Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, we’ve got a ton of more details on the upcoming Batman: Year One direct-to-DVD animated feature. Along with the screenshot above, the bulk of the voice cast was announced, with The O.C. alum/current Southland actor Ben McKenzie starring as the young Bruce Wayne/Batman. And from one critically acclaimed show to another, Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston (also known as Malcolm in the Middle’s dad) is James Gordon, and genre faves Katee Sachkoff (Battlestar Galactica‘s Starbuck, duh) and Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse, Buffy the Vampire Slayer voice Detective Sarah Essen and Catwoman, respectively. Mobster Carmine Falcone is played by no less of an authority than Alex Rocco, who portrayed The Godfather‘s Moe Greene.
DC Animation regulars Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu co-direct, and Tab Murphy, who wrote last year’s Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, penned the screenplay. 1987′s Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, is one of the most revered stories published by DC Comics, telling the early days of Batman’s crimefighting career in Gotham. The story has influenced several film and TV versions of the character, but this is the first straight adaptation — though several others have been in development in one stage or another over the years.
Batman: Year One is slated for release in the fall, with a premiere screening slated for this July’s Comic-Con International: San Diego. Another screenshot is after the jump.
April 20th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Art looks great. Actors are great( except for Dushku, she’s just hot). This should be fantastic.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
That artwork looks amazing! A cut above for sure. Is this based on the Miller/Mazzuchelli Batman Year One?
April 21st, 2011 at 5:27 am
crusader k- Try reading the article. Christ.
April 21st, 2011 at 8:43 am
Look’s wonderful, I can’t wait to watch. Though I can’t help but think this would have been better if it came out prior to Batman Begins and the Dark Knight.
off-topic: Hey Newsarama, are the forums never coming back, or what?
April 21st, 2011 at 10:20 am
I will see this on general principle. Batman is my all time favorite character, hell my left arm is a Batman sleeve. The thing I know that’s going to disapoint me about this film is like all the other direct-to-DVD films is it’ll only be like an hour long….maybe an hour and 10 minutes. I mean come here DC! Let’s get an actual feature length movie here huh? let’s get a 90 minute/2 hour movie. Do the adaptation justice. Is under the hood one of those hour long, let’s rush through the sory type movies? I figured it would’ve been so I didn’t bother. Can any one help me out?
April 21st, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Can’t really tell much about the animation art from that one non-descriptive pic but DC hasn’t failed on the animation side really….they could have picked a better hero, c’mon Titans, Green Arrow, JSA, The Flash….why is is ALWAYS Ratman or Superpoopr?!?!?
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:23 am
Mike G,
I agree while (as mentioned before) Batman is my ALL TIME favorite character I would LOVE to see a Green Arrow or Teen Titans flick. The Flash would be cool too.
April 23rd, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Back when. They were making Batman Begins think even b4 then I thought Ben McKinize could be Batman (because of the Batman: deadend video like a younger verison of that Batman)
But now a days I think he make a great Flash/Barry Allen in a live action movies
April 25th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
I’m not saying this will end up being a bad idea. In fact, its kinda cool…BUT and there all ways is a but in this type of thing… BUT Year One was an AMAZING book, it stands alone. It doesn’t need to made into another Media to make it better. We have this Idea now a days that everyone, Comic Book, every Graphic Novel, hell every Novel has to be made into a movie or TV show. Guess what IT DOESN’T. Some (*cough WATCHMEN*) should stay in the Media is was made for. Year One is one such piece of art that should stay a a book.