Batman, Superman Animated Series Set at HBO Max and Cartoon Network

New Batman and Superman animated series are on their way. HBO Max and Cartoon Network announced Wednesday that J.J. Abrams, The Batman director Matt Reeves, and DC Animated Universe architect Bruce Timm would serve as executive producers on Batman: Caped Crusader that will reimagine the Gotham City hero’s mythology. In My Adventures with Superman, Jack Quaid (The Boys) and Alice Lee (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) will respectively voice Clark Kent and Lois Lane, following the two in their twenties. Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios president Sam Register is one of the executive producers. Both shows have a straight-to-series order, with My Adventures with Superman getting a two-season order.

Batman: Caped Crusader will naturally aim to live up to the Emmy-winning and beloved Batman: The Animated Series, that the announcement acknowledged as the “the gold standard of animated superhero storytelling.” This will be the first solo animated series for the Dark Knight since Batman Beyond that followed a teenage Batman in a futuristic Gotham. Batman: Caped Crusader looks set to reset back to the character’s origins though — a joint statement below notes as much — in keeping with Reeves’ own live-action Batman reboot that has Robert Pattinson in the lead. WBA, Bad Robot, and 6th & Idaho will produce Batman: Caped Crusader.

My Adventures with Superman
Photo Credit: HBO Max/Warner Bros.

My Adventures with Superman is a coming-of-age story that follows Clark and Lois falling in love, sharing adventures, taking down bad guys, stumbling over secrets, and discovering what it means to be Superman and Lois Lane. Clark will build out his secret Superman identity and embraces his role as the hero of Metropolis (and perhaps the world), while Lois grows into a star investigative journalist, taking aspiring photographer Jimmy Olsen under her wing. WBA is the only production company on My Adventures with Superman. Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher will serve as co-executive producers and Josie Campbell as co-producer.

“We are beyond excited to be working together to bring Batman back, to tell engrossing new stories in Gotham City,” Abrams, Reeves and Timm said in a prepared statement. “The series will be thrilling, cinematic and evocative of Batman’s noir roots, while diving deeper into the psychology of these iconic characters. We cannot wait to share this new world.”

My Adventures with Superman logo
Photo Credit: HBO Max/Warner Bros.

“Superman has remained one of the most iconic and beloved Super Heroes in the world,” Warner Bros.’ head of kids and family programming Amy Friedman said. “This fresh take from the Warner Bros. Animation team delivers a modern, relatable Clark Kent alongside a fearless, whip smart Lois Lane who are navigating the small tasks of both becoming adults and trying to save the world.”

Register added, “This is the first animated Superman series in many years and we want to tell our Superman story through the trio of Clark, Lois and Jimmy — whose relationship dynamic will allow for rich, serialised and engaging stories as we explore their lives as individuals and their journey together as friends.”

Batman: Caped Crusader poster
Photo Credit: HBO Max/Warner Bros.