A recent virtual fan convention may have reignited fan passion for a classic DC animated series, Batman Beyond. With this being a world of reboots and remakes, some diehards are now discovering they may only be a single campaign away from returning to the futuristic city of Neo-Gotham.
At IGN's Fan Fest, the cast of DC's 1999-2001 surprise hit series Batman Beyond gathered for a rather creative table read of an old favorite episode, directed live by legendary voice and casting director Andrea Romano herself. Both preceding and following the often exciting and occasionally hilarious reenactment, Romano and the cast answered some questions, including one at the end from fan Max McMillan, who posed the query most Batman Beyond lovers likely want to ask. Will there be a new show or movie anytime soon? Hey, if Rugrats can get a reboot, maybe it's not too farfetched.
While the cast silently answered with their shoulders, Romano had a bit more to say on the subject. "It will depend on the fans asking, and asking, and asking for it until Warner Bros. would be foolish not to," she said, adding "we're all still around, we're all still available, everybody's still doing beautiful work. So yes please, and thank you." It might not have been the answer McMillan and countless others hoped for, but it's certainly encouraging for those who thought that, perhaps, even the cast and crew had forgotten about Batman Beyond by now. Romano has worked as a voice and casting director on countless projects from 1987's DuckTales all the way to 2012's The Legend of Korra and beyond, so it's most likely safe to say she knows what she's talking about.
The rest of the panel featured a table read of "Out of the Past" from season 3, notable for several reasons, including its delightfully hammy Batman musical segment at the beginning (and yes, of course, they performed that too). Cast members Kevin Conroy (Bruce Wayne), Will Friedle (Terry McGinnis/Batman), Michael Rosenbaum (henchman Carl), and Cree Summer (Terry's best friend Max Gibson) all performed the episode under the live direction of Romano. What's possibly most impressive, though, is how each voice actor seamlessly took on roles other than their own for the sake of the table read, including Rosenbaum as the immortal villain Ra's al Ghul and Summer as his daughter, Talia, both still considered among the best Batman villains.
The idea of another Batman Beyond series is enticing, to say the least, and Romano clearly knows that a good fan campaign can get things done. Other shows like Young Justice and even Brooklyn Nine-Nine (which will now end on its own terms after season 8) might have ended prematurely if it wasn't for the massive outpouring of love from fans that encouraged the networks to revive them. So while it's certainly been quite a while since Terry McGinnis donned the Batsuit, it's clear that the people behind the surprise hit series are all on board for more fun.
It's easy to be pessimistic about these things, especially after so much time has passed. But look at it this way. In a time where everyone is encouraged to stay inside and isolated, nobody is more perfectly suited to keep their craft going than a voice actor. Maybe with the support of fans, the cyberpunk Caped Crusader can return once again.
Batman Beyond is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
Source: IGN