Also known as Batman of the Future, Batman Beyond focuses on a new bearer of the Caped Crusader's title in a future Gotham City under the guidance of the OG Batman, Bruce Wayne. It is an animated series with Terry McGuinness as the main protagonist set years beyond the service of his predecessor and it is a much darker version of the hero. Is it canon in DC though?
Is Batman Beyond Canon in DC?
To start, it is set in the future which means it could either be the existing timeline or could be an alternate future. With this, anything is possible on whether Batman Beyond of Terry McGuinness would be canon. It would be safe to say that it is but that could probably change depending on the future of the DC Animated Universe.
Surely, it belongs to the DC multiverse under Earth 12 continuity where there is an Earth 0 or where many of the stories followed take place, or Earth 2 where the Golden Age characters are lording over it, of Earth 3 where things went a little too uncanny given that the heroes became the villains and vice versa. To set things into one line, in the comics, Batman Beyond is canon.
As for the animated series, it is within the same continuity as that of Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Superman: The Animated Series.Batman Beyond ends where Justice League Unlimited starts. That in itself tells that it is canon.
There is an underlying factor, however, in Batman Beyond being canon or no – timeline. It is set in the future which makes it kind of blurry where it stands as it is so far beyond the current timeline that there is a possibility that it would be removed from being canon. Batman Beyond may be canon now but if anything changes in the direction of the DCAU, it might not be one anymore. Instead, it becomes an alternate future.
Recently, fans call for a revival of Batman Beyond as the rumors spread about the plans of HBO Max for a sequel of Batman: The Animated Series. During the IGN Fan Fest, Andrea Romano, the voice and casting director of Batman Beyond called on the fans to push Warner Bros. for a revival to let them know that there is a demand for it.
Romano said, "it will depend on the fans asking, and asking, and asking for it until Warner Bros. would be foolish not to." She added, "So they have to begin a campaign of sorts and just let Warner Bros. know that that's what they want. Because we would like to make it, it would be great fun — we're all still around, we're all still available, everybody's still doing beautiful work. So yes please, and thank you."
Batman Beyond aired from 1999 to 2001 with three seasons, all of which are currently available on HBO Max.
Related: Is Batman Marvel or DC? Character History Explained
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