There's yet another Batman in town, as DC League of Super-Pets has found its Caped Crusader in Keanu Reeves. He is the fourth Batman to hit movie theaters this year, following Robert Pattinson's lead role in The Batman and the upcoming appearances by Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck in The Flash.
The League of Super-Pets trailer picks up with Reeves' Batman giving a comically dramatic monologue to his dog Ace, voiced by Kevin Hart. His voice lends itself well to Batman, as he plays it with a straight face, serving as a foil to the absurd animated comedy. There's also a number of subtle in-jokes that Batman fans will pick up on, including a reference to Morgan Freeman's role as Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight Trilogy.
DC League of Super-Pets seems similar to The Lego Batman Movie, in that it works as a lighter DC film for young kids, but still has enough reverence for the source material for older fans to enjoy. The trailer features Danny Elfman's iconic theme for the 1989 Batman film and a Superman design very similar to the original Max Fleischer shorts. Even the premise has roots in the comics, as Dwayne Johnson's lead role, Krypto the Super-Dog, is an iconic legacy character in the Superman family.
On one hand, the premise makes a lot of sense. If there's one thing kids love more than superheroes, it's talking animals, so combining the two could be a perfect match. And besides, DC films have a tendency to be unsafe for kids, as The Batman borders on an R-rating and it's uncertain if Black Adam or The Flash will be particularly family-friendly. So at the very least, it's nice to have an option for the youngest DC fans.
Though on the other hand, it's easy to wonder if this is the right direction. It used to be that animated superhero projects only appealed to kids, but that's not the case anymore. Sony Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was beloved by audiences of all ages, with many fans deeming it superior to any of the live-action Marvel films. With that in mind, perhaps DC should aim for an animated film of similar quality and mass appeal, as League of Super-Pets may seem a bit juvenile and standard by comparison.
Only time will tell if League of Super-Pets can be a Lego Batman level success. Though even if it's not, kids are sure to enjoy it, and it's nice to have the great Reeves in yet another iconic franchise.
DC League of Super-Pets releases in theaters on May 20th, 2022.
Source: Warner Bros. Pictures