Last year saw one of Ed Brubaker's creations rise to a starring heroic role thanks to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and now the comic book writer and cartoonist will continue his fine work as one of the creative minds behind HBO Max's upcoming Batman: Caped Crusader.
Despite becoming famous for the inception of the Winter Soldier in 2005, as well as building a significant part of his career by working for Marvel Comics, Brubaker also had a prior stint writing for DC Universe, most notably focusing on Catwoman and Batman's underworld during the early 2000s. However, in 2021 Brubaker's name popped up in the news due to the writer expressing his feelings over the lack of financial compensation he received over his Bucky Barnes creation, going as far as saying his cameo in Captain America: The Winter Soldier earned him a bigger paycheck.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned Brubaker will join an all-star team for Caped Crusader captained by showrunner and animated Batman legend Bruce Timm, as well as executive producers J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves and co-producer James Tucker. The comic book writer shared that Batman: The Animated Series “was one of the things that made me want to write superhero comics,” meaning it was a no-brainer for him to jump on board when Timm offered him the opportunity to work on Batman: Caped Crusader. Brubaker will lead the writing staff for Caped Crusader alongside his idol Timm, while also getting executive producing credits for his involvement in the show.
Although not much else has been disclosed about this animated Batman revival, this same report notes that Caped Crusader will run for 10 episodes in its first season on HBO Max. Batman: Caped Crusader was announced last October during DC Fandome 2021, and though very few details were made public at the time, the show is being conceived as a sort of spiritual prequel to Batman: The Animated Series. The overall picture for Caped Crusader depicts this Bruce Wayne as a Batman who is far less reliant on tech and gadgets, much like what Reeves is aiming for in The Batman.
Even if Brubaker never receives the type of compensation he believes he’s owed for the success of shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it’s clear that won’t stop him from realizing his dream of working with someone he admires so much. Nevertheless, Disney is still facing a lawsuit that could rock the Marvel world for good, as part of a case that could vindicate the claims and rights of those who have been in Brubaker's position before.
Batman: Caped Crusader will be released on HBO Max.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter