DC is always on the move when it comes to their animated features.
Whether it be shared universe films, standalones, or Elseworlds
type of stories, DC animation can range from straightforward
adaptations to complete reimaginings. Adding fuel to
the hype, a trailer just debuted for the newly announced Batman:
Death in the Family. Those
familiar with the title may already know of the monumental 1988
storyline “A Death in the Family,” which resulted in the death of
Jason Todd, the second Robin, at the hands of the Joker. This was
made possible by the amount of fans who called a 1-900 number that
year to let DC know whether or not they think Jason Todd should be
killed.
Last
year, DC Universe leaned into this when a second season episode of
their live-action original series Titans
ended with Jason Todd in peril. The streaming service created a poll
to let fans have their say on whether or not they believe that Jason
Todd would die, except this time it would not affect Jason Todd’s
fate in the show, given that the season had already been filmed.
For
this new animated release, however, the viewers will indeed get to
decide the fate of Jason Todd. Batman: Death in the Family
is actually being described
as an interactive short film. As we can see in the trailer, at the
moment when Jason Todd is on the verge of death, viewers will get to
decide between these three options: Robin Cheats Death, Robin
Dies, and Batman Saves Robin. Not only will we be getting an animated
adaptation of the classic storyline, but also some “What if?”
elements. This is somewhat comparable to Netflix’s 2018 interactive
film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,
which itself brings to mind the old Choose Your Own
Adventure book series (as well
as Give Yourself Goosebumps
in the mind of yours truly).
Given
that the voice cast includes Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Vincent
Martella as Jason Todd, and John DiMaggio as the Joker, it appears
that some of this can be perceived as a prequel of sorts to 2010’s
Batman: Under the Red Hood,
in which they played these respective roles. That film begins with
the death of Jason Todd, an updated version of which we are
guaranteed to see in the new interactive release. Under the
Red Hood was based on the 2005
storyline “Under the Hood,” in which a resurrected Jason Todd
returns, having taken on the Red Hood mantle and a harsher approach
to crime-fighting that would make Batman feel uncomfortable. It will
be fascinating to see what happens in the alternate paths not taken,
in which Jason either cheats death or is saved by Batman.
To
make up for the shorter runtime, this release will also include a few
previously released DC short films centered on Sgt. Rock, Death, Adam
Strange, and The Phantom Stranger. In this regard, the collection
would be comparable to how
2010’s animated Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black
Adam was accompanied by shorts
about Green Arrow, The Spectre, and Jonah Hex, altogether as DC
Showcase Original Shorts Collection.
While
there is no specific release date just yet, Batman: Death
in the Family is set to be
released on Blu-ray and Digital HD sometime this autumn. Thankfully,
that season is coming up very soon, so the wait will not be too long.
It will be fascinating to see what the impact of this interactive
release may end up being. Perhaps we could see other DC animated
projects in the future that include this interactive element. In the
franchise’s multiverse, there are many major choices and paths that
can be explored. With all of DC’s continuing experimentation, fans
are bound to find something that is for them.
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