In the late 1990s, there were originally plans for a feature-length spinoff film of Batman: The Animated Series set around Arkham Asylum – here’s what is known about the project and why it was never made. Intended as a follow-up to Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero (1998), the film would have been the third chronologically in the DC Animated Universe. Although the project was abandoned, concept art teases the story and characters involved.
The Emmy-winning Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995) is commonly regarded as one of the finest depictions of the Dark Knight. Kevin Conroy starred as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker, both of whom have since voiced the characters in numerous animated shows, films, and video games. The show was heavily influenced by the Gothic world of Tim Burton's live-action Batman films and is commended for its empathetic approach to its villains and the creation of Harley Quinn. The show's first spinoff film, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), was released theatrically to critical acclaim.
Numerous villains were seen incarcerated in Arkham Asylum throughout Batman: The Animated Series, but the psychiatric institute and its inhabitants were supposed to receive greater focus in the canceled animated movie. Titled Batman: Arkham, many of the show’s voice performers had signed on to return, while Angie Harmon was cast as a new love interest for the Caped Crusader. Unfortunately, the film was aborted during pre-production in favor of another film, instead connected to the sequel series Batman Beyond (1999-2001).
The finer details of the project remain undisclosed, but the premise dealt with Batman and Dick Grayson's Robin tracking down several escaped criminals from Arkham. Boyd Kirkland, who previously helmed SubZero and worked on the original show, was to write and direct Batman: Arkham. Meanwhile, Steven E. Gordon designed concept art for several characters, with the Joker, Poison Ivy and Bane teased as the main villains. Meanwhile, Batman’s new love interest was the dark-haired Elizabeth, seen wearing a black suit with an accompanying briefcase in one sketch and cozying up to Bruce Wayne in another. Her attire implies she would have been a figure of authority, possibly connected to Arkham. The art doesn’t reveal many plot points but still boasts a thrilling tease of Bane strangling Robin. Interestingly, the art deviates from Batman: The Animated Series regarding some characters, most notably the Joker's redesign.
The tantalizing premise recalls the excellent Batman: The Animated Series episode “Trial”, in which a captive female Gotham District Attorney who resents Kevin Conroy's Batman must defend him during a twisted trial run by Arkham’s inmates, who have taken over the asylum. Unfortunately, the project was scrapped in favor of an arguably more ambitious film – Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000). That film tied into the futuristic sequel show, with both Conroy and Hamill reprising their roles, and Angie Harmon was instead cast as now-Commissioner Barbara Gordon, continuing her late father’s legacy. Return of the Joker was well-received and remains one of the darkest and most daring Batman stories put to screen. Therefore, it’s understandable the creative team switched focus to expand on Batman Beyond’s world and character arcs, while also explaining important gaps in the timeline. It’s likely Return of the Joker was given preference as its story held more dramatic potential, providing an exciting and tragic resolution to the Batman-Joker conflict.
Although the canceled Arkham movie sounded promising, the core idea has since been adapted into the Arkham video game series and its tie-in animated film, Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014). Nevertheless, the asylum remains a fascinating subject and was something Ben Affleck reportedly planned to explore in his abandoned solo project. However, gaps still exist between the events of Batman: The Animated Series and the DCAU's later stories, so perhaps the spinoff could eventually see the light of day.
