Warner Premiere Formally Announces ‘Batman: Under the Red Hood’
We were teased with the next direct-to-DVD animated feature when Justice League came out a few months back. Personally, we never understood why Jason Todd was resurrected or why DC and Warner Home Video considered this story worthy of adaptation, but here is comes. What follows is the press release with the details:
BURBANK, CA (April 27, 2010) – Batman confronts new enemies, old foes and painful memories when a powerful vigilante with a penchant for violence comes to Gotham City in the intense graphic-novel-come-to-life Batman: Under the Red Hood, the next entry in the popular ongoing series of DC UNIVERSE Animated Original PG-13 Movies coming July 27, 2010 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition version on Blu-Ray™ and 2 disc DVD for $29.99 (SRP) and $24.98 (SRP), respectively, as well as single disc DVD for $19.98 (SRP). The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.
The stellar voice cast has Bruce Greenwood (Captain Pike in the 2009
blockbuster Star Trek) donning the famed cowl as the voice of Batman.
Supernatural star Jensen Ackles is Red Hood, and Neil Patrick Harris
(How I Met Your Mother) voices Nightwing. John DiMaggio (Futurama) and
Jason Issacs (the Harry Potter films) round out the main cast as The
Joker and Ra’s Al Ghul, respectively.
Batman: Under the Red Hood is scripted by award-winning comics writer
Judd Winick and based on his popular 2005 comics storyline and
subsequent comics graphic novel of the same name. Animation guru Bruce
Timm returns as executive producer, as he has for all eight DC Universe
animated original movies. Director is Brandon Vietti, who served as
co-director of Superman Doomsday and was responsible for the first
one-third of that film, including the fatal battle between the two title
characters.
In Batman: Under the Red Hood, Batman faces his ultimate challenge as
the mysterious Red Hood takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part
vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham
with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical
code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker falls in the balance
between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.
Fans will be treated to an incredible package of DC Universe
storytelling as the Special Edition Blu-Ray and 2-Disc Special Edition
DVD include the second animated short in the all-new DC Showcase series –
which features the popular DC Comics character, Jonah Hex. The short
is scripted by renowned author Joe Lansdale and stars the voices of
Thomas Jane (Hung), Linda Hamilton (The Terminator), Michelle
Trachtenberg (Mercy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Michael Rooker (Days
of Thunder).
Batman: Under the Red Hood – 2 Disc Special Edition DVD will have more
than two hours of fascinating bonus features, including:
• Featurette – Robin’s Story – It was decided it was time to add a
fresh face into the story mix, which turned out to be Dick Grayson, aka
Robin. This is the story of Dick Grayson and how he transformed into
Robin, with Batman as his father-figure role model.
• Extended Sneak Peek at the next DC UNIVERSE Animated Original PG-13
Movie.
• Widescreen (1.78:1)
• Two title-themed episodes from of Warner Bros. Animation’s 20-year
history of Batman television series, hand-picked by animation legend
Bruce Timm.
Batman: Under the Red Hood Special Edition Blu-Ray will have more than
three hours of bonus materials, including all the great extras from the
2-disc Special Edition DVD as well as:
• Featurette: Death in the House of Batman – The story of how DC
Comics heard the fans’ cry that the new Robin was not going to fit the
cape, and how the Boy Wonder was scheduled to die.
• Two additional bonus Batman-themed episodes personally selected by
Bruce Timm
• Digital copy
“Batman: Under the Red Hood is another terrific entry in the
groundbreaking series of DC Universe animated movies, a shining
representation of the adult storytelling that comics-turned-to-film has
to offer, and further evidence of the combined creative power within the
collaboration of DC Entertainment, Warner Premiere, Warner Bros.
Animation and Warner Home Video,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice
President Production, Warner Premiere.
“Judd Winick’s and Doug Mahnke’s story of a Robin gone wrong introduced
Batman’s most personal enemy to date. It’s unbelievably cool to see it
brought to life like this,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of
DC Entertainment.
“With each exciting new chapter of the DC UNIVERSE films, fans have come
to expect more – and Batman: Under the Red Hood delivers with an
action-packed tale of mystery and emotional struggle brought to animated
life by an outstanding filmmaking crew and voiced by the all-star
talents of Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, Neil Patrick Harris and John
Dimaggio,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation
& Partner Brand Marketing.
“In his feature length solo directorial debut, Brandon Vietti has
brought this dark, psychological thriller to the screen with all the
action and emotion of a great Batman story,” said Sam Register,
Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Animation. “
I think i can skip this one.
Ditto.