‘Beware the Batman’ Pulled From Cartoon Network’s Lineup?
It's been a tough road for DC animation on TV since its most successful incarnations with the Bruce Timm-Paul Dini era, and even the madcap 'Batman: The Brave and the Bold,' but it seems Cartoon Network may have suffered another casualty. Following similar moves to pull 'Young Justice' and 'Green Lantern: The Animated Series,' CG Dark Knight series 'Beware the Batman' has been unceremoniously pulled from the lineup.
Cartoon Network issued no formal statement on the decision to pull the series, which had scheduled to run a new episode this coming Saturday (now replaced by the moderately more successful 'Teen Titans Go!'), but IGN managed to garner a (somewhat) clarifying response as to why the CG 'Beware the Batman' disappeared relatively early into its first season run:
Currently, 'Beware the Batman' is no longer on our air. DC Nation will continue on Saturday mornings at 10/9c with new exclusive shorts and a full hour of encore episodes of 'Teen Titans Go!'
'Batman' voice actor Anthony Ruivar tweeted out the impression that the series would return with new episodes in January, having aired only 11 of the initial 26 ordered for the first season. Cartoon Network could not confirm the January premiere, though worth noting is that both critically well-received, but under-performing 'Young Justice' and 'Green Lantern: The Animated Series' were allowed to finish out their runs before an ultimate cancellation.
For those unfamiliar with 'Beware the Batman,' the series focuses on Batman’s battles with a somewhat lower tier of typical villains from the DC hero's rogues gallery. ‘Beware the Batman’ features the voice talents of ‘Banshee‘ star Anthony Ruivivar as the Dark Knight, JB Blanc as ex-secret agent Alfred Pennyworth, Sumalee Montano as Katana, and a villains roster that includes Wallace Langham as Anarky, Grey DeLisle as Magpie, Udo Kier as Mr. Toad, Lance Reddick (‘Fringe‘) as Ra’s al Ghul, and Brian George as Professor Pyg.
You can check out the sizzle reel for 'Beware the Batman' below, and tell us if you think the series should return for a second season next year!