DC League of Super-Pet's co-writer/director Jared Stern opens up on how their Batman is different from the version in The LEGO Movie. The Justice League is getting its latest theatrical treatment, but not in the world of live-action. This time, the iconic group of superheroes will be arriving in animated format on the big screen through the summer film, DC League of Super-Pets. While the Justice League certainly serve a part in the movie, the story actually follows their beloved Super-Pets, as they have to become the heroes of the story.
DC League of Super-Pets, which was co-written and directed by The LEGO Batman Movie's Jared Stern, follows Krypto the Super-Dog and several Super-Pets belong to other Justice League members. After the Justice League gets kidnapped by Lex Luthor, it's up to Krypto and the other Super-Pets to come together as their own League, in order to save them. With several Justice League characters attached, Batman is one of them, as he will be voiced by Keanu Reeves in DC League of Super-Pets.
With DC League of Super-Pets being the latest DC animated project for Stern that involves Batman, how does this iteration compare to the one from The LEGO Batman Movie? In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, the filmmaker DC League of Super-Pets was asked how he tackled the challenge to do another funny Batman in animation only a few years after his first go with it, sharing the following:
"Having worked, as you mentioned, on Lego Batman, that was a huge challenge for this film for me was how do you do a funny animated Batman when you've already done a funny animated Batman? But I think we just wanted to do something different and specific. The Lego Batman is the guy that is, when you're Emmett, the worst possible dude to be dating the girl that you have a crush on. He hangs out with the Star Wars guys, he's so confident and this kind of smarmy guy. So our Batman, we decided to lean in a bit more into his weirdness. I would say our Batman is haunted by the past, he's seen some stuff in his life and I think we hopefully captured that in his really fun character design."
Batman was a standout supporting character in The LEGO Movie, becoming a quick fan-favorite. Will Arnett's take on the Dark Knight was so beloved, his version got his own spinoff movie. Considering how successful The LEGO Movie's Batman was, it makes sense the filmmakers behind DC League of Super-Pets are trying to go in a different direction. While Super-Pets is designed to be a comedic animated family film, it's wise Stern wanted to differentiate his Batman from The LEGO Movie to avoid direct comparisons. The two movies put their own spin on the character, showcasing the wide range of portrayals the medium can deliver. It should be fun to watch Reeves' weirder Batman in action.
While there are no plans set in stone yet, if DC League of Super-Pets is successful, it could lead to sequels that would likely include Batman and the other Justice League characters in some capacity. Even though most adult audiences likely prefer the more serious and darker Batman, this does give the younger demographic something that is appealing and family-friendly, which was one of the most successful aspects of The LEGO Batman Movie.
