No longer content to just put a handful of DC Comics television shows in development, Warner Brothers is prepping a Justice League animated series as well, which will debut on the popular online network Machinima (the home of such shows as Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Mortal Kombat: Legacy and Battlestar Galactica Blood & Chrome) in the spring of 2015.
Titled Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, the three-part animated series will reportedly be tied to the upcoming Warner Bros. Home Entertainment animated film Justice League: Gods and Monsters, from Batman: The Animated Series alumni Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett. Chronicles will take place in a newly conceived reality in the DC Universe where the “Holy Trinity” Justice League members, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, exist as much darker versions than the ones we know and love.
Machinima’s CEO Chad Gutstein had this to say about the news:
“Ever since we announced the Warner Bros. strategic investment, we have been looking for a new and exciting way to tap into the company’s unmatched content. With ‘Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles,’ Machinima will be the very first place fans can experience a new vision for DC Comics’ beloved Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman characters. In addition, we have built a first-of-its-kind package for brands to engage with these characters to reach Machinima’s elusive audience.”
Sam Register, the president of Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series added:
“We couldn’t be happier to be announcing our first new digital series today, and we’re even more excited that it’s a collaboration with such accomplished storytellers as Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, who have been responsible for some of the most innovative and creative DC Universe projects. We can’t wait for fans to have a chance to see the world they have created when ‘Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles’ debuts on Machinima next year.”
Lastly, DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson chimed in by stating:
“We are commited to delivering DC Entertainment’s extensive line-up of world-class characters and stories to audiences across all platforms and formats. Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles is an exciting opportunity to bring alternate versions of DC Comics’ iconic Justice League characters to Machinima, and we look forward to bringing this new animated shortform series to life with our partners across Warner Bros.”
As a huge fan of not only DC Comics characters, but the work Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett did on Batman: The Animated series, I couldn’t be more excited by this news. Warner Bros. may be a bit behind the ball when it comes to bringing its characters to the big screen (something that’s thankfully changing as we speak), but the studio has a great track record with animated films and TV shows.