Batman Beyond - The Classic Nobody Wanted | IGN Inside Stories

Batman Beyond is undeniably a classic entry into Batman lore. Its unique vision of a futuristic Gotham and the young Terry McGinnis taking on the mantle of the Dark Knight from an aging Bruce Wayne forges an incredible new path for the Caped Crusader, but the thing is... nobody thought it was a good idea. So how did an idea nobody wanted turn into a fan favorite that's just as iconic 20 years later? This is the Inside Story of the unlikely and unwanted origins of the Batman of the Future!

With the constant studio shake ups reshaping the studio landscape, it's easy to forget that studio demands don't always lead to failure. Look no further than the Warner Bros. Discovery merger and the cancellation of Batgirl, in spite of a reported 90 million dollars already spent on the project. Back in the 90s, while Batman: The Animated Series cemented itself as THE Batman for a generation of fans, the CW owned the young demographic with shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dawson's Creek. So when they insisted on a teenage Batman cut from the same cloth, Batman animation stalwarts Bruce Timm, Glen Murakami and the iconic voice of Bruce Wayne himself Kevin Conroy set out to make something out of the tough hand they'd been dealt. At the time, it was an idea nobody liked, but more than 2 decades later, it's a classic.

Produced by Clint Gage
Reporting by Mike Avila
Editing by Clint Gage and Tom Jorgensen
Graphics by Kevin Cappiello
Animation by Lowbrow Studios
Illustrations by Amanda Flagg

Special Thanks to:
Stan Berkowitz
Scott Collura
Kevin Conroy
Will Friedle
Gary Miereanu
Glen Murakami
Andrea Romano
Bruce Timm
James Tucker