Batwheels is an American animated superhero children's television series that premiered on September 17, 2022, on HBO Max. It made its linear premiere on October 17, 2022, on Cartoon Network's preschool block Cartoonito.[1] A second season premiered on January 12, 2024. In October 2024, it was announced the series was renewed for a third season.[2]
| Batwheels | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | |
| Developed by | Michael G. Stern |
| Voices of |
|
| Theme music composer | Andy Sturmer |
| Composer | Alex Geringas |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 60 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Release | September 17, 2022 – present |
Plot
editThe Bat-Family's vehicles are brought to life by the Batcomputer to form the "Batwheels", a team led by the Batmobile or "Bam", to fight crime in Gotham City.
Characters
editThe Batwheels
edit- The Batmobile / Bam (voiced by Jacob Bertrand), the insecure leader of the Batwheels[3]
- Redbird / Red (voiced by Jordan Reed in season one and Titus Blake in season two), Robin's car and the youngest of the Batwheels[3]
- Batgirl Cycle / Bibi (voiced by Madigan Kacmar), Batgirl's small but impulsive motorcycle[3]
- Bat Truck / Buff (voiced by Noah Bentley), a good-hearted monster truck who serves as the Batwheels' muscle[3]
- The Batwing / Batwing / Wing (voiced by Lilimar), Batman's sophisticated and confident supersonic jet[3]
- The Batcomputer / BC (voiced by Kimberly D. Brooks), the team's trainer, supervisor, dispatcher, and mother figure[3]
- M.O.E. (voiced by Mick Wingert), short for Mobile Operation Expert, M.O.E. is Batman's kind-hearted yet sarcastic robot mechanic[3]
The Bat-Family
edit- Bruce Wayne / Batman (voiced by Ethan Hawke), a vigilante operating in Gotham City and father figure to the Batwheels[3] Hawke previously turned down the role for Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever.[4]
- Duke Thomas / Robin (voiced by A.J. Hudson), a mystery-loving member of the Bat-Family who wants to prove himself in the eyes of Batman[3]
- Cassandra Cain / Batgirl (voiced by Leah Lewis), a daredevil tech-savvy member of the Bat-Family, who serves as a "big sister" figure in the group[3]
- Oliver Queen / Green Arrow (voiced by MacLeod Andrews), a vigilante archer from Star City and a friend of Batman's[5]
- Dick Grayson / Nightwing (voiced by Zachary Gordon), a superhero who used to fight crime with Batman but currently fights crime in different cities
The Legion of Zoom
edit- Badcomputer (voiced by SungWon Cho), an A.I. computer software inside a scoreboard and temporarily in a television who wants to replace the Bat Computer as the most powerful computer on Earth[6]
- Crash (voiced by Tom Kenny), Badcomputer's crash-dummy like robot minion[6]
- Prank (voiced by Griffin Burns), Joker's funny and pranking van[6]
- Jestah (voiced by Alexandra Novelle), Harley Quinn's fun-loving ATV[6]
- Ducky (voiced by Ariyan Kassam), Penguin's mischief-causing duck on a boat with wheels vehicle[6]
- Quizz (voiced by Josey Montana McCoy), Riddler's quiz-loving helicopter[6]
- Snowy (voiced by Xolo Maridueña), Mr. Freeze's bad but gentle snow crawler who is also Buff's friend[6]
The Rogues' Gallery
edit- The Joker (voiced by Mick Wingert), Batman's archenemy and the self-proclaimed "Clown Prince of Crime"[6]
- Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn (voiced by Chandni Parekh), Joker's partner-in-crime and girlfriend[6]
- Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin (voiced by Jess Harnell), an elegant penguin-like criminal[6]
- Edward Nigma / The Riddler (voiced by SungWon Cho), a riddle-obsessed criminal[6]
- Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze (voiced by Regi Davis), an ice-themed supervillain with a mechanical suit[6]
- Selina Kyle / Catwoman (voiced by Gina Rodriguez), a cat-themed burglar[6]
- Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy (voiced by Kailey Snider), a plant-themed villain[5]
- Jack Nimball / The Toyman (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), a toy-themed villain who is also an enemy of Superman[6]
Minor
edit- Kitty (voiced by Kinza Khan), Catwoman's playful cat car
- Goldie (voiced by Chandni Parekh), Green Arrow's arrowplane who is Batwing's flying friend
- A.D.A.M (voiced by Adam West with archived dialogue), Batman's early Batmobile
- Nightbike (voiced by Nick Fisher), Nightwing's motorcycle
- Grundy (voiced by Fred Tatasciore), a dump truck-styled monster truck
Episodes
editSeries overview
edit| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 40 | September 17, 2022 | September 16, 2023 | |
| 2 | TBA | January 12, 2024 | TBA | |
Season 1 (2022–23)
editAll episodes were directed by Antoine Charreyron.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title [7][8] | Written by | Original air date [7][8] | Max release date [7] | Prod. code [7] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | "Secret Origin of the Batwheels" | Michael G. Stern | October 15, 2022 | September 17, 2022 | 101 | 0.10[9] |
| 4 | 4 | "Stop That Ducky" | Michael G. Stern | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 102 | N/A |
|
A disastrous attempt at stopping Ducky leads to the Batwheels nominating Bam as team leader, but his failed attempts to use Batman's leadership style make him realize that some things only work when done in a more personalized method. | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Buff's BFF" | Craig Fernandez | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 103 | N/A |
|
A mission to catch Mr. Freeze results in Buff befriending the villain's vehicle, Snowy, and the pair quickly hit it off. However, the other Batwheels are skeptical about the Zoomer's good side, and the Bat Truck has to teach his teammates that even criminals can be good at heart. | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Up in the Air" | Patrick Rieger | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 104 | N/A |
|
The Penguin hijacks every television channel to broadcast his own show, but a bad decision resulting in Wing crash-landing and Batman getting captured causes Bam to lose confidence in himself. | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Bibi's Do-Over" | Sarah Eisenberg & Becky Wangberg | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 105 | N/A |
|
After a slip-up during a mission to catch Toyman, Bibi becomes dead set on perfecting her jump, but she eventually learns that it doesn't matter if she looks bad as long as the mission at hand is accomplished. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Sidekicked to the Curb" | Michael G. Stern | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 106 | N/A |
|
Disappointed in being left behind, Redbird tails Bam as he takes Batman and Robin to apprehend the Joker and Prank, with both learning that even great heroes need a partner at their side. | |||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Keep Calm and Roll On" | Michael G. Stern | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 107 | N/A |
|
Bibi's temper gets the better of her when Jestah and Harley mock her capabilities, causing her to lose control. With the help of the others, she learns that the best thing to do is to keep calm and take a deep breath under stress. | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Bam's Upgrade" | Michael G. Stern | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | 108 | N/A |
|
Fed up with being overshadowed by the others on mission outings, Bam has himself upgraded to convince Batman to take him out, but the upgrades prove to hamper their mission of catching Toyman. | |||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Redbird's Bogus Beach Day" | Sarah Eisenberg & Becky Wangberg | November 7, 2022 | November 8, 2022 | 109 | N/A |
|
A trip to the beach gets interrupted when the Joker sets out to turn off the lighthouse light and crash a ship, forcing Batman, Robin, Bam, and Redbird to take action. | |||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Cave Sweet Cave" | Craig Fernandez | November 7, 2022 | November 8, 2022 | 110 | N/A |
|
After a large Joker water balloon ends up flooding the Batcave, the Batwheels are forced to temporarily stay at a parking garage until it dries out, a situation which none of them are happy with. | |||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Scaredy-Bat" | Andrew Guastaferro | November 14, 2022 | November 8, 2022 | 111 | N/A |
|
Bam has to learn to take the high road after Prank continues goading him into reckless actions, before things take a turn for the worse. | |||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Riddle Me This" | Ryan Toyama | November 14, 2022 | November 8, 2022 | 112 | N/A |
|
With Quiz up to no good, the other Batwheels have to find him and stop his plan, but Redbird's inability to speak up for himself ends up putting the entire mission at risk. | |||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Zoomsday" | Ryan Toyama | November 21, 2022 | November 22, 2022[a] | 113 | N/A |
|
Having had enough of losing to the Batwheels, the Legion of Zoom decides to try the one tactic that leaves the Batwheels victorious every time: teamwork. | |||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Rev and Let Rev" | Janae Hall | November 21, 2022 | November 22, 2022[a] | 114 | N/A |
|
Feeling left out that he can't rev his engine as loud as the others, Redbird asks for the removal of his stealth tech, but his new noisy engine ends up foiling Robin's efforts to catch Catwoman. | |||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Batcomputer for a Day" | Patrick Rieger | November 28, 2022 | November 29, 2022[a] | 115 | N/A |
|
While the Batcomputer recharges, the other Batwheels find that operating the Batcave is much harder than she makes it look, which becomes problematic when they have to help Batman catch Harley Quinn. | |||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Grass Is Greener" | Patrick Rieger | November 28, 2022 | November 29, 2022[a] | 116 | N/A |
|
When Bam brings M.O.E. out on his night patrol, the pair find themselves dealing with Poison Ivy's rampaging plants, and M.O.E. finds fieldwork to be far out of his league. | |||||||
| 19 20 | 19 20 | "Holidays on Ice" | Scott Gray | December 5, 2022 | December 6, 2022 | 117 | N/A |
|
Frustrated with the other Batwheels getting distracted by the holidays, Batwing decides to go solo to catch Mr. Freeze, but quickly comes to miss the companionship of the others. | |||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Bam's Clawful Mistake" | Sarah Eisenberg & Becky Wangberg | May 1, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 118 | 0.06[10] |
|
Wanting to even out the teams for his newly invented ball game, Bam convinces M.O.E. to bring Catwoman's car to life. Unfortunately, the newcomer quickly becomes a handful. | |||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Harley Did It" | Scott Gray | May 1, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 119 | 0.07[10] |
|
A robbery with Harley Quinn as the main suspect comes under scrutiny when Bibi and Redbird find clues that don't correlate to her at all, and the pair set out to find the real culprit of the crime. | |||||||
| 23 | 23 | "Buff in a China Shop" | Craig Carlisle | May 1, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 120 | 0.07[10] |
|
Self-conscious about his tendency to accidentally break everything, Buff begins taking measures to improve his gracefulness so he can help Batman stop the Riddler. | |||||||
| 24 | 24 | "A Tale of Two Bibis" | Craig Fernandez | May 1, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 121 | N/A |
|
Bibi ends up in a tight spot due to her impulsive nature and has to think things through when Jestah disguises herself as her to infiltrate the Batcave and steal the Batcomputer's Bat-Motherboard. | |||||||
| 25 | 25 | "Batty Race" | Andrew Guastaferro | May 1, 2023 | May 2, 2023 | 122 | 0.07[10] |
|
The Gotham Grand Prix ends up having both the Batwheels and the Legion of Zoom as participants after the latter sabotage the original racers, but their cheating ways prove to be difficult obstacles to overcome. | |||||||
| 26 | 26 | "When You're a Jet" | Sarah Eisenberg & Becky Wangberg | July 3, 2023 | July 4, 2023 | 123 | N/A |
|
Green Arrow visits Gotham and Batwing, ecstatic to have another jet as a friend, brings it to life, but the new best friends have to face the reality that the newcomer has to return with Green Arrow to Star City. | |||||||
| 27 | 27 | "Ride Along" | Ryan Toyama | July 10, 2023 | July 11, 2023 | TBA | N/A |
|
After Kitty saves him, Bam has her join him on his night patrol to recruit her potentially, but the playful car is too easily distracted to pay any notice. | |||||||
| 28 | 28 | "Wheels Just Wanna Have Fun" | Jennifer Heftler | July 17, 2023 | July 18, 2023 | TBA | N/A |
|
Bibi learns the hard way that rules are for safety after Jestah keeps tempting her to have fun by doing so. | |||||||
| 29 | 29 | "Tough Buff Blues" | Andrew Guastaferro | July 24, 2023 | July 25, 2023 | TBA | N/A |
|
After stalling the Riddler on his latest mission, Buff finds himself uncomfortable after the other Batwheels saddle him with the nickname "Tough Buff", leading him to sit out of the next mission. | |||||||
| 30 | 30 | "Wheel Side Story" | Andrew Guastaferro | July 31, 2023 | August 1, 2023 | TBA | N/A |
|
A hit from Ducky's latest device leaves all of the Batwheels only able to sing instead of speak, complicating their ways of communicating. | |||||||
| 31 | 31 | "Ace in the Hole" | Andrew Guastaferro | September 11, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 128 | 0.04[11] |
|
Buff brings a group of stray dogs into the Batcave to protect them from Catwoman, who wants to lead all of the dogs in Gotham out of the city. | |||||||
| 32 | 32 | "Mechanic Panic" | Jennifer Heftler | September 12, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 129 | N/A |
|
Bibi has to help Jestah overcome her fear of mechanics after the Zoomer breaks a wheel while preparing for a tournament. | |||||||
| 33 | 33 | "Improvise My Ride" | Sarah Eisenberg & Becky Wangberg | September 13, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 130 | 0.06[11] |
|
A nighttime trip to play fetch leads Ace, Bam, and Buff on a mission to stop Poison Ivy from building her own vehicle, but her antics force Buff to improvise after she steals much of his equipment. | |||||||
| 34 | 34 | "Dynamic Du-Oh-No" | Andrew Guastaferro | September 14, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 131 | 0.07[11] |
|
Thinking herself to be more than capable of going solo, Wing leaves Buff behind when the two are partnered together to stop Jestah and Snowy, which proves to be a disastrous mistake. | |||||||
| 35 | 35 | "To the Batmobile!" | Craig Fernandez | September 15, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 132 | 0.06[11] |
|
Bam is forced to rely on A.D.A.M., Batman's first Batmobile, to help rescue the other Batwheels from the Legion of Zoom, and both Batmobiles learn that each of their methods have their own merits. | |||||||
| 36 | 36 | "The Dark Night" | Ryan Toyama | November 6, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 133 | N/A |
|
A city-wide blackout caused by Poison Ivy forces Bam to face his fear of the dark, hampering his efforts in helping Batman. | |||||||
| 37 | 37 | "License to Joke" | Craig Fernandez | November 7, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 134 | N/A |
|
On his first solo patrol, Redbird goes undercover to find the man behind several scooters becoming able to drive on their own, but has to learn that going solo doesn't always mean being alone all the time. | |||||||
| 38 | 38 | "Bibi's Bad Day" | Scott Gray | November 8, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 135 | 0.06[11] |
|
Several mishaps while trying to catch the Joker cause Bibi to lose her motivation, forcing Batgirl to go solo. | |||||||
| 39 | 39 | "A Jet Out of Water" | Ryan Toyama | November 9, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 136 | 0.06[11] |
|
The Penguin captures Batman and holds him hostage underwater, and Wing is upgraded so that she can dive under and rescue him. However, her decision to not practice before using her upgrades ends up biting her in the back. | |||||||
| 40 | 40 | "Batty Body Swap" | Ryan Toyama | November 10, 2023 | September 16, 2023 | 137 | 0.07[11] |
|
The Batwheels swap bodies with each other to prove that they can use each other's specialties, though they quickly find out that they can't, hampering their efforts to stop the Legion of Zoom. | |||||||
Season 2 (2024)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title [7][8] | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [7][8] | Max release date [7] | Prod. code [7] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 1 | "Nightbike" | Michael Berardini | Ryan Toyama | February 12, 2024 | January 12, 2024 | 201 | 0.05[11] |
|
Bibi has some competition with Nightwing’s motorcycle, Nightbike. These stunt bikes will need to learn that they’re better when they work together. | ||||||||
| 42 | 2 | "Bat-Light Blow-Out" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | February 13, 2024 | January 12, 2024 | 202 | N/A |
|
When Legion of Zoom members, Ducky and Quizz, steal the Bat-Signal's one-of-a-kind lightbulb, Bam and Batwing must find a way to restore the legendary signal light, so Batman knows when all of Gotham needs him for hope. | ||||||||
| 43 | 3 | "Kitty's Sleepover" | Lila Martinez | Ryan Toyama | February 14, 2024 | January 12, 2024 | 203 | N/A |
|
Kitty visits the Batcave for a sleepover. However, encouraging her to settle down for a nap proves to be challenging." | ||||||||
| 44 | 4 | "Mission: Stuffed Animal" | Michael Berardini | Patrick Rieger | February 15, 2024 | January 12, 2024 | 204 | N/A |
|
When Redbird takes one of Buff's stuffed animals, without asking him, he enlists Bam to help him make a daring rescue. | ||||||||
| 45 | 5 | "Follow the Bouncing Bam" | Vaughn Ross | Eva Konstantopoulos | February 16, 2024 | January 12, 2024 | 205 | 0.09[11] |
|
During a chase with Prank, Bam gets covered in a sticky substance called Bounce X. This gives him unexpected bouncing abilities, and he must learn to harness these new powers to outwit Prank. | ||||||||
| 46 | 6 | "Big Rig Bam" | Antoine Charreyron | Ryan Toyama | May 20, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 206 | N/A |
| 47 | 7 | "Air-Show, Don't Tell" | Michael Berardini | David Avallone | May 21, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 207 | N/A |
| 48 | 8 | "Monster Truck Amok" | Antoine Charreyron | Ryan Toyama | May 22, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 208 | N/A |
| 49 | 9 | "Razzle Dazzle Frazzle" | Michael Berardini | Jennifer Heftler | May 23, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 209 | N/A |
|
When M.O.E. creates a new, super sparkly vehicle paint, the Batwheels decide to put on a talent show to see who will get a shiny new makeover. | ||||||||
| 50 | 10 | "Multi-MOE" | Lila Martinez | Patrick Rieger | May 24, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 210 | N/A |
|
To ease the burden on M.O.E., the Batwheels use his duplicating machine to make copies of their repair bot, but the Batcave is soon overrun when the machine breaks! | ||||||||
| 51 | 11 | "The Ulti-Bat Rises" | Lila Martinez | Andrew Guastaferro and Ryan Toyama | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | 211 | TBD |
| 52 | 12 | "A T-Rexcellent Adventure" | Antoine Charreyron | Ryan Toyama | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 53 | 13 | "Bats In Show" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guasteferro | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 54 | 14 | "The Gotham Guardians" | Lila Martinez | Andrew Guasteferro | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 55 | 15 | "Save the Bat Dance for Me" | Lila Martinez | Josh Pitta | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 56 | 16 | "Nightbike's Noisy Night" | Lila Martinez | Andrew Guastaferro | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 57 | 17 | "Bite-Sized Buff" | Vaughn Ross | Chris Roberson | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 58 | 18 | "Redbird-O-Flage" | Michael Berardini & Vaughn Ross | Craig Fernandez | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 59 | 19 | "Pumpkin Panic" | Lila Martinez | Ryan Toyama | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 60 | 20 | "The Wizard of Bats" | Antoine Charreyron | Ryan Toyama | November 25, 2024 | September 21, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 61 | 21 | "The Great Christmas Caper" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 6, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 62 | 22 | "Wish Upon a Car" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 63 | 23 | "Music Meister Mayhem" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 64 | 24 | "Spiffledipped" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 65 | 25 | "Lend Me Your Volunteer" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 66 | 26 | "Burger Surge" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 67 | 27 | "An Egg-Cellent Adventure" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 68 | 28 | "Batwing and the Nets" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 69 | 29 | "Sound Effects" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 70 | 30 | "The Flying Cat and The Flying Bat" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 71 | 31 | "Bat-Buds Forever" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 72 | 32 | "The Bestah Way" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 73 | 33 | "Condiment Chaos!" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 74 | 34 | "Bibi and the Bad Seed" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 75 | 35 | "Bibi's Bat-Belt Blunder" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 76 | 36 | "Helpin' Harley" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
| 77 | 37 | "The Batgirlmobile" | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 13, 2024 | TBA | TBD |
Shorts
edit| No. | Title [7][12][8] | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [7][12][8] | Max release date [7] | Prod. code [7] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Meet the Batwheels" | Michael Berardini and Antoine Charreyron | Michael G. Stern | September 5, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB101 | N/A |
| 2 | "Calling All Batwheels" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | September 12, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB102 | N/A |
| 3 | "Bam!" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | September 19, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB103 | N/A |
| 4 | "Buff Tuff" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | September 26, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB104 | N/A |
| 5 | "Faster" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | October 3, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB105 | N/A |
| 6 | "Fly" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | October 10, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB106 | N/A |
| 7 | "Spooky Batcave" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | October 17, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB108 | N/A |
| 8 | "Robin's Ride" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | October 24, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB107 | N/A |
| 9 | "Bam's Bubble Trouble" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | October 31, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB109 | N/A |
| 10 | "Wheelin' and Dealin'" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | November 21, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB110 | N/A |
| 11 | "Interview with a Crime Fighter" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | December 5, 2022 | October 18, 2022 | MTB111 | N/A |
| 12 | "The Best Present in the World" | Michael Berardini and Antoine Charreyron | Andy Sturmer | December 12, 2022 | December 13, 2022 | 112 | 0.06[11] |
| 13 | "Silly Stowaway" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | January 9, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 113 | N/A |
| 14 | "The Knight Shift" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | February 13, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 114 | N/A |
| 15 | "Rockin' Robin" | Michael Berardini | Michael G. Stern | March 6, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 115 | N/A |
| 16 | "Bibi Bops" | Michael Berardini | Jennifer Heftler | April 10, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 116 | N/A |
| 17 | "Batwingin' It" | Michael Berardini | Jennifer Heftler | May 15, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 117 | 0.06[11] |
| 18 | "Bad to the Chrome" | Michael Berardini | N/A | June 5, 2023 | June 16, 2023 | 118 | N/A |
| 19 | "A Joking Matter" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | July 3, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 119 | N/A |
| 20 | "Parking Problems" | Michael Berardini | Andrew Guastaferro | August 7, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 120 | N/A |
| 21 | "Bat-Surfing" | Michael Berardini and Antoine Charreyron | N/A | August 28, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 121 | N/A |
| 22 | "Bad Day" | Michael Berardini and Antoine Charreyron | N/A | November 27, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 124 | N/A |
| 23 | "Jet Set" | Antoine Charreyron | N/A | November 28, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 123 | N/A |
| 24 | "I'll Be Your Shelter" | Antoine Charreyron | N/A | December 5, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | 122 | N/A |
Production
editDevelopment
editIn October 2020, it was announced that an animated preschool series centered around the Batmobile was in development at Warner Bros. Animation, set to premiere on Cartoon Network's then-upcoming preschool block Cartoonito and HBO Max.[1] According to Tom Ascheim, president of the now-defunct Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, the series was greenlit due to its concept being fit for the studio's focus on preschool projects.[1] Michael G. Stern serves as developer and co-executive producer, with Simon J. Smith as supervising producer, and Steven Fink and Caroline Karmel producing.[13][14] Stern was brought into the project early in development, as WB explored ideas for preschool-oriented DC shows, while Smith was brought after Stern wrote the first scripts for the series.[15] In October 2021, during that year's DC FanDome convention event, Cobra Kai star, Jacob Bertrand, the voice behind Bam the Batmobile, announced a sneak peek of the show. In December 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, with Stern and Smith being promoted to executive producers.[16] In October 2024, the series was renewed for a third season.[2]
Casting
editDuring the aforementioned 2021 DC FanDome convention event, Cobra Kai star Jacob Bertrand announced himself to be the voice behind Bam the Batmobile; while announcing a sneak peek of the show, he announced Ethan Hawke as the voice of Batman, three decades after the actor turned down the role in Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever. whilst A.J. Hudson announced himself to voice the Duke Thomas incarnation of Robin.[citation needed]
Writing
editWhile writing the series, Stern wanted to avoid "kiddifying" the characters, as he felt children should be introduced to the characters through faithful portrayals and was also requested to respect the characters.[15] For Batman, he wrote the character to stay faithful to most interpretations, with only his violence being toned down.[15] He also wrote the villains with "a lane" that stayed faithful to their classical portrayals while still fitting the target audience, such as portraying Harley Quinn as a fun-loving prankster.[15]
When creating the Batwheels, the writers wanted them to be perceived as "lovable" and "fun" characters for the audience, in order to avoid the children only watching the show for Batman. In order to accomplish this, they tested the personalities for each character with a test group, who received the characters positively.[15] The writers also wanted to avoid portraying the Legion of Zoom as mere copies of their owners, to which they gave each vehicle their own characteristics, such as portraying Prank, the Joker's van, as "a surfer dude".[15]
Music
editThe series' score was composed by Alex Geringas, while the theme song was performed and produced by Andy Sturmer,[14] who previously composed the themes for the series The Batman and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Sturmer also co-wrote the theme alongside Stern.[14]
Awards and nominations
editThe show was nominated for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Preschool Children for the episode "To the Batmobile!" at the 51st Annie Awards.[17]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Zalben, Alex (October 6, 2020). "The Batmobile Is Getting Its Own TV Series". Decider. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Cordero, Rosy (October 2, 2024). "'Batwheels' Renewed For Season 3 At Cartoon Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "WarnerMedia Announces 'Batwheels' Cast". Animation World Network. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ Weiner, Jonah (October 2011). "Q&A;: Ethan Hawke". Details. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b Milligan, Mercedes (October 10, 2022). "NYCC Catch-Up: 'Dragon Prince' S4 Date, Jellico Returns in 'Prodigy,' 'Batwheels' New Characters & More Crunchyroll". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Schreur, Brandon (May 19, 2022). "Batman's Villains Get a Radical Makeover for Batmobile-Starring Batwheels". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Batwheels Episode Listings". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Batwheels Episode Guide". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ Mitch Salem (October 18, 2022). "Saturday 10.15.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Mitch Salem (May 2, 2023). "Monday 5.1.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Batwheels". USTVDB. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ a b "Meet the Batwheels Episode Guide". Zap2it. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (October 6, 2020). "'Batwheels': Warner Bros Animation Revs Up Preschool Series About DC Cars For Cartoon Network & HBO Max". Decider. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c DC Kids (July 23, 2022). Meet The Batwheels | @Cartoonito | @DC Kids. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e f Hermanns, Grant (October 19, 2022). "Michael G. Stern & Simon J. Smith Interview: Batwheels". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ "Cartoonito Hits the Gas on Season Two Renewal of Preschool Series "Batwheels" for Cartoon Network and HBO Max" (Press release). Cartoon Network. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ Flores, Terry (January 11, 2024). "'Nimona' Leads Annie Awards Animated Feature Competition With Nine Noms; Snubs Include 'Wish,' Which Was Shut Out". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 12, 2024.