a gay relationship between Bruce and Dick. A big part of Aunt Harriet's character in the original show was her innocence and naiveté regarding Batman and Robin's double life, so that aspect felt a little off to me. Some other hallmarks of the series were regrettably absent, such as the iconic music, the spinning bat-logo transitions between scenes and Joker's moustache. But these are minor quibbles when measured against the film's strengths.
Overall I thought it was a satisfying tribute to the sixties Batman and the best animated DC movie since The Dark Knight Returns. Now I'm looking forward to seeing West's Batman take on Shatner in the sequel.
I finally saw the movie yesterday and echo the above. This was a fun romp and I seriously enjoyed how it showcased a lot of what made the TV show so much fun.
One thing the movie did, though, was prove just how important (and amazing) the music from the 60's show was. Because the music from ROTCC was a bit meh. It's similar in style, I guess. But the music from the show was so expressive and powerful whereas the music in the animated movie was a bit more paint by numbers. It's not bad; it's just not on the same level as the show.
The movie had a lot of constraints working against it. The plot had to be heavily centered on Catwoman because she's the only surviving big name villain from the show. It's obvious that all these decades have passed by but, as you say, it's more important that the original talent did as much as they could, their advancing years notwithstanding.
All in all, this seems like it was a fitting tribute to the show, made even more poignant by West's passing. What a way to say goodbye to his iteration of the character. I recognize that future animated Batman movies may be created and they may even be great. But there will always be a huge element missing without West. It's sad, yes, but I am grateful that we at least got this (and that Two Face thing) before he passed away.
The movie isn't perfect (the self-aware thing with Aunt Harriet is just inappropriate, IMHO) but it's really good and I highly recommend it.