The superhero train chugs along, with DC and Marvel packing their slate of projects for the foreseeable future, and Batman is getting featured in some big projects particularly. More recently, some stunning rumors have surfaced suggesting that the critically-acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series is getting a revival developed. Specifically, it's allegedly in talks for HBO Max.
While the terms "reboot" and "sequel" are getting thrown around pretty interchangeably, either or is major news if this pans out to be true. The potential rewards if this is executed well are great, but there will be some added risks to bringing this property back, so here's why it's exciting and why BTAS should be left to rest.
Exciting: BTAS' Legacy In Batman Lore/Branding
Definitely, the biggest cause for excitement of this is because of their legendary legacy Batman: The Animated Series has on DC. It was acclaimed when airing, and it's frequently referenced now as pinnacle Batman storytelling, and a revered piece of lore in the Dark Knight's vast mythos.
Bringing that back through a revival in modern-day guarantees some degree of significant excitement, and through attentive and passionate writing, art style, and animation, it will be received with open arms. Having Batman venture back more into the TV space with a show that has him as the main protagonist would make great use of every medium he can appear on.
Leave It Alone: A Sequel Tainting The Originals
With details scarce, whether this revival proves to be a straight-forward sequel to BTAS or an alternate-timeline reboot remains to be seen until we hear some official word on this--assuming it's greenlit. If it's the former, a sequel could take place during the events in between The New Batman Adventures and Batman Beyond (the former technically, simultaneously being a "sequel" and the final two seasons of BTAS), but it could also taint the originals' legacy.
For instance, playing out the one dark spot on the originals with Bruce and Barbara being romantically involved would surely be bitterly maligned, as it's the most uncomfortable and out-of-character(s) lore piece of the series. That's one example, but if mishandled in some way, a sequel could "Game of Thrones season eight" the preceding stories retroactively.
Exciting: Liberties Of Reboots, Multiverses
Meanwhile, treating this as a reboot could circumvent that problem. Comic books and the superhero genre generally have well and long-established the concept of the multiverse in their worlds. Meaning, pretty much everything is canon and non-canon at the same time - depending on which timeline you're talking about. Batman's origins have been done several times, after all.
With a passionate creative team, a reboot can revive the originals in spirit, but be free of the canonical constraints of the DCAU and pick and choose what events will/won't be canon here. The creative liberties reboots can provide could be this potential series' greatest strength, as fantastic as the DCAU is.
Leave It Alone: Oversaturation
A big reason why some may understandably think this is doing too much is that Batman is the dominant DC superhero in popularity. He's also one of the most beloved superheroes in general, but that means a lot of higher-ups are going to want to cash in on that as much and as fast as possible.
Eventually, Batman will have Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson's highly-anticipated The Batman, a GCPD spinoff for it, a mainline DCEU movie with Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton returning, and Batman-themed games in Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Even this year, two animated movies will adapt the acclaimed The Long Halloween comic - not to mention DC's Infinite Frontier-era comic books - are coming.
Exciting: A New DCAU
BTAS was the start of a long-running and beloved stint for Batman in TV animation, but it proved the catalyst for more. Superman also got his own animated show, for instance, and eventually Justice League and Justice League Unlimited shows. This became known as the DCAU, a smaller step forward from keeping interconnected universes to the pages of comics.
Like BTAS and its directly-associated shows, the DCAU generally was praised, and the start of a new one in some capacity could be great on HBO Max. The DCEU has been forced into notable course corrections, but starting fresh on a smaller scale in animation/TV with a DCAU revival/successor has the potential for high rewards, creating solo/crossover content for several DC characters aside from Batman.
Leave It Alone: Repeat Of DCAMU's Formula
Conversely, DC recently wrapped up something similar to the aforementioned point: the DC Animated Movie Universe. In general, DC's animated movies were known to be largely good, though recent years have seen dips in quality from some fan perspectives. The Killing Joke and Hush were maligned at worst or were received disappointingly at best from chunks of fans, but the connected animated universe movies eventually also fizzled out for some.
The last release was criticized for undoing several previous storylines/arcs last-minute and brutally killing off characters for the sake of shock value and boasting its R rating. Rating aside, perhaps trying to build another cinematic universe - and animated - is best left alone if this BTAS revival is eyed to expand similarly down the line.
Exciting: Modern Art Styles & Animation
As well as BTAS holds up in every way, an exciting thought is seeing a revival series in modern-day with current animation technological advancements, and a fresh art style. Some complaints arose with DCAMU movies and original movies conforming to a cheap-looking imitation of anime art style, and while that may be the case, a Castlevania "anime-inspired" art style could be welcome, though Dan Mora's could be a better template for this genre.
His art in variant covers and the current Future State: Dark Detective and soon-to-be Detective Comics capture a great balance of more mature-looking art that also has a classic "comic book-y" flair that captures the medium's wonderful, inherently-whimsical nature. In terms of animating, if Castlevania's excellent art wouldn't fit here, the level/quality of animation certainly could.
Leave It Alone: Focus On Original Animated Movies
While fans may be worn out with even the recent DC Universe Animated Original Movies productions, perhaps DC should still turn their focus to injecting the necessary care into the line of movies that are ongoing. Instead of rebooting something that may end up turning out like a nostalgic cash-grab without substance, maybe work on releasing two The Long Halloween movies that will return to the quality of The Dark Knight Returns, Part One and Part Two.
After The Killing Joke especially, there needs some redemption in those animated movies. Plus, this could still flex their power in the animation format.
Exciting: Batman As A Main Character On TV
Since the end of the various animated DC TV shows, Batman has mostly left that medium as a main character. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as other characters have gotten their chance under the spotlight in the meantime, while Batman remained a dominant theatrical force.
If nothing else, getting an animated BTAS revival is exciting to see him as a protagonist on TV again. Reeves' GCPD The Batman spinoff will be a prequel, though he won't be the focal point. It's for the best for that show, but fans will know what they're getting in this reboot/sequel.
Leave It Alone: Burning Out
If this is set to be the next long-running DC animated series, then burning out part-way through the series may prove to be an issue. On top of that, it also risks this by adding potential oversaturation issues, as well as WB/DC possibly just trying to regurgitate an old idea to hopefully make a quick buck.
And, as mentioned, this character and classic brand doesn't deserve to turn out to be a soulless, nostalgia-pandering product. Granted, Batman is essentially eternal, so the character and brand will survive, but having a beloved property choke a season or two in isn't something fans want to see.