Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment Announce Two Animated Series Based on Toy Lines

There's been some rumbling about this for some time. The logo of one was leaked out earlier and there's been a bit of speculation. I believe this became official last week but Warner Bros. just sent over a press release this morning.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation today unveiled an unprecedented wave of content inspired by two of the company’s most successful toy lines developed in partnership with Mattel and Fisher-Price. Inspired by Mattel’s new toy line, Batman Unlimited will launch in 2015 with new made-for-video movies and shorts that will extend the play experience for kids. DC Super Friends, inspired by the Fisher-Price Imaginext toy line, will also offer original content as a series of shorts launching in spring of 2015. Bringing dimension to the action figures and playsets available in toy aisles globally, each program will engage millions of young fans around the world like never before.

Batman Unlimited will debut as a made-for-video animated movie entitled Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts that stars Batman alongside key Super Hero allies such as The Flash, Red Robin and Green Arrow, coming face to face with DC Comics Super-Villain, The Penguin, and never-before-seen cyber animals. The sequel is set to release the second half of 2015. Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts will be available on May 12, 2015 on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

“We are excited to continue to forge new ground with our long-time partners Mattel and Fisher-Price to build on the success of these popular toy lines by bringing the play pattern to life through this original content that we will be able to offer across multiple platforms,” said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

Adding to the slate of new Batman Unlimited content, Warner Bros. will release 22 stand-alone, two-minute shorts. Featuring additional story elements, the shorts will be available for fans to enjoy online for free on dedicated channels. Companion apps will also be produced for young fans to extend and develop their experience in an interactive new way.

“We are thrilled to be working with our Warner Bros., Mattel and Fisher-Price colleagues to create newBatman and DC Super Friends kids’ content,” stated DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson. “These new animated projects will offer all new Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman adventures that seamlessly jump from toybox to screen.”

Building upon Mattel’s hugely successful Batman toy line, the new Batman Unlimited content will bring a new wave of Mattel toys expanded under the banner of Batman Unlimited, including action figures with Animal Ally accessories, a newBatmobile, and the all-new CybeRex robot dinosaur, all featured in theBatman Unlimited content. Additionally, DC Comics master costume partner, Rubie’s Costumes, has signed on to support the new content with a line of inspired-by dress-up and costumes; and toymaker Thinkway will introduce new Batman Unlimited-themed role-play accessories. Batman Unlimited will also have a major QSR partner in 2015, with other key categories, such as apparel, to be announced at a later time.

“Our longstanding collaboration with WBCP has given Mattel the opportunity to engage fans of all ages with the very best in DC Comics Super Hero play,” said Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Mattel Toy Box. “It is a true compliment that our evergreen DC Comics toy lines have inspired a whole new universe of storytelling that will dramatically expand kids’ imaginative play with their favorite Super Heroes.”

Also debuting in spring 2015,Warner Bros. Animation will release a slate of DC Super Friends animated shorts featuring designs inspired by the popular Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends toy line. The 15 three-minute shorts will extend the characters’ storylines for fans to enjoy online for free on dedicated channels. Accompanying the shorts will be the release of companion apps that offer young DC Comics fans the chance to advance the storyline and further engage with their favorite characters.

DC Super Friends content will build upon the existing world of Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friendstoys with an expansion of the toy line following the shorts. Exciting additions to the line include all-new playset environments seen in the shorts such as The Joker Laff Factory, as well as a new design of the fan-favorite Batcave, all of which will feature Imaginext’s interactive Power Pad, enabling kids to activate key features in the toy. Among other key categories to come, Publishing partners will also partake in the expanded universe of DC Super Friends storytelling with new titles.

Obviously these are geared towards younger viewers. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Younger viewers need something they can watch to learn to love the characters like we do. There is the concern over the characters not being portrayed as we might think they should. But it's not our call. It'd be nice to get a show geared towards comic readers but this could be entertaining.

So we're getting more of this?

The 15 three-minute shorts will extend the characters’ storylines for fans to enjoy online for free on dedicated channels.

It looks like these are aimed at the 3-5 crowd.

Okaaaaaaay....

Meh

Another abomination courtesy of Disspointing Comics (DC) and the ever slumping Mattel toys.

Hey teen titans go! Is actually good and really funny, even though I would like a more serious DC cartoon like Young Justice to add to the mix. I guess that's what the animated direct to videos are for.

I'm not a big fan of the Batman Unlimited designs but I do think it's interesting they're using Nightwing and Red Robin.

Can't they make a mature DC cartoon, especially since the movies are aimed to be darker than Marvel.

Yeah, it looks like they are focussing on the Bat-Family and the CW shows.

R.i.p comic book cartoons. This is the last straw.

In all seriousness, lets see how this actually turns.

~MiB

I just want Young Justice back :/

At least they're using RR for this. I was worried that Tim got hit with middle child syndrome in terms of robins getting adapted to other media

I'm more interested in the Superfriends than Unlimited. The art for Unlimited looks like trash.

Meh it's a kids show. Not everything can be aimed at me

not for me. call me when they make a justice league dark animated series. madame xanadu i choose you

@dadarkknight36310:

I agree with you. When im home with nothing going on saturday afternoon i've sat down and watched teen titans go plenty of times.

I love that they are adding green arrow and flash to the bat-team. This looks pretty fun.

They keep putting batman's name on cartoons/games that are about more than 1 part of the DC universe :/

So these shows are geared for a younger audience.

And yet, people still complain about Marvel Universe...But let's just see how these play out.

You guys do realize these shows are in no way meant for us right? They are for small children which is good because stuff like this is what actually makes lifelong fans.

These look really kiddie, like, even more so then Batman The Brave and the Bold (which i liked), also the mere mention of the super friends just makes my skin crawl, Aquaman better get a good representation this time around.

I do like the bat logo

These shows arent meant for us nerds/geeks but for the kid nerds/geeks

Call me when Young Justice or an equivalent in announced.

One looks alike love letter to Superfriends.

The other is another Batman show with Batman teaming up with heroes defeated evil again.

I will give a chance but to be fair i´mn´t enjoy so far.

DC Superheroes have all white characthers being too white.

The Batman show have cool designs but looks if they fuse Batman show and Batman the brave and the bold they would come with this Batman show.

@captain13:

Yeah put Nightwing and Red Robin because Fanboys love them and put Green Arrow and The Flash so he can attract people who watch the shows of CW. Red Robin´s Bo Staff looks too big even Nigthwing´s Eskrima Sticks seems to be even smaller than his Bo Staff

Ah man, I was hoping for a series based on JLA: Trappd in Time. Really think it could be great. Anyways, cool beans.

Heh Hal instead of John

ugh Nightwing costume.

Call me an optimist. Maybe my 14 month old son will like it. It'll be a welcome change from some of the cartoons we watch now.

Great to be a kid, so many projects out there for them to enjoy. But as an adult, especially one who grew up in the 80's and 90's...This sucks lol

They took away Teen Titans in 2006 and then Young Justice in 2013. Now, we are being punished for wanting these shows back...

it's obvious that this is aimed at like four year olds so I'm not too upset.

it's not like the new Young Justice or any of those good shows.

Hawkman sounds like he shoulda been Batman..

Not too bad. Seeing as though most of DC's other outlets are geared for older audiences. The kids need some love too

@galathanos said:

Middle child syndro- what. Tim has been in two cartoon series already (Young Justice and Batman: The Animated Series)! You know who gets middle child syndrome? Jason Todd. He had one animated movie and he was dead in YJ. that's it. You wanna talk neglect, let's discuss Jason or Stephanie.

Batman Unlimited looks cool just based on the characters you can see in the image. Even if it's not a show for young adults it's good for them to incorporate the current gen of characters instead of focusing on just Batman and Robin. Personally I'm not loving those character designs a lot but it can all come together in the context of the show.

Ummmm' no.

Another Batman show? What about Superman?

Seriously, what is up with the chin protectors?

They are, but it's going to be on Machinima soon...even though Batman Beyond and Batman TAS was pretty dark for a cartoon.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=55605

@madeinbangladesh: This doesn't mean the comic cartoons will die. This is for another target, that target (kids) will love them the same way we love The Super Friends when we were kids. Thats why we love comics so much. Imagine that all the time the comic cartoons are made for adults, the kids will keep seeing the pre school cartoons and they grow up and the nostalgia begin to kick in, the will want to remake those cartoons. That's an strategy, the same one that Pepsi did in the 80s and 90s. You are cultivating an audience. That doesn't mean that adult comic book cartoons will stop from being made. Thats a cycle.

Hahahahahahahaha.

No young justice, no justice league tv show, but we get......this.....yay

0__0

An action cartoon?

runs towards the oasis

prays the water isn't polluted

The Batman Unlimited characters designs are horrible. What were they thinking?

Got damnit, DC. Stop trying to sell stuff to 3 year olds!

I am right in front of you...with money!

As long as it's promoting Timothy, I'm cool with it

Oh great! More stuff dumbed down for kids. Young Justice was a great cartoon with a great story and there was no reason why a three or four year old could not have enjoyed it just as much as we did. Who keeps thinking this trash is necessary? I for one object.