DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation have revealed an expansion of the DC Universe in the animated world with a trio of projects: an adaptation of the comic smash Absolute Batman, a kids-oriented Krypto cartoon, and DC’s first ever anime series Joker: Laugh Riot. All three were announced at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Absolute Batman is a direct adaptation of the comic book series by writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, with Snyder serving as executive producer and showrunner and Dragotta as producer. The series completely reimagines Batman, making him a hulking, blue-collar civil engineer from Crime Alley who only lost one parent, his teacher dad, in a mass shooting. His self-built costume and gear includes a Bat-symbol chest emblem that becomes a battle axe, cowl ears that become throwing knives, and a mechanical cape that can form spikes.
Get Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo in TPB/HC
While many of Batman’s rogues gallery are re-envisioned as child hood friends and allies (Waylon “Killer Croc” Jones, Eddie “The Riddler” Nigma, Selina “Catwoman” Kyle, etc), the Joker is flipped into a corrupt, potentially immortal billionaire. It’s a reverse of the standard Batman-Joker mirror: Batman believes in the communal power of the lower class, while Joker is ingrained wealth run amuck.
The Absolute Batman series helped launched DC’s Absolute Universe, leading the company to overtake Marvel’s market share for the first time since 2002. Volume 1 of Absolute Batman is available in trade paperback and hardcover editions, both on sale now.
Warner Bros. Animation
Joker: Laugh Riot also looks to flip the script on the classic Batman story. The story finds the Joker becoming the detective as he tracks down the person who took away his foil — and the kill he rightfully deserved — the Batman. The official logline sums up the exciting new take well: “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.”
DC and WB are working with Japan’s acclaimed SOLA Entertainment on the project, with ChaO director Yasuhiro Aoki directin. Aoki and the studios all previously worked together on the 2024 anime film The Lords of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Warner Bros. Animation
Finally, after a breakout appearance in Superman and a co-starring role in the upcoming Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog is getting a new kids-focused show. Coming from Chowder and Harvey Beaks creator C.H. Greenblatt (also a vet of SpongeBob SquarePants and Jellystone!), the cartoon finds the lovably rambunctious canine falling in with a group of bad guys — only to inadvertently help them change their ways.
Here’s the logline: “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.”
Warner Bros. Animation
As of now, these three projects are in the greenlight stage, so none have actual release dates or even networks yet.
