Summary

  • Many upcoming Batman projects showcase different facets of the Dark Knight's lore, inviting fans to delve deeper into his world.
  • Recent developments hint at new takes on classic Batman stories, with fresh characters and engaging storylines for audiences to enjoy.
  • The Batman universe continues to expand across various mediums, offering fans a diverse array of content to look forward to in the coming years.

As one of DC's most iconic superheroes, Batman continues to be featured in a variety of movies and TV shows. Gotham's Dark Knight debuted in DC Comics in 1939's Detective Comics #27, and has since become one of the most recognizable characters in comic book history. Currently, a number of live-action and animated projects are in development featuring the Caped Crusader or his supporting characters, with a new actor set to take on the role in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Universe when the upcoming The Brave and the Bold movie hits theaters in the coming years.

Between theatrical releases, live-action TV shows, and animated series, there are options a-plenty for where audiences can see Batman in the next few years. While Batman might often surround himself with super-powered individuals, Bruce Wayne himself has no extraordinary gifts aside from access to advanced technology and a deep well of money. To that end, Batman stands as a symbol of hope and protection - encouraging even the most regular of humans to do a little good. Here's a breakdown of every upcoming movie and TV show featuring Batman or his supporting characters.

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Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths - Part Two & Three

Batgirl and Batman Beyond fighting together in Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths Part Two Trailer

Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths - Part Two is set to released on April 23, 2024, following the release of the movie trilogy's first part, which released in January. The multiverse-travelling adventure will be the final installment in the animated Tomorrowverse franchise, and as such is sure to bring equal parts action and climactic endings for many iconic DC characters. The series will be wrapped up by Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths - Part Three, which currently has no announced release date, though is likely to release in 2024 so that all three parts come out in the same year.

Joker: Folie à Deux

Scheduled for release on October 4, 2024, Todd Phillips' Joker franchise will continue with Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix back in the titular role of Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. Joker, alongside newcomer Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. As DC Elseworlds projects, the Joker franchise has nothing to do with the main DC Universe continuity, meaning a new version of Batman could arise. In 2019's Joker, the young Bruce Wayne was portrayed by Dante Pereira-Olson, and even though nothing has been confirmed, it's possible that Bruce Wayne could appear again in Folie à Deux following the deaths of his parents at the end of Phillips' original film.

The Penguin

colin farrell as the penguin looking offscreen

2022 saw Robert Pattinson debut as Bruce Wayne in The Batman, a gritty and more realistic version of the Caped Crusader's story, directed by Matt Reeves. The Batman also introduced Colin Farrell as the Penguin, an iconic Batman villain, though this version hadn't yet become the crime kingpin that he's depicted as in DC Comics. As a spinoff of The Batman, HBO Max's The Penguin series is set to release in 2024, and will explore the Penguin's rise to power in Gotham City's criminal underworld. Though this series will focus on Farrell's villain, it's possible that Pattinson could make a cameo appearance as Batman.

Batman: Caped Crusader

Batman Caped Crusader Poster

The 1990's Batman: The Animated Series may have ended a long time ago, but the series has a new spiritual successor in Batman: Caped Crusader. Originally developed by HBO Max and Cartoon Network by The Animated Series' creator Bruce Timm with J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, Batman: Caped Crusader was axed by HBO in August 2022, though luckily found a new home at Amazon. Abrams and Reeves suggested the series will delve into Batman's noir roots, exploring his psychology on a deeper level. Though it's unknown when exactly the series will premiere, it's expected to come at some point during 2024.

Caped Crusader was initially set for a 2023 release, but delays have instead brought it into the 2024 release window.

The Batman - Part II

blended image with Robert Pattinson's Batman and Pattinson's Bruce Wayne from The Batman

Robert Pattinson will reprise the role of Bruce Wayne for The Batman - Part II, currently slated for release on October 3, 2025. The Batman was intended to be the first in a new trilogy, so it can be assumed that a third film will follow Part II. Reeves and Pattinson have mentioned that they'd be interested in debuting Batman-related characters such as Robin, the Court of Owls, Calendar Man, Mr. Freeze, and Hush in a sequel, though it's unclear whether any or all of these characters will show up. The Batman - Part II will continue to develop the franchise as a DC Elseworlds project, outside the main DC Universe.

Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios

Batman Azteca in first official Image

Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios is another exciting addition to the Dark Knight's animated catalog, reimagining his origin story as that of Yohualli Coatl, an Aztec man whose parents are murdered by Spanish conquistadors when he is a boy, and who then becomes another iteration of Batman in order to seek justice. The movie is also set to contain versions of iconic Batman villains like the Joker (voiced by Omar Chaparro), and Two-Face (Álvaro Morte), promising a fresh take on the DC lore that is sure to bring both visual and story delights - though its release date is currently unknown.

Bat-Family

Bruce Wayne in merry little batman on the phone with Alfred Pennyworth and Damian Wayne watching

Merry Little Batman is an animated Christmas special produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on DC Comics' Batman storylines. The special was acquired by Amazon Studios for their Prime Video platform, and released on December 8, 2023.

This special will lead into the events of a new animated series titled Bat-Family that is currently in production, which is set to explore the day to day lives of Damian, Alfred, and Batman, as well as some other teased but currently unannounced allies. The current release date for the series is as of yet also currently unknown, but would make most sense to release in 2024 or 2025 so as to avoid coming to long after the original movie.

The Brave & The Bold

Damian Wayne aiming a sword at Batman in DC Comics and The Brave and the Bold

James Gunn revealed the slate for the new DCU's Chapter 1 on January 31, 2023, including confirming the development of a new project featuring Batman, The Brave and the Bold. Although there is currently no release date scheduled for the next Batman reboot, Gunn has revealed that a new actor will assume the role of Bruce Wayne in the upcoming project. The Brave and the Bold will introduce Batman's son, Damian Wayne, to live-action for the first time. This will mark the first time Batman and Robin have been seen together on the big screen since 1997's Batman and Robin, though it's unclear who will assume these iconic roles.

Arkham Asylum Series

batman and joker in matt reeves the batman

Even before the release of The Batman, Matt Reeves revealed that a selection of spinoff series' were already in development, including one set within the walls of the infamous Arkham Asylum. Reeves suggested that the show would take on horror tones, depicting Arkham as a haunted house, while exploring the origins of several of the incarcerated characters in the Asylum.

While the series is now part of the focal DCU timeline instead of an Elseworlds The Batman spinoff - and there is currently no scheduled premiere date for the Arkham series - it's likely much of this initial description will remain the same, though the horror leanings of the series may be toned down in part in order to instead focus on conveying what the main tone of the DC Universe will be like. Crucially, the DCU Batman himself might appear in the Arkham series, either introducing the character before his own movie or further establishing him for the future of the franchise.

Gotham City Police Department Series

jeffrey wright as james gordon in the batman looking offscreen

Two years prior to The Batman's release, HBO Max gave a series commitment to a police procedural show exploring Gotham City Police Department (GCPD). Matt Reeves initially suggested the series would take place during the first year of Batman's vigilantism, implying the Dark Knight could appear despite the action focusing on a corrupt cop. Showrunner Terence Winter departed the project in November 2020, and in March 2022, the series was put on an indefinite hold, though it has been reported to still be in development, and Jeffrey Wright, who portrayed James Gordon in The Batman, revealed he has been in talks to reprise his role in the GCPD series.

Harley Quinn Season 5

Harley and Batman talking in the Harley Quinn TV show

Harley Quinn season 5 was confirmed in 2023, shortly after season 4 released in September. This makes sense, as season 4 closed with some ambiguous plot points and cliffhangers that naturally lent themselves to a follow-up season, if not more. Harley Quinn season 5 is inherently set to include Batman in this chapter of the show, both because of Harley's own ties to the Bat Family, and because the plot seemingly needs to explore what happened to Nightwing at the end of the previous season.

Why Batgirl Isn't Happening

Leslie Grace at Batgirl in canceled DC Batgirl movie

Batgirl went into development in 2017, expected to be released as part of the DCEU, which would have introduced Leslie Grace into the franchise as Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl. Filming was completed on Batgirl in March 2022, but by August of that year, the film had been canned. It was reported that Warner Bros. simply felt the film didn't work, that they didn't believe in it, and that they were cutting costs across the board, leading to Batgirl's sudden cancelation only months before its expected release. Batgirl would have debuted an interesting new Batman to live-action, though it seems this might never come to fruition now.

Key Release Dates