“Witness the rise of a new Batman.” A stunning new fan film looks to have finally achieved what DC fans have been longing for…a Batman Beyond live-action movie. Titled Batman: Beyond Year One, the short film has been created by Lumis Entertainment, who have now released the first trailer for the project. Starring Titans actor Ryan Potter as the new Dark Knight Terry McGinnis, the footage brings the neon-lights of a future Gotham City to life as well as revealing live-action takes on the street gang the Jokerz and McGinnis’ high-tech Batsuit.
You can check out the newly released trailer for the Batman Beyond: Year One fan film below.
As stated by Lumis Entertainment, “Batman Beyond: Year One is a non-profit proof of concept short film and is not affiliated with DC Comics or Warner Bros. Discovery.” The fan film is set to be released next month on November 16, 2024, and will no doubt have DC fans wondering why such a live-action project has never made its way to the big screen. You can check out the synopsis for Batman Beyond: Year One below.
“Under the supervision of a now-retired Bruce Wayne, high schooler Terry McGinnis balances crime fighting and budding relationships in a futuristic Neo Gotham.”
Potter is inspired casting for the role of Terry McGinnis, with the rest of the cast including Isabelle Hahn, D.Y. Sao, Fiona Dorn, Koki, and Justin Vancho. Based on this glimpse at what’s to come, it certainly looks like Batman Beyond: Year One will succeed where Hollywood has so far failed.
Will We Ever See a Live-Action Batman Beyond Movie on the Big Screen?
While there have been murmurs of a Batman Beyond live-action movie in the past (with some reports claiming Michael Keaton was being eyed to reprise the role of Bruce Wayne), such a project has so far yet come to pass. The animated series first aired in 1999, and follows Terry McGinnis, a teenager on the wrong side of the tracks, who is taken under the wing of an elderly and retired Bruce Wayne. Much like his predecessor, Terry is driven by remorse and vengeance, and after being gifted with a high-tech bat-suit, decides to use all the gadgets and training Bruce can throw at him to take down criminals in the harsh, crime-ridden Neo-Gotham.
The series is now a fan-favorite among DC fans, with McGinnis’ iteration of The Dark Knight having since become a major part of Batman lore and leading his own comics and animated movies. However, despite the ongoing popularity of the character, no live-action project has ever gotten off the ground.
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While realizing the character in live-action has been a struggle, details of a big screen animated movie were recently revealed, with the movie being pitched to the studio by Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse visual developer Yuhki Demers and writer Patrick Harpin in 2023. Utilizing a similar style to the acclaimed Spider-Verse outings, footage that has emerged finds Terry McGinnis taking flight for the first time.
So, live-action or animated? Which form would you like a Batman Beyond big screen outing to take?