It’s one of the most ambitious crossovers in history, and it’s not named Avengers: Endgame. Batman and the Ninja Turtles will meet (and not for the first time) in a new animated feature, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from Warner Bros. Animation and Nickelodeon. Yes, it is real.
The trailer for Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles went up a few weeks ago, but a lot of folks who don’t live on the internet (AKA, normal, healthy people) are still catching up to the fact that Batman and the Ninja Turtles will have an official crossover in a direct-to-video feature. The movie will be released on Digital HD on May 14, while the Blu-ray will be released on June 4.
Almost unsurprisingly, the movie is actually based on two existing comic books: 2015’s Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and 2017’s Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II. Both live up to the plain premise that the Dark Knight teams up with the Heroes in a Half-Shell. Both comics were written and illustrated by James Tynion IV and Freddie Williams II.
“They occupy the same world in my mind already,” Williams II told Inverse in a 2017 interview about the comic. “I think because I was getting into Batman and the Turtles at around the same time of my life (11 or 12 years old), they already ‘feel’ like they are in the same world, a dark, gritty, but sometimes funny world.”
Outside comics, the Turtles again crossed over into the DCU in Injustice 2 as DLC (downloadable content) fighters. The Turtles joined Sub-Zero (of Mortal Kombat) and Hellboy as non-DC characters who became playable fighters.
Textless cover art of 'Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' #1, illustrated by Freddie E. Williams II.
In the film, which closely resembles the plot of Batman/Ninja Turtles II (while keeping the meet-fight of the original comic), Turtles foe Shredder meets Ra’s al Ghul, one of Batman’s most dangerous villains. They both just so happen lead their own armies of ninjas: the Foot Clan and the League of Assassins, respectively. And when the two armies join forces, Batman must do the same with the Ninja Turtles to stop them from taking over Gotham City.
Besides ninjas, the movie also has a robust supporting cast of characters with all-star voice talent, including Batgirl (Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Mr. Freeze (Joe DiMaggio, Adventure Time), the Penguin (Tom Kenny, SpongeBob SquarePants), and Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, both voiced by veteran voice over actor Tara Strong (Batman: The Animated Series).
Furthermore, the film also has Troy Baker playing both Batman and the Joker in the same movie. Baker went viral back in 2013 for proving his talent as the Joker at New York Comic Con ahead of his role in the video game Batman: Arkham Origins, where he briefly took over for Mark Hamill.
There have been quite a few similar crossovers with Batman and DC as of late. It was in 2017 when Batman and Elmer Fudd met in an unexpected noir classic by Tom King. That same year, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers met the Justice League in a miniseries by Tom Taylor and Stephen Byrne. And last year in 2018, He-Man crossed over into the DC Injustice universe. It’s not known whether or not there will be animated versions for these comics as well.
This doesn’t mean Warner Bros. is already at work trying to make a Justice League/Power Rangers animated feature happen. But I mean, let’s hope, right?
Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be released on Blu-ray on June 4.
