DC STUDIOS AND WARNER BROS. ANIMATION
ANNOUNCE NEW SERIES AND DEVELOPMENT GREENLIGHTS
Absolute Batman Series in Development with Executive Producer and Showrunner Scott Snyder
New Krypto Series in Development
First Anime DC Series Joker: Laugh Riot Greenlit to Series
- DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation unveiled the next wave of animated projects joining their rapidly growing slate during a joint presentation, World’s Finest Animation: DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation Showcase, at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The presentation featured Peter Safran (Co‑Chairman and Co‑CEO, DC Studios) and Sam Register (President, Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna‑Barbera Studios Europe), alongside Warner Bros. Animation artists who shared first looks and creative insights into the next era of DC animation.
- Projects announced include an animated adaption of the award-winning and best-selling DC comic book series, Absolute Batman, written by Scott Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta. Scott Snyder will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with Dragotta as producer. The series has sold more than 6 million copies, with Absolute Batman #1 reaching an 11th printing, and all Absolute titles, including Absolute Batman, rank among the top 10 best-selling comics of 2025.
- Additional projects include the first-ever anime DC series, Joker: Laugh Riot and a new series starring Krypto.
Joker: Laugh Riot (Series Greenlight, Adult)
- Network: TBA
- Description: When Batman is murdered, the Joker launches a ruthless crusade through Gotham’s underworld to find the killer who took away his greatest adversary. But as his violent quest for answers pushes him closer towards vigilante than villain, Joker is forced to confront the truth that without Batman, he doesn’t know who he is.
- Executive Producer: Jim Krieg
- Director: Yasuhuro Aoki
- Studio: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios, SOLA Entertainment
Absolute Batman (Series Development, Adult)
- Network: TBA
- Description: Absolute Batman boldly reinvents the Batman mythos for a new generation of fans, reimagining the Dark Knight as a working-class hero up against impossible odds (and the most terrifying foes ever), on a mission to prove that even in an era of wealth, power and corruption, one good person can change the world.
No manor, no money... all Batman. When you take away the manor, the money, the advantages, what you’re left with is something absolute.
- Executive Producer: Scott Snyder
- Studio: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios
Untitled Krypto Project (Series Development, Kids)
- Network: TBA
- Description: When he’s not hanging out with Superman or Supergirl, Krypto tags along with a gang of misfit criminal wannabes who live down the block, and they soon discover he’s a ball of destructive, lovable energy worse than any of them! As he follows them into misadventures and poorly laid plans, Krypto’s pure nature slowly ends up redeeming them, whether they want it or not.
- Executive Producer: C.H. Greenblatt
- Studio: Warner Bros. Animation, DC Studios
DC, WARNER BROS. ANIMATION, WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL
Part One of the Epic Three-Part Movie Event Premieres at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
DC, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released the official trailer for BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL, a three-part movie event bringing to life one of the most iconic and beloved sagas in the rich history of Batman comics.
Part One of the trilogy, Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall premiered tonight at the 2026 edition of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with an official release planned for later this year.
Description: When the mysterious behemoth known only as Bane frees Batman’s entire Rogue’s Gallery from Arkham Asylum, the Caped Crusader is pushed to his mental and physical breaking point.
Based on characters from DC and the DC Comic Book Event, Batman: Knightfall by Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Dennis O’Neil, Peter David, Jo Duffy, Jim Aparo, Graham Nolan, Norm Breyfogle, and Jim Balent.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall is directed by Jeff Wamester and written by Jeremy Adams. Rick Morales serves as Supervising Producer alongside Producers Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau. Sam Register and Michael Uslan are Executive Producers.
Starring Anson Mount as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Michael Mando as Bane, Pablo Schreiber as Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael.
WARNER BROS. ANIMATION ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT ON DARK SHADOWS ADAPTATION BASED ON THE CULT-FAVORITE TELEVISION SERIES
Warner Bros. Animation is resurrecting tormented vampire Barnabas Collins as it is currently in development on an adult animated series based on the classic gothic sensation Dark Shadows.
Created by Dan Curtis and celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer, Dark Shadows starred TV’s original anti-hero and the father of the modern-day vampire, Barnabas Collins, a vampire with a conscience.
Project was announced during a Studio Focus panel at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival where Warner Bros. Animation’s Peter Girardi (Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming) and Shaleen Desai (Senior Vice President, Adult Series) previewed the studios’ current adult animation slate.
Dark Shadows
Network: TBA
Description: Adult animated series continuing the saga of the Collins family. Blending gothic, horror, and supernatural genres, this coming adaptation promises all the dark twists and romantic intrigue that defined the transformational series across its 1200-plus episode run.
Executive Producer and Showrunner: Lisa Holdsworth
Executive Producers: Cathy Curtis, Tracy Curtis, Eric Homan, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert
Replies
I saw a reference to the Dark Shadows show somewhere on the board, but I can't find it now. Here's the full press release, for what it's worth.